FOND DU LAC, Wis. , Jan. 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), today announced the installation of its first array of photovoltaic solar panels to be put to use at its world‑headquarters campus in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The new array sits atop a segment of the company’s warehouse roof and comprises 320 panels, each measuring 6 feet wide and 4 feet tall. The array will generate enough electricity to light the company’s warehouse operation in Fond du Lac for the next 30 years. This initiative also supports Brunswick’s enterprise goal to source 50 percent of electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030.
Mercury launched its first solar project in 2017 with the installation of a 2,000‑panel array at the company’s European headquarters in Petit‑Rechain, Belgium. That solar array, combined with improved insulation at the location, reduces the amount of electricity the facility draws from the grid by 33%, thus lowering the facility’s utilities costs and enabling substantial use of clean and sustainable energy.
According to Mercury Marine President Chris Drees, the new array in Fond du Lac will contribute toward fulfillment of a goal he announced at the beginning of 2020 to derive 50% of the company's electricity from renewable sources by the end of 2030.
“These steps will combine with many others over the next 10 years to increase the proportion of energy we will draw from renewable energy sources,” Drees said. “We are committed to our focus on sustainable business practices, including investment in renewable energy and reduction of our carbon footprint. We will continue to elevate our commitment to sustainability across all of our global locations.”
The new solar array in Fond du Lac builds on measures Mercury has already undertaken to manage its energy use responsibly. On Earth Day 2020 (April 22), Wisconsin's Focus on Energy (FOE) program named Mercury as a winner of its 2020 Energy Efficiency Excellence Award. In granting the award, FOE cited several Mercury initiatives, including modernization of HVAC and lighting systems, containment of compressed‑air systems, optimization of power on/off cycles for equipment and facilities, redirection of manufacturing‑generated heat for multiple purposes, and incorporation of natural lighting and passive heating into the design of new facilities.
Learn more about Mercury’s sustainability efforts at https://www.mercurymarine.com/en/us/land/sustainability.
Learn more about Brunswick’s sustainability efforts at: https://www.brunswick.com/corporate-responsibility/sustainability
ABOUT BRUNSWICK
Headquartered in Mettawa, Ill., Brunswick Corporation’s leading consumer brands include Mercury Marine outboard engines; Mercury MerCruiser sterndrive and inboard packages; Mercury global parts and accessories including propellers and SmartCraft electronics; Power Products Integrated Solutions; MotorGuide trolling motors; Attwood, Garelick, and Whale marine parts; Land ’N’ Sea, BLA, Payne’s Marine, Kellogg Marine, and Lankhorst Taselaar marine parts distribution; Mercury and Quicksilver parts and oils; Bayliner, Boston Whaler, Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris, Lowe, Lund, Princecraft, Quicksilver, Rayglass, Sea Ray, Thunder Jet and Uttern boats; Boating Services Network, Freedom Boat Club and NAUTIC-ON. For more information, visit https://www.brunswick.com.
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