U.S. beer maker boasts of solar power capacity

Beer maker MillerCoors said it installed a solar array at its California brewery, which the company said is the largest of its kind for any U.S. brewer.

Working with solar service provider SolarCity, the brewer said installation of a 3.2 megawatt solar panel facility was completed at its Irwindale, Calif., brewery.

"This step toward brewing more sustainably makes us a better brewer and a better neighbor to the residents of Los Angeles County," Chief Executive Officer Tom Long said in a Thursday statement.

The company said the solar power will provide enough energy to brew more than 7 million cases of beer each year.

California leads the nation in solar power installations with more than 2,300 MW of installed capacity as of August. Through the so-called Go Solar California! campaign, the state aims to have 3,000 MW installed by next year.

MillerCoors said its conventional energy use has decreased by more than 30 percent since 2010.