The Twin Cities Rotary EcoClub (EcoClub) collaborated with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity (Habitat) to purchase and install solar panels for 2 new Habitat homes in North Minneapolis. Funding for the project included contributions from 15 other Rotary clubs and district grant funds from Rotary District 5950. The total project cost was $52,500. Rotary is providing $21,500 funds and Habitat will receive a federal tax rebate and City of Minneapolis Green Cost Share grant to pay for most of the remaining balance.
The solar panels were installed the end of February and the final interconnection and activation with Xcel Energy occurred the last week in March. Five Rotarians were there for the first day of installation and available to assist where needed. Due to insurance and liability reasons, there was not much they could do other than buy lunch for the crew and our partners with Habitat and Apadana Solar. The EcoClub is volunteering for a Habitat home build at Harrison Townhomes in Near North Minneapolis on April 25. Members of the 15 Rotary clubs that participated in funding have been invited to participate in the Habitat home build.
The collaboration with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity to make solar energy available to new Habitat homeowners will reduce monthly expenses for low-income families, reduce air pollution, and decrease carbon emissions. Installing an 8 kW solar array on one home will save more than 150 metric tons of carbon emissions, which is equivalent to over 3,500 trees planted and grown for 25 years or over 350,000 miles not driven.
The installed solar panels have been logged into the Million Solar Panel Challenge - https://esrag.org/million-solar-panel/. All Rotarians who are directly involved with solar panel installations at their home, place of work, faith community, etc. are encouraged to log the solar panels installed to help meet the challenge. If you are interested in considering the installation of solar panels through a Rotary project, or at your home, place of work, faith community, etc., but do not know where to start, feel free to email steve@solbrack.com for more information.
