BEGA is a lighting manufacturer at the cutting edge of luminary design and technology. Its American headquarters, BEGA North America, manufactures all of its products for the North American and South American territories in their Carpinteria, California facility. As an indication of its environmental focus, BEGA North America framed its California campus with a walking trail and a collection of various fruit-bearing trees.
BEGA North America wanted a way to reduce operational energy costs and ensure protection from California grid outages. Additionally, the company strove to increase its percentage of renewable energy consumption and lessen energy transmission through the grid.
To meet BEGA’s requirements of reliable function and top quality craftsmanship, BEGA partnered with HES Solar. The San Diego-based solar and storage installer designed a solar photovoltaic and energy storage system across the buildings’ abundant rooftop real estate. With microgrid functionality, the facility is designed to continue its operations during any California utility outages.
HES Solar constructed the solar systems in two phases and then installed two Tesla Megapack Energy Storage Systems (ESS) onto one concrete pad situated between the buildings. Each system was built to run independently as a stand-alone energy generation and storage system serving each building.
BEGA’s Carpinteria campus now produces electricity on its building rooftops as well as fruit along its border landscaping. The system will allow the company to operate at over 85% renewable energy use. The system will provide over 8.7 million dollars in energy bill savings over the first 25 years.
HES Solar helped BEGA receive the maximum benefits from several incentive programs for commercial solar and energy storage construction. These include the Investment Tax Credit as well as the California MACRS Depreciation and the Federal 100% Bonus Depreciation incentives. The Tesla energy storage system additionally qualified for the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) through the state of California.
The California sunshine now powers the California fabrication, assembly, production and shipping jobs. The operation is not dependent on grid power to meet orders and spread BEGA’s innovative lighting design to the American continents.
“Long before the term sustainability became a mere advertising slogan, we attached importance to careful design and the intelligent use of raw materials. Sustainable resource management and the creation of exemplary production facilities, for both our workforce and the environment, have been part of our basic entrepreneurial principles from the very beginning.“
from BEGA-US.com website
The residential-only entity HES Solar has redefined its scope and has narrowed its focus to home solar service and home battery service. The impact of 2023 California regulations to home solar projects has required this company truncation; we regret the elimination of new home energy installations from our offerings. HES Solar now concentrates on supporting existing systems with maintenance and repair services for HES Solar and non-HES Solar systems and remains available for workmanship warranty work on qualified HES Solar systems.
For commercial solar and commercial energy storage design, installation, service, and O&M offerings, please visit the HES Renewables website hesrenewables.com.
A note on the state of California residential solar: The residential solar industry has faced significant financial hurdles in the last few years as a direct result of hostile policy, most notably NEM 3.0. Our primary trade partner, SunPower, went into Chapter 11 in August, 2024, and a majority of other solar companies, large and small, have been forced to close, leave California, or restructure. We are glad to remain available as a home energy service group to support our customers and provide maintenance and repair for home systems that have been orphaned by other company closures.
We recognize your frustration with this news and never intended for our beloved 24-year-old residential solar business to curtail its offerings.