Sharp’s Tarps Ltd., a truck tarp manufacturer in Grants Pass, has invested in renewable energy and efficiency upgrades to cut costs and maintain reliable operations.
GRANTS PASS, Ore. — Sharp’s Tarps Ltd., a truck tarp manufacturer in Grants Pass, has invested in renewable energy and efficiency upgrades to cut costs and maintain reliable operations.
A family-run business dating back to 1971, Sharp’s Tarps first installed solar panels in 2015 and added a new solar system with battery storage last year. The upgrades allow the company to use energy produced during peak demand periods to avoid higher electricity charges and are expected to save more than $7,000 annually, even while adding air-conditioning to the facility.
“Back nine years ago, our power bills were eight hundred to a thousand dollars a month, and this brought them down to about eighty to a hundred dollars a month,” said Mont Sharp, president of Sharp’s Tarps.
“With that battery backup, if the power goes out, it seamlessly transitions to the battery. Not even a digital clock loses its time,” Sharp added.
The company was able to install the solar panels and battery storage using federal and state rebates, as well as incentives from the Energy Trust of Oregon, whose programs help local businesses make energy-efficient improvements more affordable while boosting long-term savings.
Dave McClelland of the Energy Trust of Oregon said energy efficiency is a key way for businesses to manage costs.
“You need to think about which costs you can control. Energy is one of them. You can’t change the price, but you can change how much you use and when you use it,” McClelland said.
The solar panels and battery storage also allow Sharp’s Tarps to remain operational during winter weather, when truck drivers have a greater need for tarps. The upgrades help the company maintain production without disruption, even during periods of high energy demand or inclement weather.