Chicago-based self-storage company The Lock Up has installed solar panels on its Livingston and Westwood, N.J., facilities in an effort to protect the environment and reduce operational costs. Installed in April, the panels will generate clean power that will cover 70 percent to 90 percent of the energy needs at each of the storage sites. Power generated by the panels will also be fed back into the public utility grid, providing clean energy to the community.

The decision to utilize the renewable energy of the sun was a simple one, both ethically and economically, said Andrea Carnes, vice president of operations. The installation of the solar panels will definitely enable us to reduce costs since sunlight is free. But even more importantly, both of our New Jersey self-storage facilities will markedly reduce their carbon footprint as a result of using this type of clean energy source.

Established in 1976, The Lock Up has more than 30 climate-controlled self-storage facilities nationwide.