By Kimberli Turner Staff Writer
Even without solar panels on site, Broomfield schools will reap the benefits of solar energy by tapping into a community solar garden under construction.
Denver-based community solar company SunShare partnered with Adams 12 and Adams County 14 school districts in June to provide solar to elementary, middle school, high school and administrative buildings. The districts will split about two megawatts of energy.
The community solar concept lets customers buy solar energy from a solar garden in their community, for those who can’t or don’t want to install solar panels on their properties. SunShare customers receive credits on their utility bills to avoid rising electricity rates.
Solar developer NRG Renew partnered with SunShare to build 8.2 megawatts of community solar projects in the metro-area including construction on the Adams County solar gardens, located at 48th Avenue and Imboden Road, which started a couple months ago and is nearly complete, said SunShare spokeswoman Karen Gados.
“Within about a week, we should be finished with all construction and electrical work. After that, we just need Adams County and Xcel Energy to complete final inspections and interconnection work and then we are ready to flip the switch,” she said Monday.
By Kimberli Turner Staff Writer