November 2022 Volume 4

MATERIALS

the other carbonaceous gas, has a GWP of 27-30 over 100 years. CH4 emitted today lasts about a decade on average, but CH4 also absorbs much more energy than CO2. The net effect of the shorter lifetime and higher energy absorption is reflected in the GWP. GWPs for nitrous oxide and the fluorinated gases are much higher. The transportation and electric power sectors accounted nearly two-thirds of all CO2 emissions in 2020, though not all of these

are considered GHGs. These sectors account for about 50 percent of total CO2 GHGs. Industry is responsible for another 13 percent of GHG emissions but it is important to note that these categories are not mutually exclusive from each other. The metal working and manufacturing sectors, for example, each rely heavily on the electricity generation and transportation sectors, thereby increasing their roles as GHG emitters. FRG’s Controller, Lucas Ray, could not divulge the financial investment necessary to implement its solar arrays, but of Straight Up Solar he said, “A good contracting firm can help you with the various design and technical issues, as well as hardware procurement and financial scenarios. These investments were subject to federal tax incentives and, additionally, there will be future benefits from the recently-passed Inflation Reduction Act.” In conclusion, Kent Paul is very pleased at the positive feedback he has gotten on the solar projects from FRG’s employees, customers and local governments. At present, FRG has no orders pending for additional solar arrays, “but we are researching options and looking into future investments.”

Forge Resources Group’s Solar Array Investments

In 1988, the Jones family started Forge Resources Group (FRG) with the purchase of Dekalb Forge in Illinois. In its 34 years of existence FRG has added to its portfolio of forging and other related operations such that the company now has 51 forging cells operating out of six plants across the Midwest. FRG is a full-service company that offers post-forging services for the output of its forging plants, which include: Dekalb Forge (Dekalb, Ill.), Rockford Drop Forge (Rockford, Ill.), Michigan Forge (Lansing, Mich.), Illinois Forge (Rock Falls, Ill.), Cardinal Forge (Rochelle, Ill.) and Star Freeport (Freeport, Ill.). Like any company on a growth track, FRG has sought operational improvements as a way of providing its customers with quality ferrous and nonferrous forgings produced as efficiently, and as sustainably, as possible. Electric power is one of the largest inputs to the forging process and throughout its history FRG has done what it could to reduce power consumption. At first this was done in small ways such as the use of electricity-saving LED lighting or variable frequency motors in its operations. “But in 2018,” says FRG’s Vice President Kent Paul, “we started getting calls from our customers about our carbon footprint and what we were doing about it, just as they were from their customers. We had land adjacent to Illinois Forge, so beginning in the Fall of 2018 we got proposals to consider installing a solar array on that land. We contacted Straight Up Solar of Bloominton, Ill., a solar systems contractor, and decided to make the investment to put a solar array on our adjacent property.” The system was designed to supply all the power needed by Illinois Forge. In the Fall of 2019, after five months of installation and one day of plant shut down to integrate the array into the power grid, Illinois Forge’s installation went online. The array consisted of 3800 individual photovoltaic cells that generate 1.7 million kWh of electricity annually. The solar power generated goes into the local electric utility and is credited to Illinois Forge as the power is consumed. In the summer the solar array generates about 20 percent more power than the forge consumes; and about 20 percent less in the winter months. Things went so well in the first installation that within two years FRG decided to repeat the process at their Star Freeport facility. For that site 2400 photovoltaic cells that generate 1.2 million kWh annually were mounted in array on adjacent property. This system successfully went live in the Fall of 2021. The systems at both properties have a 30-year life expectancy.

A drone’s-eye view of the solar array at FRG’s Star Freeport facility

Close-up view of the solar panels at FRG’s Illinois Forge

FIA MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2022 39