Four Seward neighborhood businesses installed solar energy on their roof tops. With a combination of rebates, these businesses did their research and it is paying off for them in a very big way. One company saved up to $164,000 by applying for a combination of state and federal rebates.
The Seward Civic and Commerce Association (SCCA) is working with the city of Minneapolis on an energy project this year. The goal of this project is to help at least three businesses in the Seward community install solar energy systems. In an ongoing study, the SCCA is gathering information from its members about their experiences and interests in energy efficiency projects, specifically solar energy. The following are four case studies from various businesses in the Seward neighborhood that have installed solar energy systems on their property.
Seward Inc.
Quick Facts:
- Business Size: 10,150 sf
- System Size: 159 Solar Panels
- Lease vs. Own: Own
- Contractor Used: Solar Flow Energy
Seward Inc. is an Education & Training organization based out of the 2200 E. Franklin building. In 2012, the organization installed 159 solar panels on their 10,150sf property. Since installation, the panels have combined to generate 60-megawatt hours (megawatt is equal to one million watts). Seward Inc. took advantage of both State and Federal Rebates, bringing their $189,000 project down to $25,000 after rebates. The project will have paid itself off in 6 years, and continue to conserve energy use for years to come. Despite a slight delay on the project after initial investment, the Seward Inc. states, “the rebates made it possible and plausible, the best part is knowing that this is the right thing to do.”
Close Associates Architects
Quick Facts:
- Business Size: 2,000 sf
- System Size: 32 Solar Panels
- Lease vs. Own: Own
- Contractor Used: Enhanced Home Systems
Close Associates Inc. is an architecture firm located on 3100 block of E. Franklin Ave. In December of 2012, Gar Hargens, President of Close Associates, worked with Enhanced Home Systems to install 32 (240kw) solar panels on the 2,000sf building. The firm utilized a variety of energy rebates and tax credits available to them, including: Federal Tax Credit, Business Income Tax Credit, Xcel’s ‘Solar Rewards’ program, and the 10K Solar rebate. These rebates brought the project from $55,000 to a much more manageable amount for the firm. Since installation, the project has paid itself off and Close Associates is already starting to see savings on utilities. Aside from not starting sooner, and having better coordination, Hargens is completely satisfied with the results for his business. Hargens states, “It feels good to have done it, and know when the Sun is out, we’re doing something good for the planet.”
Seward Community Cooperative
Quick Facts:
- Business Size: 25,000sf
- System Size: 32 Solar Panels
- Lease vs. Own: Lease-to-Buy
- Contractor Used: Solar Flow Energy
Seward Community Cooperative is a member-owned grocery co-op in Seward located at 2823 E. Franklin Ave. The Co-op has served the Seward community for over 40 years and has been committed to striving for environmental sustainability in their business model. After moving to their new location, they installed 32 (40kw) solar panels on their property in the summer of 2010. The 32 panels account for about 4% of the energy used in their facility. Working with Solar Flow Energy, they were able to take advantage of Xcel Energy’s ‘Solar Rewards’ rebate. The project was a ‘lease-to-buy’ deal that required little investment up front and allowed the Co-op to see instant savings on utilities. Seward Co-op is greatly satisfied with the results of the implemented energy efficient solutions. The most difficult part of the process, according to Leo Sanders, Operations Manager, was the coordination between Xcel and Solar Flow. However, the ongoing conversation with vendors about energy efficiency and sustainability is encouraging to Sanders in that it leads to further educational growth on the issue.
Garlock French Roofing
Quick Facts:
- Business Size: 12,600sf
- System Size: 10 Solar Panels
- Lease vs. Own: Own
- Contractor Used: Nelson Electric
Garlock French is a roofing company located on the border of Seward and Longfellow neighborhoods at 2301 25th Street. About 3 years ago, they recognized the benefits of installing the solar energy system on their property. Being the roofing experts they are, they actually installed the solar panels themselves with minimal electrical help from Nelson Electric. The primary motivations of Garlock French for the solar panels were to advertise their services on their own building, while promoting environmentally efficient energy solutions. They took advantage of a number of rebates that took the price of the project from $40,000, down to $5,000. Although the paperwork for the rebates took some time, Garlock French would love to go back and install more panels and take advantage of more rebates.
If you are interested learning more about solar energy efficiency programs, contact Jared Hanks at intern@redesigninc.org.
