86 kW rooftop solar offsetting 89.2% of electricity at a meat processing facility in Millbank, Ontario
Near 90% annual electricity offset achieved through precise system sizing at a regulated food production facility.
A high daytime load against a roof asset approaching the end of its replacement cycle.
Small meat processing facilities operate under strict food safety and regulatory requirements, with electricity demand driven by refrigeration, processing equipment, ventilation, and sanitation systems. While overall facility size may be modest, electricity reliability is critical, and opportunities to reduce consumption through efficiency alone are often limited.
At Gerber Meats Ltd., the goal was to significantly reduce reliance on grid electricity without disrupting daily processing operations. Any solar solution needed to be carefully sized to match actual annual electricity usage, integrate cleanly with existing systems, and operate reliably in a regulated food production environment.
Size to the service. Mount without penetrations.
A rooftop solar PV system was engineered with system capacity and layout determined based on roof availability, electrical infrastructure, and the operating patterns of a small meat processing facility.
Rather than maximising installed capacity, the system was sized to achieve high on-site annual utilisation. This approach resulted in a solar installation capable of offsetting the majority of the facility’s annual electricity consumption while maintaining operational simplicity and reliability. The system reached commercial operation on June 18, 2024.
The numbers, then the consequence.
- 0195,702 kWh of solar electricity generated annually.
- 0289.2% of the facility's annual electricity consumption offset by solar.
- 03System commissioned June 18, 2024, integrated without disruption to meat processing operations.
Equivalent to removing 1 passenger vehicle from Ontario roads annually.
For the facilities and engineering audience.
The system consists of 86 kW DC (189 LONGi Solar modules) paired with 45.6 kW AC via SolarEdge inverters. Unirac rooftop racking was integrated with the existing roof structure.
SolarEdge inverters support optimized performance, monitoring, and system reliability in a food safety-critical environment.
Facility characteristics that shaped the design.
- Small-scale meat processing and food production facility
- Electricity demand driven by refrigeration, processing, and sanitation systems
- Existing rooftop suitable for high-utilisation solar deployment
- Annual load profile enabling a high electricity offset without operational disruption
What was installed.
Evaluating rooftop solar for a commercial or industrial facility? Understanding how solar aligns with your consumption profile and long-term objectives is the first step.
- ·Roof structural and shading review
- ·Annual production model
- ·Net-Metering interconnection check
- ·Incentive & financing stack
- ·Two-scenario capital plan
