Solar Power For Apartment Buildings
To make the system as efficient as possible but also fair the solshare delivers the same amount of solar energy to each apartment over the course of a month but supplies it when it s needed by each unit.
Solar power for apartment buildings. If you decide to provide solar electricity for your rental units your solar benefits will depend on the electric metering and rental agreements for your building. A net metering program will allow the dha to distribute energy generated in its solar garden toward the bills of various properties. In southern ontario a solar photovoltaic pv system for a mid sized building with southern exposure requires about 850 square feet of sloped roof and a 30 000 to 40 000 capital outlay for a 10 kilowatt ac rooftop system down from 75 000 only three years ago. If your apartment has a nice open roof that s just begging for some solar panels strike up a conversation with your landlord.
But there and pros and cons of solar panels when it comes to apartment buildings. The solshare solution is essentially a smart diverter that enables solar energy from a single rooftop solar system to be shared between multiple apartments within the same building. The easiest option for going solar in a condominium or multi family building is to use the solar system to offset electricity usage in common spaces for elevators lighting and hvac systems. Solar power for public housing aparment buildings one of the most impressive new initiatives is the growth in solar power for public housing apartment buildings all over the united states.
This approach will work if the building is master metered or is separately metered with an electric meter for the common spaces. Apartment buildings often have large common roof areas that are well suited to solar power. If the tenants living in your units pay their own electric bill each month the addition of solar power can help them reduce costs. Incenting property managers to go solar.
Community solar allows those living in apartments or rental properties to receive credit on their electricity bills for the power produced from their portion of a solar array thereby offsetting their electricity costs according to solar energy industries association. April 21 2016 comments offon solar power for apartment building it is becoming increasingly cost effective for apartment blocks office towers and strata managed buildings to use a common roof area for multiple solar power systems. The apartment complex which will include 22 buildings and 600 units when complete is the first to put batteries inside every apartment connected to solar power on the roof so the local utility. If the tenant pays their own electric bill.
Since your tenants electricity bills will be reduced or even eliminated a solar pv system can be a way to justify higher monthly rent.