NRG Energy has donated $100,000 for the installation of a solar array at the 308,000-square foot Houston Food Bank.
The combined array will have 280 photovoltaic panels that will generate 80,000 kilowatt-hours of clean, renewable electricity.
In 2008, NRG granted $200,000 to support emergency operations conducted by Houston Food Bank during a hurricane relief.
In addition, emergency generators maintained by NRG ensure that refrigerators and freezers are working properly at Food Bank and food is kept safe during outages.
Brian Greene, CEO, president, Houston Food Bank, commented, “Saving on energy cost through such solar initiatives will enable the organization to provide thousands of additional meals to needy people. The warehouse and distribution area consumes lots of electricity.”
NRG’s donation will help the bank reduce operating costs as well as environmental footprint helping them achieve sustainability.
John Ragan, president of Gulf Coast operations who also serves as chairman of board of directors of Houston Food Bank, said, “NRG, with its long-term commitment to the food bank through financial donations and employee volunteers have always supported their activities. Leveraging the experience with rooftop solar so that more hungry people can be fed is a way of supporting the community.”
The Houston Food Bank serves more than 74 million meals, feeding more than 800,000 hungry people each year.