Food Alliance powers its mission with the sun

The solar panels atop the Ozaukee Food Alliance building in Saukville are generating power, now that the Alliance has been commissioned for solar power.

The array of solar panels, completed earlier this year, is expected to save the nonprofit organization about $1,000 a month.

And that, Alliance officials said, will allow the organization to better focus on alleviating food insecurity in Ozaukee County.

The solar project is part of the Alliance’s sustainability and Food As Medicine initiatives.

The $89,000 solar panel array, which was installed by Endries Solar and Electric, was paid for primarily through donations from Solar for Good, TC Energy, Port Washington State Bank, the T.V. Roberts Family Foundation and an anonymous donor.

Proceeds from the “paddle raise” at the agency’s annual gala also went toward the project.

Mark Gierach, executive director of the Alliance, said earlier this year that the organization has been working toward installation of a solar energy system since it purchased its building, noting the Alliance should be able to cover the bulk of its monthly electric bill with the panels.

The building, he added, is perfect for an array with a flat roof and nothing to obstruct sunlight.

The panels will help power the pantry’s hydroponic gardens, which are cared for by the Ozaukee Master Gardeners and produce 30 to 40 pounds of lettuce a month.

The generosity is coming at the right time, Gierach said, as the pantry is growing.

“The number of people we are serving is going up,” he said.

This, he said, is both because the pantry is better able to serve clients now that it is in its 15,000-square-foot building and because times are hard for many people.

Video of the array can be found on the Ozaukee Food Alliance Facebook page and website.

More information can  be obtained by calling (262) 689-8591 or emailing info@ozaukeefoodalliance.org.