Louis Industries

Louis Industries

Louis Industries has one of Minnesota’s largest rooftop solar arrays. The family-owned steel manufacturing plant is using more than 1,200 solar panels to power its facility. New solar energy incentives made this an easy decision for a company committed to energy efficiency.

“Everything started looking better. Xcel Energy’s new capacity credit, federal tax incentives, and rapid depreciation made this a very good investment for us,” said Leo Louis, CEO of Louis Industries. “We’d actually considered a wind turbine, but with solar costs coming down, now was the right time.”

“We’re delighted to partner with Louis Industries on this solar project,” said Chris Clark, regional president of Xcel Energy. “Our customers are increasingly interested in clean energy options that are efficient, and we’re committed to providing them with more options to achieve their own energy goals.”

New Energy Equity supplied and installed the solar system. The Minnesota-made solar panels cover more than an acre, or 65,000 square feet, of roof space. The 498-kilowatt DC array will produce about 625,000-kilowatt hours per year.

A long-time industry leader in steel, Louis Industries has worked to reduce its electricity bill while increasing its manufacturing process. By adding the solar array, Louis says he can reduce his $15,000 monthly electric bill by $5,000 each month.'