Bendix Activates Second Solar Installation In Huntington

AVON, OH… Four years after first harnessing solar power in Huntington, Indiana, Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Bendix) has expanded its renewable-energy capacity with the activation of a 2,346-panel solar array at its Bendix Distribution Center (BDC), the company’s primary North American distribution point. The new installation strengthens one of Indiana’s most robust corporate solar operations and marks another key milestone in Bendix’s long-term sustainability strategy.

Combined with the 1.168-megawatt array launched at Plant 1 in 2021, Bendix’s multi-facility Huntington campus now generates over 3 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean electricity each year – enough to power the equivalent of hundreds of homes. The solar output helps the site avoid an estimated 1,145 tons of CO? emissions annually, while providing reliable, lower-cost energy and reducing dependence on the regional power grid.

“This project represents another important investment in the cleaner, more efficient future we’re building across Bendix,” said Luis Quiñones, Bendix environmental and sustainability engineer. “It reflects our continued commitment to renewable energy, to our community, and to doing what’s right for the environment.”

The newly completed array reinforces the company’s long-term sustainability roadmap – including reducing site energy costs and advancing Bendix’s climate objectives under the Climate Strategy 2030 framework of Knorr-Bremse, its Munich, Germany-based parent company.

Smart Engineering Meets Environmental Stewardship

Like its predecessor, the BDC array was designed to deliver both technical and ecological benefits. The ground-mounted panels stand over a bed of native, pollinator-friendly vegetation, creating habitat for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial species while enhancing soil health and stormwater absorption. The site’s landscaping plan includes a one-for-one replacement commitment for any trees removed during construction. Over time, the natural ground cover will require minimal maintenance and contribute additional CO? offset through carbon sequestration.

“Integrating biodiversity into industrial projects is one of the most meaningful ways we can multiply our positive impact,” said Quiñones. “This installation doesn’t just generate power – it regenerates the land it sits on.”

At full capacity, the new array will produce approximately 1,600 megawatt-hours per year, expected to supply about half of the BDC’s annual electricity demand and 13% of the total needs of the campus, while supplying surplus power to the local grid as operational conditions allow. The project represents a continuing partnership between Bendix and Indiana-based energy contractors focused on sustainable infrastructure development.

Scaling Solar Success

The new Huntington array extends a success story that began in 2021, when Bendix energized its first large-scale solar installation on the same campus. That pioneering project set the stage for the company’s continued investment in renewable energy and established a model replicated across Bendix operations in North America. Over its expected 30-year lifespan, the combined Huntington systems will deliver decades of low-cost power, help stabilize energy expenses, and significantly cut the site’s greenhouse-gas emissions footprint.

Both solar initiatives reflect the company’s alignment with Knorr-Bremse’s Climate Strategy 2030, which targets a 75% reduction from 2018 levels in Scope 1 (direct, on-site fuel use) and market-based Scope 2 (indirect, purchased-electricity) greenhouse-gas output by the end of this decade.

To achieve that goal, Bendix is advancing five parallel priorities: increasing energy efficiency, transitioning to cleaner fuels, expanding on-site renewable generation, procuring certified green power, and optimizing facility footprints. Between 2020 and 2024, these combined efforts have saved more than 17.6 million kWh of electricity across Bendix’s North American sites.

“Every new solar investment strengthens our ability to operate sustainably and competitively,” said Quiñones. “It’s about carbon reduction – and cost stability, energy independence, and building resilience into our operations.”

Bendix’s Huntington projects also align with the company’s commitment to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – specifically SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production and SDG 13: Climate Action. These guide the company’s strategy to minimize waste, cut emissions, and operate efficiently.

 Leading by Example

The Huntington campus has become a benchmark for Bendix’s sustainability efforts in North America. Since achieving Zero Industrial Waste to Landfill status in 2017 and Zero Waste to Landfill certification in 2019, the site has continued to implement advanced resource-recovery and energy-efficiency systems.

Its vacuum-distillation process recovers up to 80% of wastewater for reuse, reducing discharge and freshwater consumption. Lighting retrofits, compressor optimizations, and process improvements have cut energy use significantly over the past five years.

With more than 400 employees across multiple plants, Huntington is one of Bendix’s largest manufacturing, assembly, and distribution sites – and one of its greenest. The addition of the second solar array further cements its role as a leader in environmental innovation and is a model for future projects throughout Bendix.

“This project shows what’s possible when engineering and environmental stewardship work hand in hand,” said Quiñones. “It’s a model we’re proud to keep moving forward.”