Solar installations help to bring energy efficiency, affordability to student university housing in Minneapolis.
Four recently completed solar arrays at Riverton Community Housing co-op locations help the organization advance its mission to provide accessible, affordable student housing. All Energy Solar designed and installed the systems to provide clean energy on-site, just in time for school to start. When students fill university housing again, some of them will be roaming hallways kept lit by solar panels installed on-site.
The properties are owned by Riverton, but operated independently by co-ops. Each co-op has its own unique self-governing body that places value on green and sustainable initiatives.
As such, it took some cooperative efforts among several organizations to help bring these projects to fruition. In addition to All Energy Solar as the solar installations provider, financing partners Blue Flame Energy Finance and DSD Renewables presented a way to deploy solar without the need for up-front investment. Through energy savings and additional rebates and incentives via Xcel Energy, still realize energy savings alongside meeting their sustainability targets and goals as a community.
“Riverton Community Housing had a clear vision of seeing this project through from the outset, they just needed the right partners,” said Michael Thalhimer, Director of Business Development at All Energy Solar. “We were proud to support this collaborative effort to bring clean energy to these established student and community housing locations around Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota campus.”
Energy savings from a total of 400kW of rooftop solar installations will help co-ops offset energy on their common area meters. Solar panels were installed at the 4th Street Housing Co-Op (70kW), the two buildings part of the Franklin Housing Co-Op (85kW and 115kW), and Brook Avenue Housing Co-Op (130kW).
The project also helps fulfill a simple but important focus for Riverton co-ops: Doing the right thing. Projected offset for the first year of energy production is expected to be roughly 450,000kWh. The 25-year projected environmental benefits equate to over 7,000 metric tons of CO2 offset, which is equivalent to displacing 7,000,000 pounds of burned coal, planting 190,000 trees, or 1,500 gasoline-driven passenger vehicles taken off the road for a full year.
“The Riverton housing cooperatives have always had a concern for the communities in which they are located and the environment around them. Our co-op members and staff are always looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint.” Mary Novak, Executive Director ro Riverton Community Housing. “Adding solar to our buildings was not only the right thing to do, but was a fairly easy process with our project partners. We hope other mulit-family owners will learn about the process and do the same thing.”
