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Marine Group Boat Works Industry Leaders in Becoming a Zero-Emission Shipyard, Installs 500 kW Solar Panel System for Energy-Efficient Way of Building Boats

Solar panel installation helps San Diego boatbuilders Marine Group Boat Works, LLC power the construction of boats for the Navy. Photo by Stephen Whalen

(National City, CA, December 8, 2016): Marine Group Boat Works, LLC, (“MGBW”) a family-owned boatbuilding and repair company with three facilities in San Diego and Los Cabos, recently completed a 500 kW rooftop solar panel system for its shipyard in National City, CA, making it the first boatbuilder to use solar energy to construct boats. The move to solar is yet another way that MGBW is leading the maritime industry in reducing the carbon footprint in manufacturing and boat repair.

“Our initial decision to go solar was driven primarily by our desire to be a zero-emission, low impact boatbuilder,” said Todd Roberts, president of MGBW. There’s no question that solar is an economic benefit, but there are many other advantages – everything from self-reliance and sustainability to doing the right thing. We chose to do the right thing.”

The new solar panel system will greatly decrease MGBW’s footprint and is expected to reduce annual energy consumption by 81percent based on past and projected consumption. According to the EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, MGBW’s new solar system will save the equivalent of annual greenhouse gas emissions from 1,214,096 miles driven by an average passenger vehicle while offsetting CO2 emissions from 57,002 gallons of gasoline consumed or 540,568 pounds of coal burned.

While MGBW has wanted to go solar for the past several years, energy consumption from boat repair was simply not great enough to warrant the investment. However, since MGBW opened its new construction division, increases in manufacturing and Solar panel installation helps San Diego boatbuilders Marine Group Boat Works, LLC power the construction of boats for the Navy. Photo by Stephen Whalen Page 2 of 3 production output made possible by Navy and commercial newbuild contracts and facility upgrades made this the right time to do the right thing.

After a nationwide competitive search, Baker Electric Solar, a San Diego-based fullservice solar provider, was selected to design and install the 500 kW rooftop solar panel system for MGBW. The total cost was $1.2 million and took about three months to complete. According to Baker Electric’s Solar Director of Commercial Solar, “The new solar system will provide more than $3 million in net savings over the 25-year warranted life of the solar modules.” Return on the initial investment is expected to take about five years.

Marine Group Boat Works scheduled to receive electric forklift funded by a matching grant program under the partnership of San Diego Port Tenants Association and SDG&E. Photo by Arash Afshar

“They worked closely with our structural engineering and steel contractor and added roof reinforcements designed to meet seismic requirements when the concern came up. Baker stayed on schedule, did a great job of communicating and even arranged the solar commissioning after-hours and on a weekend to help us avoid interruptions to our business operations,” said Roberts. MGBW’s commitment to sustainability and low impact construction makes them pioneers in the industry, as recognized by the Port of San Diego who awarded MGBW with the 2016 Renewable Energy Sustainability Achievement Award at the recent Port Tenant Green Business Network annual event held on December 7, 2016.

In addition to the solar installation, MGBW reclaims 100 percent of storm water runoff without discharging any water into the bay. Sandblasting and painting are done in enclosures where all air emissions and dust are recaptured and when possible, recycled. For the transportation of labor and materials between both of its San Diego facilities, a fleet of electric vehicles and forklifts further reduces the shipyard’s carbon footprint.

About Marine Group Boat Works

Marine Group Boat Works is a family-owned, full-service vessel construction and repair company with two facilities on the San Diego Bay and one facility in Los Cabos. Its largest facility in Chula Vista, California is about one million square feet with over 2,000 Marine Group Boat Works scheduled to receive electric forklift funded by a matching grant program under the partnership of San Diego Port Tenants Association and SDG&E. Photo by Arash Afshar Page 3 of 3 feet of dockage and boasts a 665-ton travelift, rough terrain cranes, a machine shop, brand new metal working equipment and a propeller shop. Its sister yards in National City and San Jose del Cabo encompass over 300,000 square feet of land and water and feature 300- and 150-ton travelifts respectively. Between the three facilities, MGBW employs over 200 ABS-certified welders, shipfitters, pipefitters, mechanics, electricians, painters and other specialists. In addition to being a small business MSRA and ABR Navy contract holder, commercial and government customers include the Port of San Diego, Golden Gate Bridge and Transportation District, San Francisco Water Emergency Transportation Authority, San Diego Maritime Museum, Flagship Cruises and more. For more information, visit www.marinegroupboatworks.com.

About Baker Electric Solar

San Diego-based Baker Electric Solar designs, installs and maintains solar systems for homes, commercial facilities and utility-scale projects across Southern California. As a member of the Baker family of companies, Baker Electric Solar is a BBB accredited business with an A+ rating. It ranks No. 23 on Solar Power World Magazine’s 2016 Top 50 Solar Contractors in California and No. 76 on the Top 500 Solar Contractors in North America. It was recognized by the San Diego Business Journal as San Diego’s No. 16 Fastest-Growing Private Company. Baker also earned the Angie’s List Super Service Award three consecutive years (2013–2015). For more information, visit https://www.bakerelectricsolar.com.

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