Festo, an industrial automation controls and systems and industrial training systems company, announced the addition of a rooftop solar power generating system in Mason, Ohio.
The Festo North American Regional Service Center along I-71 will now generate through solar power 48% of its annual electric power needs onsite.
The rooftop installation features 3,929 solar panels covering 85,180 square feet of rooftop, and its annual generating capacity is rated at 2.602GWh.
Installation on the solar power array began in November 2024 and concluded in May. Kokosing Solar Power, Athens, Ohio, was the project’s general contractor. The solar panels are installed on the rooftops of two of the three connected buildings and on the entryway’s carport, and the project features eight solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations.
Built in 2015 and expanded several times since, the Festo Regional Service Center is the North American distribution hub for Festo’s globally manufactured automation products. The facility, which employs 350 people, also assembles custom orders and builds unique products for North American customers.
“The Festo Regional Service Center’s solar project does more than save energy – it is a model of resilience and forward thinking that reflects this city’s economic and environmental goals,” said Mason’s Mayor Diana Nelson in a statement. “It aligns with Mason initiatives that help local businesses invest in sustainable growth.”
Headquartered in Esslingen, Germany, Festo is a family-owned $3.9 billion business employing more than 20,000 people in 60 countries. Festo has operated in the U.S. over 50 years.
The solar power initiative was funded in part by a grant from the Stoll family.
Sustainability is firmly anchored in Festo’s corporate strategy. In 2024, the company joined the World Resources Institute Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). In 2024, Festo’s global operations offset 100% of its direct carbon emissions and achieved CO2 neutrality for indirect emissions. Festo plans to generate 25% of its electricity through solar power by 2030.