Fort Knox Self Storage, which operates nine facilities along the East Coast, is installing solar panels on 4,000 square feet of vehicle-storage canopy at its newly built facility in Okahumpka, Florida, to offset energy consumption. Provided by Optimus Energy Solutions of Mount Dora, Florida, the 200-panel system will provide 100% of the power needed for the 9.5-acre property at 3813 Rogers Industrial Park Road, producing 132,000 kWh, according to the source.
“We’re excited that this solar installation will allow us to fully power our facility on renewable energy,” said Peter Moran, a principal of Self Storage Services Inc. (SSSI), the property-management company that runs the facility. “The reduced environmental impact coupled with the energy-cost savings made this decision a no-brainer for us.”
“Solar energy can virtually eliminate a line item of expenses for storage facilities,” added Optimus founder and CEO Ben Pauluhn.
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The Okahumpka site also contains three buildings offering a mix of climate-controlled and drive-up storage units.
Fort Knox operates in Florida, Maryland and Virginia. All of its sites are managed by SSSI, which oversees nine additional storage properties on behalf of other brands.
Since opening in 2018, Optimus has provided electric-vehicle chargers and solar-energy systems to businesses and homeowners in the Southeast. The company placed at No. 508 on “Inc.” Magazine’s list of 5,000 fastest-growing private companies for 2024.
Source: Daily Commercial, A New Trend at Storage Facilities? Optimus Energy Completes Solar Project in Okahumpka
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