721 East 6th Street
The Story
In the summer of 2016, a representative of Nazareth Housing attended a solar workshop as part of the Solarize LES campaign, a project of Solar One’s Here Comes Solar program and Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES). Solar One provided free technical assistance, with a remote assessment to determine solar feasibility, an onsite assessment, estimates of costs and savings for various solar designs and financing methods, comparing an outright purchase with a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), and finally supporting the financing and installation process itself.
In October of 2016 Nazareth Housing decided to go solar on their 721 E 6th St shelter with a PPA through Co-op Power, an energy cooperative based in Massachusetts that helps create community-owned renewable energy projects. The solar installer was GRID Alternatives, a national nonprofit that installs solar at a significant discount for affordable housing.
As this was the first system financed by Co-op Power in New York, securing tax credit investors was a challenge, but Solar One assisted in recruiting investors and in August 2017 with investors in place, permits were filed in August 2017 and installation was completed in September 2017. The system was ultimately switched on in January 2018.
Details
This project has several unique characteristics:
No upfront investment…
As the first Power Purchase Agreement for an affordable multifamily building, this nonprofit can benefit from solar savings without making any upfront investment.
Decision maker…
Through Co-op Power, Nazareth Housing is a member of the NYC Energy Cooperative, and a decision maker in the organization that owns their system.
Green Jobs program trainees…
The system was installed by a nonprofit solar installer and built onsite by Green Jobs program trainees.
| Project Snapshot | |
| Client | Nazareth Housing |
| Building Type | Supportive Housing Nonprofit |
| Location | Lower East Side, Manhattan |
| Financing | Power Purchase Agreement |
| Solar Installer | GRID Alternatives |
| System Size | 7.85 kilowatts-DC |
| Modules | SunPower 327 Watt-DC |
| Inverters | SMA SB7700TL-US (208V) |
| Lifetime Solar Production | 216,849 kWh |
| Lifetime C02 Reduction | 264,556 tons |
Timeline
Economics
|
Upfront Cost |
No upfront cost to housing provider |
|
Average Annual Saving |
$1,027 |
|
Payback Period |
0 years |
|
Lifetime savings |
$25,668 |
“For nearly 35 years, Nazareth Housing has creatively endeavored to develop sustainable, affordable housing in the Lower East Side, I am truly pleased that our building will be the inaugural solar project of Affordable Solar New York. Being in a flood zone that was significantly impacted by superstorm Sandy, solar capacity brings environmental and fiscal benefits, while also helping us build resiliency for the future.”
– Michael Callaghan, former Executive Director of Nazareth Housing
We want to hear from you! If you are interested in solar for your building then please fill out our brief survey and we will follow up in 1-2 business days.
