Marjam Supply Company, a manufacturer and wholesaler of construction materials, opened Green Depot, a green building supply business. Bright Power was hired to "green" the facilities and reduce their energy costs.

The Green Depot headquarters in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, uses a solar electric system to help power day to day operations. The building maintains its connection to Con Edison, the local utility, but the facility reduces electric costs and its impact on climate change by harnessing the power of the sun. A natural gas generator provides power when Con Ed can’t, bringing additional revenues to the facility all year long for being “on-call.”

Blue Collar Goes Green, a film by the New York Industrial Retention Network, documents Marjam used their North Brooklyn Energy Grant to install a 20-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system on the roof of their Brooklyn facility and reduced their energy costs.

Can't see the video? Click here NYIRN's website for "Blue Collar Goes Green." 

Marjam has manufacturing and warehouse space for distributing building supplies. The south-sloping metal roof keeping their building materials dry was ideal for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels (2040 square feet, 20.4 kW). They also purchased a natural gas generator, which allows them to reduce their peak load and ensures that the facility always has power.

Smart Financing: The company received NYSERDA incentives for the solar panel system and for the peak load reducing generator, as well as a North Brooklyn Energy Grant from NYIRN to help cover the cost of the solar installation. The company benefits from a federal tax credit of 30% on the solar equipment, federal 5-year accelerated depreciation (MACRS), and from New York City’s programs: Energy Cost Savings Program (ECSP) and the Business Incentive Rate (BIR). Installed by Solar Energy Systems and Sure Energy.

Made possible by the NYIRN North Brooklyn Energy Grant Program.