Public Storage, a national self-storage company, and Solar Landscape, a commercial and industrial rooftop solar developer, have begun constructing the first of more than 130 rooftop community solar projects that comprise a multistate community solar partnership.
Together, the 133 community solar installations in Maryland, New Jersey and Illinois will power over 10,000 homes with renewable energy. The 87.53 MW DC clean energy portfolio is one of the largest in the nation making affordable renewable energy accessible to low- and moderate-income (LMI) residents.
The program will allow local community residents to subscribe to nearby solar installations located on Public Storage’s rooftops and receive discounted electricity, often with additional savings for LMI households. Community solar expands access to renewable energy for those who are unable to install solar panels for reasons such as high costs, lack of roof control or insufficient sunlight. Public Storage’s rooftop projects will lower energy bills for subscribers, saving residents millions of dollars per year on electricity costs.
Part of this nation-leading community solar portfolio includes 21 projects spanning 13.2 MW that were announced on July 27 by the Illinois Power Agency (IPA) in conjunction with its Community-Driven Community Solar tranche of the Illinois Shines program. The 21 projects will serve nearly 1,500 households.
Public Storage’s 57 low-income focused community solar installations in Maryland will serve nearly 2,600 homes, many of them LMI families, making it the largest portfolio of projects from a single company in the Maryland Community Solar Pilot Program’s LMI subcategory. These projects will save Maryland residents nearly $1 million per year on their energy bills.
Public Storage plans to dedicate up to 44 of its properties in Illinois to community solar including the 21 approved by the IPA, and plans to dedicate another 32 properties in New Jersey. The company and Solar Landscape worked closely on site selection, solar system design, financing options and state program applications to maximize effectiveness.
The proposed renewable energy installations will be located on more than 8 million square feet of Public Storage’s facility rooftops. The 133 solar projects represent 13% of Public Storage’s commitment to install solar on more than 1,000 properties by 2025.
