HelioSage Retained as Project Developer

KEENE, NH – Clarke Companies, an Anheuser-Busch distributor, has retained HelioSage to develop and operate solar powered arrays at two of Clarke’s Vermont facilities, allowing the company to host clean, renewable energy generation on site and to purchase the energy at a competitive price. A 400 kilowatt ground-mounted solar array at the Rutland, VT g.housen facility and a 100 kilowatt roof-mounted solar array at the Brattleboro, VT g.housen facility will be owned, operated and maintained by HelioSage.

The commitment to solar power follows the beverage distributor’s recent switch to B-20 biodiesel for its Brattleboro and Keene-based truck fleets. It also follows the installation of high-efficiency warehouse lighting in all four of its facilities.

The power produced from the solar panels would be sold to the company at a price below prevailing utility rates under a contract with HelioSage known as a Power Purchase Agreement, or PPA. Under the terms of the PPA, Clarke would host the solar array and purchase the electricity produced on a fixed price schedule. At no point will Clarke Distributors be responsible for capital expenditures or ongoing operations and maintenance costs.

"HelioSage is thrilled to welcome the Clarke Companies to our ever growing family of distributors and logistics providers that use the HelioSage PPA to pursue energy cost savings, pricing stability, and a cleaner source of power for their operations," said Chris Walmsley, HelioSage CEO.

Adds Clarke Companies Owner Richard W. Clarke, "We are pleased to be working with Heliosage because these projects fit in well with the company mission to be excellent environmental stewards and are great for the bottom-line. We view this as a real win-win."

Project By the Numbers:

Approximate System Capacity: 500 kilowatts
Estimated Energy Production: 553,000 kilowatts per year - equivalent to powering 48 average homes
Avoided Carbon Emissions: 7,557 metric tons over the life of the contract - equivalent to removing 1,450 passenger vehicles from the road or eliminating 2,550 ton of landfill waste

About Clarke Companies

Clarke Companies is comprised of the parent company Clarke Distributors, an Anheuser-Busch distributor, founded in 1949. g.housen (www.ghousen.com), a premium beverage distributor with offices in Brattleboro and Rutland, VT, has a diverse portfolio including Anheuser-Busch, wine, specialty microbrew beer, and non-alcoholic beverages. The sister company to Clarke is White Mountain Distributors, an Anheuser-Busch distributor located in Berlin, NH. The Clarke Companies are active in their communities and are proud to bring great programs like: www.preventdontprovide.com, www.abenviornment.com, www.beerresponsible.com, www.designateddriver.com, www.familytalk.com and www.collegetalk.com.

About HelioSage

HelioSage is a solar energy services provider. The Company was founded by several of the principals of Greenlight Energy, Inc., one of the country's largest independent wind energy companies at the time of its 2006 sale to BP Alternative Energy. With experience built upon 400MW of financed renewable energy projects, HelioSage ensures risk reduced, financially sound investments in both solar electricity and solar energy systems. For more information about HelioSage, please visit www.heliosage.com.