<p><strong>Oxnard, CA</strong><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Gills Onions and Duda Farm Fresh Foods will co-host the Produce Energy ‘Green’ Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in Oxnard on July 11, 2012 to introduce their latest technologies. The companies will unveil the world’s largest vanadium flow battery and 37,000 square feet of photovoltaic solar panels. These most recent intiatives illustrate the growth of Ventura County, CA as a sustainability corridor full of innovative, environmentally-conscious practices. The ribbon cutting event will be an invitation-only, zero waste event, and will feature video tours of the Gills and Duda facilities, onsite project tours and remarks from company representatives.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Gills’ tennis court-sized flow battery built by Prudent Energy will further improve the processing facility’s energy efficiency during peak hours and its ability to store electricity during lower cost nighttime hours. Nikki Rodoni, Director of Sustainability at Gills Onions, states, “Prudent Energy’s flow battery is part of our ongoing commitment to reducing our environmental footprint and we’re excited about this milestone. We understand that adopting sustainable practices is not only the right thing to do, but that it makes our business more efficient.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Duda’s photovoltaic solar panels engineered by Cenergy Power are the company’s latest addition to its fresh-cut celery facility. The solar panels will provide 40 percent of the power for the fresh-cut celery and cooling facility. By installing the panels, Duda will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 478 metric tons each year. Sam Duda, VP Western Vegetable Operations at Duda, states, “The only way we can continue to provide the freshest, highest-quality produce to our customers and families across the nation is to protect and preserve the world around us. As a family-owned business, Duda takes our commitment to reducing our environmental footprint very seriously.”</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.gillsonions.com/"_new"> Gills Onions </a><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.dudafresh.com/"_new"> Duda Farm Fresh Foods </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
