Feb 20, 2017
ALABAMA RETAIL
There’s only one place in Alabama where you can grab a cup of coffee knowing the beans were roasted using renewable solar energy. Birmingham-based OHenry’s Coffees, an Alabama Retail Association member since 1999, has become the first coffee company in the state to use solar energy in its roasting process.
“I decided to install a solar energy system to make use of available technology to help run OHenry’s more effectively,” said OHenry’s owner Randy Adamy.
February 1, 2016
Business Alabama
Birmingham lawyer Rob Ozols left a sure thing at a big law firm to become the state’s premier solar energy contractor. Flagship contracts include installation of the largest solar system in the state’s largest city.
Dec 8, 2016
Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce
Birmingham based OHenry’s Coffees has selected Vulcan Solar Power, another Birmingham company, to install a 15 kilowatt (kW) solar energy system at its roasting facility in West Homewood. The installation is scheduled to begin on December 7, 2016 and is expected to be fully operational within 2 weeks. - See more at: http://vestaviahills.org/press_releases/ohenrys-coffees-goes-green-with-vulcan-solar-power-llc/#sthash.ch34S09Y.dpuf
Dec 6, 2016
Birmingham Business Journal
Birmingham-based O'Henry's Coffees will soon power its Homewood facility with solar energy, a move the company says aligns with its corporate sustainability ethos.
O'Henry's has tapped Birmingham's Vulcan Solar Power to install the 15-kilowatt solar energy system. Vulcan CEO Rob Ozols said installation is slated to begin this week and the system should be fully operational before the end of the year.
O'Henry's owner Randy Adamy said the business is excited to be more eco-friendly and run more effectively with the new technology.
Dec 6, 2016
Bham Now
In two weeks, when you drop by the local OHenry’s Coffees shop, and buy yourself a steaming winter treat, you will be drinking one of the first cups of “solar powered coffee” in Alabama.
Yesterday, OHenry’s Coffees and Vulcan Solar Power released a joint press release announcing the installation of the first solar power system for a coffee roasting facility in Alabama.
Dec 5, 2016
For Immediate Release [PDF Version]
Birmingham based OHenry’s Coffees has selected Vulcan Solar Power, another Birmingham company, to install a 15 kilowatt (kW) solar energy system at its roasting facility in West Homewood. The installation is scheduled to begin on December 7, 2016 and is expected to be fully operational within 2 weeks.
OHenry’s owner, Randy Adamy, stated, “It was surprising to us that our roof just happened to be facing in the perfect direction and at the right angle for solar panels. We are excited to be able to be more eco- friendly to the community that we have called home for over 23 years.” Adamy further added that “doing business with local Birmingham companies has always been important to us, and Vulcan Solar was a perfect fit.”
The solar energy system is just another step OHenry’s has taken towards sustainability and responsible corporate citizenship. In addition to offering Fair Trade, Organic, and Shade Grown coffee and being the first company to purchase entire crops of coffee from small farmers in Colombia, OHenry’s can now claim to be the first coffee company in Alabama that uses solar energy to roast its coffee. But economics also played a big role in OHenry’s decision to install a solar energy system. “I also decided to install a solar energy system to make use of available technology to help run OHenry’s more effectively,” said Adamy. To that end, the system will save OHenry’s approximately $2,000 in the first year alone and is projected to pay for itself in less than 5 years.
“We are excited to partner with OHenry’s and help it meet its renewable energy goals while also generating a strong return on investment and reducing the company’s operating costs for the next 30+ years,” said Rob Ozols, CEO of Vulcan Solar. Vulcan Solar Power provides turnkey solar energy systems for homeowners, businesses, and nonprofits, and leading the installation is Vulcan Solar’s Senior Operations Manager, Steve Furze, who has over 6 years’ experience as a solar installation professional. Furze is certified at the highest national level, and has been a lead installer on hundreds of residential, commercial, and non-profit solar energy systems. There are substantial federal tax incentives currently available that can reduce the effective-cost of a solar installation by almost 50%, and with the price of solar panels dropping by over 30% the past year, “there’s never been a better time for businesses to install a solar energy system” says Ozols.
Vulcan Solar Power has been in business for less than 1 year but already has installed the first-ever solar energy system in Homewood and a 50 kW system at the UAB Campus Recreation Center, which is now the largest solar energy system in the greater Birmingham area. “The possibilities for solar energy in Alabama are almost endless,” says Ozols. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has designated Alabama “rooftop rich” in solar potential, but even if a company does not have a roof well-suited for solar, Vulcan Solar offers ground-mounted solar energy systems, solar awnings, and solar carports. “Simply stated, there is tremendous opportunity for Alabama businesses to use solar energy to reduce operating costs, achieve significant returns on investment, and meet corporate renewable energy objectives,” says Ozols.
