Impact Story

6 Community Solar Sites in DC You Didn’t Know Were Helping Residents Save Money

Community Renewable Energy Facilities (CREFs) are large-scale solar panels that allow community members to access the benefits of solar without having to install rooftop solar panels on your home. Since 2019, the DCSEU has worked with solar developers and contractors to build more than 200 community solar systems in the District. This is part of DC’s Solar for All program designed to bring the benefits of solar to 100,000 income-qualified DC residents by 2032.

Community Solar systems are popping up across the District. Here are 6 Community Solar sites in DC you didn’t know were helping residents save energy and money:

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  Abrams Hall Senior Apartments at The Parks, Historic Walter Reed

  Abrams Hall is and affordable community located at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center. They hold 77 affordable units for formerly homeless veterans, 80 affordable units for seniors, and 54 affordable assisted living units. This Ward 4 community solar project is a 473 kW system and brings the benefits of solar to 135 households across the District. We worked with Flywheel Development who served as the lead contractor on this project.

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  Rock Creek Ford Solar CREF

  This Ward 4 Community Solar installation is the first solar rooftop shingles project completed in the District of Columbia. Thanks to the partnership between DOEE, the DCSEU, Sunstyle, Flywheel Development, and DC Greenbank, this innovative solar solution will contribute 21.23 kW to the energy grid and serve 6 income-qualified DC households.

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  Fairfax Village

  Fairfax Village, a collection of condos built in 1941 and one of the oldest communities in Southeast DC, is home to approximately 450-income-qualified residents in Ward 7. With some residents calling this historic neighborhood home for decades, it’s only natural Fairfax Village is quickly becoming a District leader in employing solar capacity. The site hosts 17 solar CREF systems– the latter benefitting not only Fairfax village residents, but also income-qualified residents elsewhere in the District, now able to subscribe and obtain energy from these community solar installations. Flywheel Development also served as the lead contractor for this solar system.

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  Paradise at Parkside

  Paradise at Parkside is 24-building apartment complex near the Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens and is home to a 1,799.84 kW CREF. This Ward 7 community solar project serves approximately 514 DC households with access to solar energy and reduced energy bills over the next 15 years. We partnered with lead contractor New Columbia Solar to bring this project to life.

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  Sargent Memorial Presbyterian Church

  Sargent Memorial Presbyterian Church (Rev. Juan Guthrie, Pastor) is hosting 256 kW solar canopy over their parking lot that is set to come online in Spring 2023. Through Solar for All, the DCSEU worked in partnership, Urban Ingenuity, Groundswell, Sunlight General Capital, Working Power, and SunCatch to design, develop, and install this system that will cut the electricity bills in half for 73 income qualified households in DC, saving them approximately $547,500.00over the 15-year life of the project.

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  The Tuxedo on T St.

  The Tuxedo on T St. is an apartment building in the heart of the U St Corridor. This Ward 2 Community Solar system serves 19 households and generates a total of 68.85 kw of energy. New Columbia Solar served as the lead contractor for this project.

Community Solar projects are popping up across the District to bring the benefits of solar energy to residents while helping them save up to $500 a year on electricity bills. To sign up for community solar visit https://doee.dc.gov/solarforall.