Fresno Brewery Business Re-Energizes With an Energy Upgrade From PG&E

FRESNO — Full Circle Brewing Company in downtown Fresno received an energy upgrade from PG&E that increased its production capacity by 60% while reducing energy usage by 30%. The company is saving $15,000 a year in energy costs.

Arthur Moye, CEO of Full Circle Brewery.

Since opening in 2016, Full Circle Brewing Co. has established itself as both a hotspot for live entertainment and a pillar of support for the Fresno community through its outreach-focused brews like the My Beer Depends on Ag Cream Ale (in which a portion of proceeds were donated to support farmers, ranchers, and other agriculture-supported businesses). When the brewery’s tasting rooms and live entertainment spaces closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they refocused their operations on canning and product distribution to retail stores.

Full Circle quickly realized their infrastructure wasn’t up to the task — their equipment was inefficient, outdated, and unable to keep up with the production schedule. Arthur Moye, CEO of Full Circle Brewing Co., reached out to PG&E about using an On–Bill Financing loan to upgrade their equipment.

“I didn’t realize just how many equipment upgrades were available to us through the On-Bill Financing program,” said Moye.

(Hear more from Full Circle Brewing’s Arthur Moye about what it means to be an energy-efficient business.)

The loan would not only help complete the brewery’s pivot into canning and distribution, but also enable them for future growth. Additionally, Full Circle wanted the new equipment to be more energy-efficient, which would save them money on their energy bill that they could then inject into other parts of their business pipeline and future community outreach efforts.

Once approved for an On-Bill Financing loan, Full Circle worked alongside PG&E Customer Relationship Manager Gilbert Santos and PG&E Trade Pro Contractor CH Energy to update the brewery’s boiler system, refrigeration system, compressors, and lighting. The upgrades are just finalized and expected to bring nearly $15,000/24,702 kWh in yearly energy savings — allowing Full Circle to sustain and grow their operations.