Bear Republic Goes Solar

PETALUMA, Calif. — Enphase Energy announced today that North State Solar Energy, a Northern California-based general contractor that specializes in solar-electric installations for residential, commercial and agriculture projects, has installed an Enphase├Æ-equipped photovoltaic (PV) system at Bear Republic Brewing Co.’s Cloverdale facility. Both the 30.2 kilowatt (KW) rooftop solar array and a second, soon-to-be-installed 136.6 KW canopy system feature Enphase M250 American Pride Microinverters assembled in Milpitas, California.

“We raise a toast to Bear Republic’s decision to go solar and to work with fellow homegrown American success stories such as Enphase and North State Solar,” said Paul Nahi, CEO of Enphase. “A commitment to quality and sustainability drives all three companies, and we look forward to helping reduce Bear Republic’s energy bill and carbon footprint.”

The project marks the latest collaboration between Enphase and North State Solar. The solar contractor recently became an exclusive Enphase 2014 American Pride Partner for deployment of Enphase’s new American Pride Microinverters in commercial and residential solar installations throughout Northern and Central California.

“A big reason why we have been successful in bidding for Bear Republic and other projects with Enphase Systems is their track record for quality and reliability,” explained Mike Houar, president of North State Solar. “We’ve installed tens of thousands of Enphase microinverters, and it is, by far, the most reliable and highest production solar energy system in the industry.”

The solar project is part of a sustainability initiative for Bear Republic, which is also implementing technology to treat wastewater from the brewing process while capturing electricity and heat that goes straight back into the production process.

“Once the company decided the economics were right to ‘go solar,’ we chose Enphase microinverter systems over string inverters because the design increases overall energy output,” said Peter Kruger, master brewer at Bear Republic. “If one part of the system suffers a drop in production, there’s no effect on the other parts of the system.”

About Enphase Energy, Inc.

Enphase Energy delivers microinverter technology for the solar industry that increases energy production, simplifies design and installation, improves system uptime and reliability, reduces fire safety risk and provides a platform for intelligent energy management. Our semiconductor-based microinverter system converts energy at the individual solar module level and brings a systems-based, high technology approach to solar energy generation. Connect with Enphase on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. www.enphase.com

About North State Solar Energy

North State Solar Energy is a Northern California-based general contractor that specializes in solar-electric installations for residential, commercial and agriculture projects. Owned and operated by Michael Houar, a licensed contractor for over 25 years, the North State Solar Energy team has been involved with the design and installation of over 200 solar projects. With a business model focused on delivering long-term quality and value, North State Solar Energy recommends U.S.-made solar and accessory components with high performance and unmatched warranties. North State Solar Energy also has a commitment to providing an unparalleled level of customer service. Visit www.northstatesolarenergy.com for more information.