Empty Keg Brew House at 2190 Voght St. will be running a little greener in the future, following the roof top installation of 20 solar panels on July 27. 

Kyle Hall, owner of Empty Keg, was on hand alongside a crane from Alpha Design and a crew from Merritt-based SEI (Solar Energy Innovations). Despite the smoky skies there were smiles all around for the roughly one hour it took to get the panels properly situated. 

“We’re really proud that Kyle (Hall) took us on as one of our first projects this summer,” said Eric Little, CFO of SEI. 

“We’d like to broadcast to the city of Merritt that we’re ready to install more projects.”

SEI specializes in making solar power accessible and viable, offering complete system deliveries and installs to even the most remote locations. SEI has also partnered with NVIT on their Renewable Energy Technology program, and two program students are currently working full time with SEI. 

“SEI is a supplier of solar equipment to Finning, and are pleased to be a fabricator and designer of our unique solar products – such as the one used at the Empty Keg,” said Little. 

“A fully pre-wired system that can be quickly lifted onto a flat rooftop or on the ground, reducing labour requirements and time of installation. 

The 20 panels on the rooftop of Empty Keg will generate just under 9kW of power.

“That will be able to offset Kyle’s power bill by anywhere from hopefully 50% to 75%, on an annual basis,” said Little.  

“We’re always very understanding of our carbon footprint and what we can do,” said Hall about the project. 

“We try to recycle as much of our by-product as we can, a lot of people know that our grains go to farmers… our cooling water, for instance, we recycle so we can use it in our next brews, so this is the next step in reducing our carbon footprint as much as we can.” 

There are further plans to make Empty Keg cleaner and greener, something Hall has been focused on despite the difficulties presented by COVID-19 and the switch by many businesses to single use packaging and other, less eco-friendly operations. 

“It’s important for us because there’s only so much natural resources out there, so we’re always very cognizant of what we can do to help the planet,” said Hall.  

Over the course of the next week, SEI will work with Hack Electric to complete the installation and get the panels generating power. 

Hall urges other Merrittonians to look into solar options for their own homes and businesses, as green energy becomes increasingly effective and affordable. 

“We get so much sun throughout the whole year, in particular the winter, we have way more sun than even the Okanagan Valley,” explained Hall. 

“So, that makes a big difference, you’re generating power all year long and you’re offsetting your costs.”