About OHenry’s Coffees:
A Birmingham institution for over 23 years, OHenry’s Coffees has expanded from its original coffee shop in Downtown Homewood to locations in Brookwood, Harbert Center, and Highlands Park, and this September OHenry’s expanded beyond Birmingham with a new location in Downtown Tuscaloosa. OHenry’s also operates its own coffee roasting facility in West Homewood called OHenry’s Coffee Roasting Company (OCRC), which is the wholesale and roasting side of OHenry's Coffees. OCRC’s philosophy is quite simple: source the very best beans at a price that benefits everyone along the supply chain. OCRC roasts from a long list of origins, blends, natural (Swiss Process) decafs, Fair Trade, Organic and Shade Grown coffees, and it offers a wide variety of flavored coffees. OCRC’s customers include other coffeehouses, specialty markets, bakeries and restaurants. While more locations and a much larger roasting business have developed over the years, what hasn’t changed is the legacy given to us so many years ago by OHenry’s founder, Dr. Henry Bright: a building is only as good as the foundation it was built on. For more information, please visit us at OHenrysCoffees.com or on Facebook at Facebook.com/OHenrysCoffee/.
About Vulcan Solar Power:
Vulcan Solar Power covers the entire state of Alabama and offers turnkey solar energy systems for homeowners, businesses, and nonprofits. Vulcan Solar is a licensed General Contractor and Residential Homebuilder/Remodeler; as a result, Vulcan Solar is able to take on projects of any size and manage every aspect of the installation process, including system design, permitting, installation, and final interconnection. Vulcan Solar also is the only solar company in the greater Birmingham area providing solar energy systems installed by NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professionals (the industry gold standard). Choosing a NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional will ensure that your solar energy system meets the highest industry standards for installation, performance, and safety. Vulcan Solar offers free consultation, site surveys, and quotes, and with solar being more reliable and affordable today than ever, Vulcan Solar hopes that more Alabamians will consider solar for their homes and businesses. For more information, please visit us at VulcanSolarPower.com or on Facebook at Facebook.com/VSPSolar/.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
OHenry’s Coffees
Randy Adamy
T: 205-946-8970
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Vulcan Solar Power
Rob Ozols
T: 205.679.8666
C: 205.767.4846
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Oct 7, 2016
Iron City Ink
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is now home to the largest solar-energy system in the Magic City. The 100-panel array on top of the UAB Campus Recreation Center was installed by Vulcan Solar Power and can be seen from Red Mountain.
“This is our first commercial-scale solar installation,” said Julie Price, UAB sustainability coordinator, in a news release.
Some smaller solar projects have been done on campus in the past but nothing on this scale.
In fact, the sheer size and visibility of the installation may help generate some useful public discussion of environmental issues, according to Price. “It is a great pinnacle project that will open the door for us to engage people about solar energy and other facets of sustainability,” she said.
Oct 6, 2016
Bham Now
Here comes the sun UAB.
This week, UAB announced that it is home to the largest solar energy system in the city of Birmingham. The solar panels are on top of it’s Campus Recreation Center which can be seen from Red Mountain and surrounding buildings.
The 100 panel solar system was installed by Birmingham-based Vulcan Solar Power.
“This is our first commercial-scale solar installation,” said Julie Price, UAB Sustainability Coordinator in a recent UAB news release.
“The visibility of the system cultivates a recognition and inquiry from the community that aligns directly with our mission to generate public engagement. It is a great pinnacle project that will open the door for us to engage people about solar energy and other facets of sustainability as well.”
Oct 3, 2016
Birmingham Business Journal
The University of Alabama at Birmingham on Monday unveiled the city's largest solar panel system. The panels will power personal electronic charging stations outside the the UAB student center. Students and faculty also will use the system for classwork and research.
“We are treating our campus as a living lab, where we can incubate new technologies and monitor their performance,” Julie Price, UAB sustainability coordinator, said in a release. “We are using our buildings, not just to have classes or for patient care, but to learn from them and try new things.”
Birmingham Business Journal: UAB unveils city's largest solar energy system
Oct 3, 2016
ABC 33/40
UAB is now home to the largest solar-energy system in the city of Birmingham after unveiling its new 112-panel system that sits atop the campus recreation center.
“This is our first commercial-scale solar installation,” said Julie Price, UAB Sustainability Coordinator. The visibility of the system cultivates a recognition and inquiry from the community that aligns directly with our mission to generate public engagement. It is a great pinnacle project that will open the door for us to engage people about solar energy and other facets of sustainability as well.”
UAB taps local startup for solar energy construction project
