East Penn charged up over solar applications
Despite East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc.’s lengthy record on sustainability, consumers may not immediately make a connection between a lead battery manufacturer and solar energy.
Yet, Berks County’s largest employer has been playing a role in solar’s growth for over 25 years, and only figures to see its involvement continue to rise side by side with the industry.
“From our start in the early 1990s to 2021, our potential has grown dramatically, especially because of our earlier investments in this evolving marketplace,” said Bruce Cole Sr., vice president of industrial sales for East Penn, in written responses to questions about the company’s solar initiatives.
East Penn stands to benefit from an expansion of solar power, though, since the company’s Deka batteries have a solar line.
While solar is still an emerging technology in terms of its prevalence, East Penn already offers a full portfolio of highly recyclable, lead-based energy storage solutions for industry.
“As this market has grown exponentially, especially in the past decade, East Penn has been proactive,” Cole said. “We work closely with installers, designers, and integrators to remain on the leading curve of the industry.
“We have been an industry leader in helping to evolve lead-based technology for partial-stateof-charge applications to better support renewable energy that includes the optimization of solar power. These developments not only help create a safer and highly efficient solution, but also one that is completely sustainable through a wellestablished
recycling infrastructure.”
Citing a practical example of East Penn’s achievements in solar, Cole pointed to the company’s recent work in Puerto Rico after the island was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2018.
East Penn was able to restore electricity to homes in a remote part of the island
that had gone without power for eight months via a new solar installation.
“The other effort we are extremely proud of is our industry involvement and certifications,” Cole said.
“It is great to produce a high-performing product, but it is also just as critical to educate users on how to maximize their investment,” he said. “The East Penn team has trained users in over 31 countries on the safe installation and use of their solar energy needs.”
Investments in sustainability and renewable energy are areas East Penn frequently touts.
The company prides itself on its closed-loop, circular-economy system, recycling nearly 100% of all batteries it manufactures while simultaneously producing zero emissions into the air and water.
East Penn is also working on developing any number of advancements in various renewable energy verticals for consumer-facing markets, including, of course, solar.
“We constantly communicate with our customers to determine the pressing and growing market needs,” Cole said.
“In 2018, we made a significant investment in the future by building our cutting-edge Innovation Center,” he said. “This center houses a large R&D team that continually develops ways to stretch the boundaries of battery technology with advancements in performance efficiencies and battery longevity that will benefit the solar industry.”
In terms of solar initiatives, East Penn has come a long way from its first niche applications. Since the company acquired the technology for gel batteries in the mid-90s, the Deka brand has been building its reputation.
Now, as solar energy continues to grow by leaps and bounds in Pennsylvania, East Penn figures to be at the forefront of that progress.
“Throughout the global market, the diverse Deka Solar product line is a leader and known as a robust, high-quality product built to exceed the demands of very challenging solar applications,” Cole said.