At Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems’ manufacturing operation in Huntington, Indiana, more than 2,600 panels are lined up in rows, covering a large field next to Plant 1. And now, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has taken note of the 1.168-megawatt solar installation as well: DOE named the Bendix solar effort a 2022 Better Project Award winner in the department’s Better Plants Program, the company says.

“Better Plants,” part of DOE’s “Better Buildings” initiative, works with manufacturers to boost their competitiveness through improvements in energy efficiency. Awards in the Better Plants program honor partners’ innovative, industry-leading work in energy efficiency, water efficiency, emissions reduction and waste reduction. The Better Project award acknowledges partners for outstanding accomplishments in implementing industrial energy, water, and waste projects at individual facilities, Bendix says.

This is the second year in a row that Bendix has received recognition in the Better Plants Program. Last year, Bendix earned a 2021 Better Practice Award for its Zero Waste to Landfill self-certification process, the company says. At full capacity, the solar project produces 1.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, delivering an estimated $140,000 in electric utility savings yearly, Bendix says.