To: Tom Grimes
From: Will Pericak
Date: July 20th, 2010
Re: Environmental Stewardship and Rebranding
First, let me say I commend your decision to make Groggs Peak more than just a profit seeking business, but rather an integral part of our community. Personally, I am excited to find ways to reinvigorate Groggs Peak through corporate social responsibility and environmental stewardship. Through sustainability and rebranding, we can obtain a competitive advantage, which would help our bottom line. Since the meeting, I have researched your suggestions and some other strategies and ideas to make us more sustainable.
Wind Turbines blow...
Wind turbines may seem to be a viable option for Groggs Peak, but there are many disadvantages. First, they are very capital intensive; an average two mega-watt wind turbine costs $2 million to install. With maintenance and upkeep, costs can raise to upward of $5 million. Then there is the issue of optimal wind speeds. Carbondale has average wind speeds of 7 mph, and a wind turbine requires at least 10 mph to produce electricity. With the high upfront cost and the fact that the Carbondale area lacks the required wind speeds, wind turbines are not feasible.
Wind Credits...
While wind turbines prove to be unfeasible, an alternative is to buy wind credits from our current energy provider. A combination of solar power and wind credits could make Groggs Peak completely powered by renewable resources! Currently, Xcel Energy has the Windsource program, which lets customers determine the amount of wind energy they receive. There is only a small premium to participate in the program, but utilizing it to become 100% sustainable could give us a competitive advantage.
Solar Power...
Solar power could be the foundation of our sustainability at Groggs Peak and eventually power the whole brewery. Solar panels convert the suns energy directly into AC power, and this limits the energy that is lost from long transmission lines. An extra...