“The Grinnell is not just going solar – it’s going community solar. The 83-unit co-op has installed a 320-panel photovoltaic (PV) system and is awaiting final Con Edison approval to throw the switch. Once the system is operational, it will harvest approximately 112,000 kilowatt-hours of energy from the sun each month – approximately 40 percent of the building’s total electricity usage. Under the community solar model, that power is sent into the Con Ed grid in exchange for energy credits, which are then divvied up among shareholders, resulting in savings on the electric bills at the individual unit-level. With traditional multi-unit solar projects, the energy credits are tethered directly to the building, which in turn uses the credits to defray the electric bill in common areas, such as lobbies, hallways, and elevators.” – Adam Janos, Habitat Magazine
“The Grinnell’s solar array was designed and installed by Bright Power. Husna Anwar, the Bright Power project manager who oversaw the installation, says that the co-op can expect a full return on its investment in a little over seven years, ‘not including tax incentives.’ Once the investment is recouped, Gardner estimates shareholders should see savings on their monthly electric bill between $50 and $100.” – Adam Janos, Habitat Magazine