Since 2011, Sportsman Boats has been manufacturing technologically advanced boats out of its 225,000 sq. ft. manufacturing plant in Summerville, SC. Starting with a staff of six, the company has grown its workforce to over 250 employees.
As part of a 2016 multi-million dollar expansion effort, the company completed the installation of a 630 kW AC rooftop solar system to bolster the facility’s sustainability efforts. The new system provides enough energy savings to allow the company to add 100 new jobs.
Sportsman Boats financed the solar project through the South Carolina Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan program (EERL), established by the SC Office of Regulatory Staff - Energy Office (Energy Office) and administered by the Business Development Corporation (BDC).
"Ensuring maximum efficiency in our daily operations is another way to make sure our company, people, and products are positioned for dynamic growth for years to come. Generating our own solar power is key to that strategy."
Brinkley Melvin
Co-owner
Sportsman Boats
FINANCING SOLAR
Sportsman Boats aggregated $1.2 million from public and private sources to finance this solar project. In addition to a $294,000 grant from the US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for America Program, the balance of the funds came from an EERL provided by the Energy Office and the BDC.
The EERL loan, issued in 2015, has a term of 8 years at 2% annual interest. Taking advantage of both the federal investment tax credit and a 25% state income tax credit, the system has an expected payback of approximately 5 years.
Established in 1958 by the SC State Legislature, the BDC is a non-bank commercial lending company specializing in helping South Carolina-based small businesses grow.
EERL is a loan program for energy efficiency upgrades for business and industry with a maximum award value of $1 million and loan terms up to 10 years. Utilities, 501(c)(3) organizations, and government entities may be eligible under certain circumstances.
INSTALLING SOLAR
Sportsman Boats’ solar installation consists of 2,394 individual panels, each measuring three feet by five feet. Each panel is capable of producing 330 watts, meaning the system as a whole can produce up to 19,200 kWh on a bright, sunny day — enough to power an average home for almost two years. The system will generate over 20 million kWh over the course of 20 years, saving Sportsman Boats $3 million on its energy bills.
The panels are anchored to the roof with a non-penetrating clamping mechanism that requires no drilling. Sportsman Boats worked with Asheville, NC-based FLS Energy for engineering, procurement, and construction.
For information about funding opportunities available through the Energy Office, visit ENERGY.SC.GOV/programs/funding