WEST WARWICK – Cleaner and cheaper, solar-powered energy has reached the first Rhode Island affordable-housing residents, with real estate company Fairstead announcing on Monday the launch of its rooftop solar array at a West Warwick affordable-housing complex.
The 426-kilowatt solar array at Echo Valley Apartments in West Warwick marks the first project through National Grid’s Community Remote Distributed Generation program at an affordable-housing development, according to a news release. The installed solar panels will generate power at reduced costs for the 100 families that live in the development, as well as outside community members who wish to purchase power generated through the project.
Will Blodgett, founding partner at Fairstead, in a statement described the project as a “model” for bringing clean power onto the grid while reducing monthly utility bills for residents.
The project is the culmination of collaborative efforts with Fairstead, which owns and operates the housing development, the R.I. Housing and Mortgage Finance Corp., National Grid Rhode Island, utility company PowerMarket and the town of West Warwick, the release stated. The solar arrays are part of a larger, $6 million project designed to boost energy and water efficiency in housing development, through plumbing and heating upgrades and new energy efficient appliances, which in total will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% and energy usage by 43%.
To date, the Community Remote Distributed Generation program has had 10 projects either completed or in the permitting or construction phases, according to the state’s community solar marketplace website.
Nancy Lavin is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at Lavin@PBN.com.
