Marine Center of Indiana adds solar panels to facilities
Marine Center of Indiana has completed the installation of over 110,000-square-foot rooftop solar panels, which the dealership said will cut down carbon emissions by 15,938 metric tons over the next 25 years.
“The completion of this project is a great leap forward not only for my building and the environment, but the city of Beech Grove and the state of Indiana as well. It’s great to see a project come to fruition that has so many benefits for our community,” said Mike Hoffman, owner and president of Marine Center of Indiana.
After repurposing three oil drums for a recycling program, MCI took a step back and evaluated its carbon footprint. For years the dealership has been working on increasing its energy efficiency and has since implemented energy efficient heating, cooling, and lighting systems. Hoffman said the lighting system alone has reduced costs by over $3,000 per month. Solar panels were the next step.
Over the next 25 years, MCI expects the addition of these panels is equivalent to:
- Taking 3,146 cars off the road,
- Producing enough energy to service 2,250 homes,
- Saving 35,347 barrels of oil and
- Reducing their carbon footprint by 15,938 metric tons of CO₂
Hoffman said MCI hopes to set itself apart from the rest of the marine industry regarding forward thinking, long-term innovations, and the embracement of sustainable energy. This has been a four-year project from start to finish and the dealership will go live producing electricity in September. MCI partnered with Solscient Energy, based out of Toledo, Ohio, and Indianapolis Power and Light for the completion of this solar panel project.
Marine Center of Indiana, a Boating Industry Top 100 dealer, is a family-owned and operated boat dealership providing service, storage and boating accessories since 2001 to central Indiana and the surrounding areas.