Minneapolis "Carport" Solar Garden Powers Up
Apadana Solar Technologies (Apadana), Cooperative Energy Futures (CEF), and Poly-Tex announced that the newest and largest Community Solar Garden in Minneapolis is now live. Apadana is the designer and installer of the project, CEF is the owner, and Poly-Tex Solar (Poly-Tex, Inc) is the design and manufacturing partner for the project's unique solar canopy system.
"The project used 3,760 solar panels and 140 tons of steel. Solar panels were mounted 16 feet above the parking deck providing excellent clearance for vehicle parking beneath the solar garden" said Ahmad Kian, CEO of Apadana Solar Technologies. "The panels have been uniquely oriented as a canopy, providing shade for parked vehicles in the summer, and during the winter, preventing snow from sliding off the panels onto pedestrians and vehicles."
"The Ramp A Community Solar Garden is the third project that we have undertaken with CEF", noted John Ehresmann, President of Apadana Solar Technologies. "It has been the most rewarding, as well as most challenging project due to the purpose-built steel canopy super-structure. The project could not have been completed without the active support and cooperation of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the City of Minneapolis and their engineering arm, Walker Consultants, and ABM Parking Services."
"Apadana proved to be a great partner to the City of Minneapolis as we undertook this complex project," said Tom Peterson, City of Minneapolis Project Engineer for Traffic and Parking Services. "Their project management and scheduling flexibility was critical in delivering the project on time, especially when faced with heavy local traffic patterns during this year's popular Twin's baseball season."
"This project exemplifies how cities can take underutilized parking areas and turn them into renewable energy assets allowing electricity to be produced where it is consumed" commented John Frederick, VP of Sales & Marketing at Poly-Tex Solar. "Poly-Tex's unique Tri-Plane Truss architecture allowed us to provide a cost efficient design for the Ramp A structure."
The new renewable energy power plant will produce over 1.4 MWh of electricity each year for CEF subscribers, which will offset the electricity bills of over 150 households. As a member-owned cooperative, CEF focuses on creating access for all, and many member subscribers, including renters and residents of affordable housing, are participating with no upfront cost while receiving net savings on their electric bills and building long-term equity as member-owners of the co-op.
The general public will be invited to learn more about the project and tour the Ramp at a public celebration Sunday October 20th from noon-1:30PM on the top deck of Ramp A (101 North 9th St.).
Poly-Tex | poly-techsolar.com
Apadana | www.apadanasolartech.com
CEF | cooperativeenergyfutures.com
