Viking Masek's U.S. headquarters in Oostburg, Wisconsin, began officially generating power from the sun. The new state-of-the-art rooftop solar array generates 239.76 kW of energy with 648 solar panels, saving enough electricity each year to power 28 homes.

 After being approached by solar energy company Arch Electric in early 2018, company leadership began testing and feasibility studies. They soon realized an investment in a solar array would be largely beneficial: For the community, for the environment, and for their bottom line.

In August of 2019, contracts were finalized and installation of the rooftop array began. A few short months later, Viking Masek was ready to go live.

In addition to environmental and community benefits, the decision to invest in solar energy was a no-brainer for the company's bottom line. “The electricity generated from the array will reduce our monthly energy bills by thousands of dollars, and on days when we generate more power than we use, the surplus will be sold back to the energy utility provider,” said  COO Ty Weinhold.

Government programs and initiatives also helped make the solar array more affordable by offsetting some of the project costs. Thanks to a Focus on Energy RECIP grant, funding through the USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), and tax incentives, Viking's out-of-pocket costs for the solar array were substantially reduced, shortening the return on investment period considerably.

The millennial and Gen Z workforce value modern innovations like sustainability and renewable energy, often looking for a values match between themselves and potential employers. "We're currently ramping up our recruitment efforts in a very competitive landscape, and the solar array differentiates us as an innovative employer in the eyes of potential hires," comments Weinhold.