Ability Tri-Modal’s solar triple threat: Savings, Sustainability, and Service

Learn how trucking company Ability Tri-Modal saved money, reduced its carbon footprint, and improved operations with rooftop solar.

Service above self.

This is the motto of Ability Tri-Modal.

The California-based transportation company is dedicated to providing top quality, reliable service above all. In order to achieve this, the Ability Tri-Modal team has focused on establishing cost-effective operations that enable it to provide measurable benefits to every customer.

But over the past few years, operational costs have steadily increased, challenging their priorities.  Utility bills have increased over 20% in just the last three years, increasing energy spend at all three of its facilities. What’s more, extreme weather is contributing to an increasingly unreliable power grid. Weather events like wildfires and high winds have compelled the local utility to shut down grid power for hours on end. These outages not only stall operations and rack up high costs, they prevent the Ability Tri-Modal team from providing the best experience they can to their customers.

“Our number one priority is to serve our customers,” stated executive vice president Mike Kelso in a recent conversation with Promise Energy. “And we can’t do that if we don’t have reliable, low-cost power.” 

Big solar savings

The leadership team knew that solar could significantly reduce Ability Tri-Modal’s exposure to unpredictable utility rates and offer some independence by enabling its facilities to produce and consume their own renewable energy. They searched for several years, but it wasn’t until they started working with Promise Energy that they found an economical solution that maximized savings at all three locations: a customized rooftop solar system on each of Ability’s facilities in Carson, Lucerne, and Reyes. Mike was impressed by Promise’s efficient and seamless process. “They were really responsive to our questions and requests,” he remarked. “They were also really well organized and completed all three projects within our agreed upon budget and timeline.”

The Promise Team designed, engineered, and installed the solar systems to maximize Ability Tri-Modal’s long-term financial benefits. This involved optimizing each design based on budget and site constraints, collaborating with their engineers and facility managers to integrate the system into existing electrical infrastructure, and specing Tier 1 solar equipment. For these projects, Hyundai modules with a 25-year warranty were selected.

Over the years Promise has learned that the highest likelihood of project success and long-term customer satisfaction is realized when they combine the best hardware technology with a design and installation team that shares a dedication to craftsmanship and workmanship.

Based on Promise’s guidance and advice, Ability Tri-Modal chose to purchase all three systems instead of financing them through a Power Purchase Agreement. The direct ownership allowed them to take advantage of all tax benefits and financial incentives available for solar. This meant that on top of the systems’ combined $4 million in lifetime electricity savings, the company also received roughly $314,000 in Investment Tax Credits and an additional $329,000 in tax savings through accelerated depreciation. As an unexpected bonus, Promise’s rate plan audit identified an additional savings opportunity for the Carson facility by switching to a different utility rate plan, saving the company an extra $5,900 annually. 

“Doing our part in our communities.”

The solar arrays not only provide Ability with significant savings, but they also align with the company’s deep commitment to sustainability and community engagement. Ability’s owner Greg Owen is actively involved in Rotary International and other work, and the company regularly provides donations and community service support to its local nonprofit organizations. “We want to do our part in our communities,” commented Mike. “ Having solar contributes to this mission by reducing our impact on the environment, at a time when it has never been more urgent and important.”

The solar arrays are not the company’s first foray into sustainability. In 2018, Ability replaced some of its off-road diesel trucks with electric ones, which enabled the company to not only reduce fleet servicing downtime and costs, but also lower the company’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Any solution that improves operations and provides additional savings at the same time, is a “no-brainer” for Mike and the rest of his team.

Bringing all of the pieces together

Looking ahead, Ability Tri-Modal is continuing to explore other renewable and distributed generation opportunities that provide the triple threat of helping it lower costs, reduce its carbon footprint, and provide superior customer support.

“We are working on bringing all of the pieces together,” said Mike. “And we are excited to see what’s ahead.”

At Promise Energy, we don’t believe that one size fits all. We pride ourselves in designing and installing customized energy solutions that provide the greatest long-term value and energy control for our customers.