Robertet Flavors, the U.S.-based flavors division of the global Robertet Group,  selected GeoPeak Energy LLC to design, install and service a high-efficiency solar energy system at its flavors manufacturing facility in Piscataway, N.J. The roof-mounted solar panels will span 115,000 square feet and will be operational by the end of 2011.

Fourteen percent of the manufacturing plant’s power will be provided by this system, which will reduce the site’s annual carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1.1 million pounds — the equivalent of planting 33,665 trees or the conservation of 1.5 million gallons of gasoline over the system’s lifetime, the company says.

The installation complements a number of other environmental initiatives at Robertet’s central New Jersey facility, including the use of enhanced production processes and equipment to capture major reductions in water usage, the introduction of sustainable packaging, and the installation of highly energy-efficient HVAC equipment, as well as the optimization of systems such as the replacement of sink faucets with automated sensors and enhanced recycling programs.

“Our clean energy initiative supports the global Robertet Group’s commitment toward responsible environmental stewardship, while offering the added benefits of lowering operational costs and complementing Robertet’s core natural raw materials positioning in the flavor and fragrance industry,” said Peter Lombardo, president of Robertet USA, in a statement. “In the months and years ahead, Robertet will continue to seek out ways to reduce our carbon footprint, implement other environmental process improvements, and support fair and sustainable agriculture around the world.”

“Robertet has taken a comprehensive approach to sustainability by reducing the use of conventional energy sources and installing renewable energy systems,” said AJ Javan, chief strategy officer of GeoPeak Energy, in a statement. “They have embarked on a mission to manage and reduce their [carbon dioxide] emissions while controlling energy use per [metric] ton of production.” BI