This is the season for reflection, gratitude, new beginnings and (of course) list making! As we look back on the past year, we thought it’d be fun to highlight our team’s 10 favorite Freedom Solar installations over the past 12 months. We’re proud of each project and the positive impact it has on the environment and our customers’ electricity bills.
That said, a few projects stood out.
1. Haiti Orphanage
The Freedom Solar team partnered with ABC Home and Commercial to provide an off-grid solar solution for A Child’s Hope, an orphanage in La Montagne, Haiti.
This 20-kilowatt (kW) solar plus battery backup system now provides a sustainable source of electricity that’ll meet all the organization’s energy needs. And that will help them better serve the 300 lost or abandoned children who live there.
A solar panel donation from the Maxeon (previously SunPower) Foundation made this effort possible, alongside generous support from CED Greentech Texas, The PowerStore Inc. and Schneider Electric. Learn more about the project, and check back soon for a first-person account of the trip from one of our teammates.
[Related: Solar Builder’s 2016 Rooftop Solar Project of the Year Nominees]
2. Mission Park
The largest and oldest privately owned funeral company in San Antonio, Mission Park Funeral Chapels and Cemeteries chose Freedom Solar to install over 520 kW of solar power at seven locations for environmental and financial reasons. The combined systems will produce enough clean power to cover more than half the company’s electricity usage. The solar installations will also avoid as much greenhouse gas emissions annually as the amount of carbon sequestered by 644 acres of U.S. forest.
Read more in this San Antonio Business Journal article. If you’re not a subscriber, check out our news release about the project.
3. Sustainability in Spicewood
When a custom homebuilder designs his own house, it should reflect his company’s style, workmanship and quality. A local builder’s modern new home in Spicewood includes a water collection system, high-efficiency upgrades and now a 10.8-kW solar array. The Maxeon (previously SunPower) panels‘ modern appearance and high performance fit perfectly with the rest of the home.
We expect the system to cover more than 80% of the family’s annual electricity usage and to generate more than $100,000 in savings over 25 years. Plus, a Green Mountain Energy rebate (available in competitive Texas electricity markets) made the system more affordable.
4. Solar-Powered Pizza
Pizza Foundation has been Marfa’s favorite pizza joint since 2003. Texas Monthly, Every Day With Rachel Ray and Vogue have all sung its pie’s praises.
Now, its new building features a rooftop array of 54 Maxeon (previously SunPower) modules that we expect to offset 75% of the company’s electricity usage. The 19.4-kW system will avoid the amount of CO2 emissions that burning 26,600 pounds of coal creates.
The next time you’re in the area, do yourself a favor. Stop by for a taste of the best East Coast-style, hand-tossed pizza in West Texas.
5. Off-Grid in Matagorda
On a remote and stunningly beautiful property along the Texas coastline, our crew installed a 2.8-kW off-grid rooftop solar PV system with a Tesla Powerwall this spring. Without roadway access, our team had to ferry the installation materials across the water on a barge. That made the project more challenging than usual, but no one could complain about the views!
The home was right in the path of Hurricane Harvey, but the system withstood the storm and maintained the power. Learn more about backup batteries for homes.
6. Lake Shore Baptist Church
The first church in Waco to use solar power is proud to lead by example. This summer, the Lake Shore Baptist Church congregation came together to install a 47.6-kW solar array and complete energy-efficiency upgrades with Freedom Solar’s help.
Church officials embrace their role as environmental stewards, and they’re excited to use their electricity savings to better serve their community. This Waco Tribune-Herald article has further details.
7. Hill Country Ground Mount
A west Austin homeowner loved the solar solution we installed on his property two years ago so much that he commissioned another system in 2017. The new ground-mounted, home-adjacent array includes 180 Maxeon (previously SunPower) X-series modules, adding 92.3 kW of incremental solar capacity. The system will save him hundreds of thousands of dollars over its lifetime.
8. Sweet Solar in San Antonio
Alamo Candy Company is a local San Antonio institution. Now, its commercial solar system is helping it whip up solar-powered sweets while making its business more sustainable.
9. Spell It With Solar
Guido & Companies, a family-owned construction business, decided to spell out “GUIDO” with solar panels on the roof of its headquarters. You can spot the word from the skies when taking off or landing at the San Antonio airport!
10. Solar Powered Sun Radio
We installed solar panels on the Sun Radio recording studio at the Hill Country Galleria. And that helps guarantee “solar powered Sun Radio” remains true to its word!
Join the Solar Revolution With Freedom Solar
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In the meantime, read more about solar industry news to stay in the know!