Mooresville - The Merino Mill complex, home to Alino Pizzeria, Merinos Home Furnishings, and Main St. Antiques, is now producing its own energy, thanks to a new solar installation.

Some 5,100 solar panels have been installed on the rooftops of two buildings at the 1.1 million square foot complex. The solar panels generate 1.595 megawatts per year, which is 60% more energy than is required to heat and cool the buildings in use.

“The day we bought the buildings, we were interested in putting solar,” says Michal Bay, owner of the complex and businesses. “This is a huge complex, so we have a lot of roof. It’s environmental friendly. And in the past ten years, it’s become a profitable enterprise.”

Bay’s employees performed the installation, which took four months. The solar panels are located on two of the complex’s buildings. “We are selling all the energy to Duke Energy at a set price and buying our needs from them like a regular customer,” Bay says. A side benefit: the panels act as a type of insulation, reducing costs for both heating and cooling.

Alino Pizzerias under construction in Jefferson, Ga., and Fort Lawn, S.C., will get solar power sometime next year.