M&M Mars Candy Plant in N.J. Goes Solar

The Mars candy manufacturing facility in Hackettstown N.J., which produces M&M candies and other chocolate treats recently opened an 18-acre “solar garden” with more than 28,000 ground-mounted solar panels that will produce 2MW of power during peak hours, approximately 20 percent of the plant's peak energy consumption. The solar garden is the first project completed by PSEG Solar Source, a subsidiary of PSEG.

PSEG Solar Source owns the system, which is located on Mars Chocolate North America's property, and Mars has contracted for the entire output of the system. juwi solar Inc., a solar energy company located in Boulder, Colorado, performed the engineering, procurement and construction services for the system and will also be providing the initial operation and maintenance services. Thin film panels were provided by First Solar. PSEG Solar Source currently owns two other utility-scale solar projects - one in Florida and another in Ohio. Those projects, done with juwi solar Inc, total 27 MW and are expected to be completed by the end of next year. These assets are the first in a planned portfolio of solar facilities throughout the U.S. to be developed, owned and operated by PSEG Solar Source.