As part of its commitment to clean energy, 85°C Bakery Cafe installed PV panels from Mitsubishi Electric to power its central kitchen in Brea, California. 85°C Bakery Cafe installed a 325-kW system including 1,226 Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Premium solar modules and 7 inverters from Yaskawa – Solectria Solar. The system is projected to produce 527,702kWh of power annually, which is equal to saving 41,730 gallons of gasoline in one year.
(Left to right) 85°C Bakery Cafe Director of Production Sean Yang, Mitsubishi Electric president and CEO Kent Hora, Sebastian Calderon of the Office of Senator Josh Newman, 85°C Bakery Cafe Director of Marketing Emily Hu, Deputy Director General Jaime Chen of Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Los Angeles, Linette Choi of the Office of Assemblyman Phillip Chen, SunGreen Systems co-founder Rick Hsu, Charlene Langland of Yaskawa – Solectria Solar cut the ceremonial ribbon in Brea, California.
“85°C Bakery Cafe is pleased to announce our first solar powered facility worldwide. The environment and sustainability has always been a priority for our company,” said Henry Cheng, who is also a master chef at 85°C Bakery Cafe. Cheng has won several competitive bakers’ awards, including a gold medal in the World Skill Pastry Competition.
Founded in 2004, 85°C Bakery Cafe has seen rapid growth and popularity and is planning to open its 1,000th location worldwide this year. To honor the bakery’s commitment to clean energy and the environment, Mitsubishi Electric US held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Brea headquarters on March 27. Guests including Mitsubishi Electric US Inc. president and CEO Kent Hora, 85°C Bakery Cafe CEO Henry Cheng, and City of Brea Mayor Cecilia Hupp mingled at the central kitchen, which is responsible for mixing the wet and dry ingredients for all 27 locations in the U.S.
“Mitsubishi Electric is honored to be selected to supply PV modules for 85°C Bakery Cafe’s first solar installation,” said Hora. “We appreciate the bakery’s commitment to going green and its environmental leadership in the community.”
The system was installed by Irwindale, California-based installer SunGreen Systems whose CEO John Hoffman worked closely with 85°C Bakery Cafe to meet the bakery’s energy needs. “In addition to greatly reducing carbon emissions, this system will pay for itself within 5 years,” said Hoffman. “After its payback, 85°C Bakery Cafe will enjoy free energy for the next 25 to 30 years.”
News item from Mitsubishi