This high school’s new solar carport can power 100 homes

Ridgefield, Connecticut, just commissioned a sizable new solar carport at Ridgefield High School, and it’s set to pay big dividends for the town of around 7,000 residents.

The 1,038 kW system will generate around 1.3 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity every year. That’s enough to power nearly 100 homes annually. Over the next 25 years, the installation is expected to save the school district about $1.5 million in energy costs while significantly cutting its carbon footprint.

The project was built in partnership with Davis Hill Development, the Connecticut Green Bank, and Patriot Renewable Energy Capital, with AEC Solar managing engineering, procurement, and construction. Crews pushed to finish the work on an accelerated summer schedule so it wouldn’t disrupt the school year.

Financing came through a mix of support from the Green Bank, a tax equity investment, and federal Investment Tax Credits made possible by the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, which shows how supportive federal policy can translate directly into local cost savings.

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What makes the system especially interesting is how it’s wired. The carport ties into four separate town- and school-owned meters, maximizing the use of on-site solar while plugging into programs like Connecticut’s Non-Residential Renewable Energy Solutions (NRES), Zero Emission Renewable Energy Credits (ZRECs), and Class I RECs.

This isn’t Ridgefield’s first solar rodeo. The town began its sustainability push nearly a decade ago, installing rooftop solar across eight other schools and municipal buildings. The high school carport is its latest step forward.

Mariana Cardenas Trief, director of investments at the Connecticut Green Bank, said, “This is the latest of multiple solar projects that we have worked with DHD Renewables and the Town to complete, and we are proud to continue this support as they reduce their energy costs and move Connecticut closer to its clean energy goals.”

Read more: 500+ big-box rooftops are about to be covered in US-made solar

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