Housing Unlimited, an affordable housing non-profit organization in Montgomery County, MD, provides affordable housing for people in mental health recovery so that they can live in an independent environment. To reduce electricity bills for three of their single-family properties, Housing Unlimited installed more than 20 kW of solar PV energy to produce almost 25,000 kWh of clean, renewable energy throughout the first year of use.

Over the next 20 years, the solar PV system on the three Housing Unlimited properties will offset more than 450,000 kWh hours of conventionally produced electricity from the local utility provider, mitigating 331 metric tons of carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions. These energy savings will lead to a projected savings of $30,189 over 20 years in reduced electricity bills for the properties.

The total project cost will be financed through a 20-year power purchase agreement between Skyview Ventures and Housing Unlimited.

The Commercial Solar Power Purchase Agreement (CSPPA) program developed by the Montgomery County Green Bank allowed Housing Unlimited to install solar and experience the benefits of solar with no out-of-pocket costs through a no-money-down rental agreement with Skyview Ventures. In this CSPPA or rental agreement, Skyview Ventures pays for all maintenance and operations costs, while Housing Unlimited only pays for the electricity produced by the solar system at a contracted price that is lower than the current electricity rate.

Discover the impact of this initiative on affordable housing and how it contributes to our ongoing commitment to a more eco-friendly community in this podcast: Everything You Need To Know About Solar Panels.