The St. Louis Housing Authority has completed its project to power its administrative building and four affordable-housing complexes with solar power.
Designed, installed and engineered by Real Goods Solar, the installations will produce a total of 617 kW, which is expected to reduce the complexes' common area electricity use by over 75% on average and the authority's electricity use by 15%.
The systems use 405 SunPower panels and 2,216 Sharp panels. They were funded using federal Housing and Urban Development Green Communities stimulus funds and energy and redevelopment tax credits. In keeping with the requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, all parts are made in the U.S., Real Goods Solar notes.
In addition to traditional roof-mounted solar power systems, the affordable-housing sites include elevated carport canopy solar arrays.
Developed by Sunwheel Energy Partners, an affiliate of affordable housing developer McCormack Baron Salazar, the project will generate approximately 777,000 kWh of energy annually, according to Real Goods Solar.
