In addition to medication, blood pressure, and greeting cards, customers at Rann Pharmacy in Harleysville can now view an in-store monitor and get a reading on how much electricity the solar panels on the family-owned and operated pharmacy’s roof is generating.
A large sign on the side of the building announces the project, 108 solar panels installed by Aztec Solar Power of nearby King of Prussia. Rann owner and president Greg Segner estimates he’ll achieve payback for his renewable energy investment within five years. Aztec took care of securing federal and state incentives and rebates
“Ultimately, anytime you cut down on your cost of doing business, it’s beneficial,” says Segner. “And a lot of people are coming in asking for (Aztec’s) phone number.”
That’s been a trend for Aztec, a two year-old offshoot of Royal Petroleum, which has provided energy solutions in the Philadelphia area since 1936. In June, Aztec was called by U.S. Senator Bob Casey to represent the state at the Senate Democratic Green Jobs Summit.
Aztec has grown rapidly in the last six months, adding 10 people to its staff, and that figures to continue. It has done more than 10 installations this year, including one that involved 1,900 panels, and has done three solar farm projects. It plans to open a manufacturing facility in York to produce solar panels, and expects to hire about 100 workers to make it happen.
“We owe it to the state to provide jobs,” says Aztec CIO Jerry Robbins. “We want to be a fully integrated company.”
Source: Greg Segner, Rann Pharmacy; Jerry Robbins, Aztec Solar Power
Writer: Joe Petrucci