Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • September 26, 2012 Business The Shotmeyer Family has been a leader in the energy business for over 85 years. When brothers Henry and Albert Shotmeyer, two young, energetic Dutch immigrants started the business, coal was the energy source. Two generations of Shotmeyers shepherded the company through society’s reliance on gasoline and fuel oil, and now as the organization’s leadership is transitioning from the second to third generation, the business itself is evolving into the renewable energy arena. Last week, Shotmeyer Bros. Fuel Co. announced it has “gone green” by tapping into the sun’s energy to provide all the electricity necessary to power its headquarters Shotmeyer goes green by tapping into solar energy at 10 Wagaraw Road in Hawthorne. Additionally its subsidiary, Shotmeyer Solar LLC, is working on a utility-scale solar power plant on 273 acres of Shotmeyer property in Sussex County. The plant has already received regulatory and local approvals and, when completed, it will be the largest privately-owned solar project in the United States. The plant, to occupy 88 acres, will have the capacity to generate 10 megawatts of electricity for the grid, to be used right here in New Jersey to power thousands of homes and businesses with clean renewable energy. “We are very excited to be generating our own electricity” said Chuck Shotmeyer Hawthorne Mayor Richard Goldberg, right, throws the switch to the new facility, as company President and COO Charles H. Shotmeyer, left, and CEO Charles P. Shotmeyer, look on. The 2-million gallon decommissioned oil tank is outfitted with 250 Solar panels. of Franklin Lakes, the company president, at the “throw the switch party.” “On exceptionally cloudless days, we will actually be pushing excess electricity back to the utility grid, thus helping to provide power for our neighbors.” Shotmeyer Bros. “recycled” a 2 million gallon decommissioned oil tank at the rear of the Hawthorne yard and installed 250 solar panels on its 6,000 sq. ft. roof. The new solar energy system is expected to generate 78,482 kWh of electricity per year. System efficiency is observed in-house by a web-based sun-monitoring program. “We can see on a daily basis how our carbon footprint is being reduced,” said Jared VanEk, fuel manager of Shotmeyer Bros, “and realizing that positive impact on the environment is not only a great feeling but important stewardship,” he added. “In our industry, embracing change and managing new technologies is critical. Many forms of alternative and renewable energy are now proven technology, ” Shotmeyer said. He noted that in addition to solar, which is a renewable form of energy, there are also cleaner and greener options in the heating oil and diesel fuel the company distributes. The ultra-low sulfur diesel distributed today is significantly cleaner, and bio-blend options make diesel fuel and heating oil greener,” he said. “Homeowners with heating oil systems – please stay tuned as ultralow sulfur heating oil will soon be available here in New Jersey. This cleaner burning fuel will reduce both emissions and maintenance – a win for you and the environment,” Shotmeyer said. Another opportunity in motor fuel is Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). CNG has been an important source of motor fuel in Europe and South America for many years. Domestic vehicle manufacturers now have assembly lines tooled up, and the next step is to add compressors at fueling stations across the country, the company president said. CNG burns cleaner and is less expensive than traditional motor fuels which is better for the environment, the vehicle and the consumer’s pocketbook. Shotmeyer said his company is currently exploring opportunities for CNG fueling stations here in North Jersey, and already has plans to set up at the Hawthorne yard, where he already has a high pressure main, the first such facility in the area catering to commercial vehicle fleets. Shotmeyer acknowledged that while the lower fuel cost will clearly lead to a sub- stantial savings over the life of the vehicles, the initial cost of a CNG vehicle is higher. He said he has teamed up with Greener by Design, an energy consulting firm which can help fleet owners through the process and perhaps even arrange for innovative ways to finance the transition. “My father would have been happy to see this move into a new form of energy from when he came to this country. Then it was the oil, where coal had been before, and now we are on the precipice of a new form of energy,” said CEO Charles P. Shotmeyer.