Tampa business goes solar with more 450 panels; a new trend of the Sunshine State

Business goes all-in on solar

FOX 13’s Evyn Moon reports that Tampa’s famous fanatics building now has over 450 solar panels installed on its roof. The new owners expect to save more than $2 million in energy costs over the next 25 years as Florida continues incentivizing businesses to switch to solar energy.

TAMPA, Fla. - Florida’s sunny reputation is driving a surge in solar energy use, with more homeowners and businesses making the switch. Florida ranks second in the nation for new solar panel installations, and one Tampa business is embracing the trend in a big way.

Big picture view:

The former Fanatics building, now home to Royal Auction Group, has installed more than 450 solar panels on its rooftop. The building, previously known for its iconic bleachers, has transformed into a shining example of sustainability.

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"The new owner was wondering what they could do with it... they contacted us, asked if we could turn it into a solar array and help them save on energy … Over the next 25 years, they'll be saving over $2 million in energy savings. And the payback period on a project like this is only about five years," said Jacob Watkins, the general manager of Transform Solar.

What they're saying:

Burt Keskitalo, the CFO of Royal Auction Group, shared the company’s motivation.

"We wanted to transform the building from the bleacher building, which is iconic, to a new iconic building," Keskitalo said. "And we thought, what better way would to do with them to do it with solar? Operational efficiency. Our goal is to be net-zero. So really we want the entire building to run off of the solar panels on the roof."

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Dig deeper:

Florida’s favorable policies, including a 30% federal tax credit for solar installation, have made the decision easier for businesses.

"There’s been a lot of positive legislation in the last few years," said Watkins.

The solar panels are also built to withstand Florida’s notorious hurricane winds, ensuring that sustainability doesn’t compromise safety.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered through interviews with the general manager of Transform Solar and the CFO of Royal Auction Group.

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