Trussville, AL, Self-Storage Facility Celebrates the Addition of Solar Power

January 5, 2022

3 Min Read
InsideSelfStorage logo in a gray background | InsideSelfStorage

Update 1/5/22 – Trussville Storage received a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the recent installation of solar panels at its facility in Trussville, Alabama. Though the project faced limited inventory of materials and a disrupted supply chain due to the coronavirus pandemic, installation proceeded on schedule, with the system operational since early November, according to a press release.

“The availability of a grant from the USDA was an important factor in moving forward with the project proposed by Eagle Solar & Light,” said Protiva and Titshaw.

“Commercial solar in Alabama not only generates exceptional financial returns, as we have utility rates well in excess of the national average, but is also the best step toward achieving corporate sustainability goals,” Yates added.

Jefferson County Commissioner Joe Knight said he was impressed with the storage owners’ innovative approach to supplement the property’s energy. “Jefferson County has come a long way in the last few years, and we are excited about the direction in which we are heading. We look forward to other new businesses that will be coming to our county.”

9/21/21 – Trussville Storage in Trussville, Alabama, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the addition of solar power to the site. The event kicked off a 30-day testing period for the project at 7900 Gadsden Highway, according to a press release.

The solar-panel system was designed by Kathy Henderson, business development and sales for Eagle Solar & Light. The final design was approved by the Jefferson County Development Services Building Division and Alabama Power.

“Based on the project summary and analysis provided by Eagle Solar & Light, we expect to save $240,367 in energy costs over a 25-year period,” said David Protiva and Mark Titshaw, owners of Trussville Storage. “We expect to cover about 61% of our energy use with this installation and even can sell power back to Alabama Power at times.”

“The new owners have been working hard since November to make sure this facility remains the best self-storage facility in the area,” said property manager Kelly Epps. “Earlier this year, we completed our transition to all LED lighting and, now with the solar power, the owners are showing again they want to be responsible corporate citizens.”

Climate-controlled storage facilities produce energy-consumption profiles that fit daily and weekly solar-energy-generation parameters well, said Eagle CEO Samuel Yates. “The Trussville Storage solar installation represents the second and third self-storage installations in progress in the Birmingham area for Eagle Solar & Light.”

“Self-storage buildings are a great fit for solar because they have a consistent daily use of energy throughout the year,” added Henderson. “This allows them to maximize their savings and offset a good portion of their power demand with minimal cost. The owners and staff at Trussville Storage are ideal customers, and we look forward to working with them for the life of the system and beyond.”

Trussville Storage offers more than 53,000 square feet of climate-controlled and drive-up self-storage units. The company is constructing an additional building that’ll add 13,000 square feet of climate-controlled space.

Sources:
PR Newswire, Eagle Solar & Light Announces Opening of Latest Solar Power Installation
PR Newswire, Trussville Storage Receives USDA Grant for Solar Power Installation

Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter
ISS is the most comprehensive source for self-storage news, feature stories, videos and more.

You May Also Like