Community Celebrates the First Solar Carport in Delaware

The project was initiated by the Refuge Community HOA because they knew the cost of energy was going to continue to rise and they wanted to protect the community from paying higher and higher operating costs for common area power.
 
They made a calculation that a short term contribution from homeowners would provide substantial long term savings in energy costs, protecting them the existing national average annual energy inflation rate of over 10%. The project was funded to hedge against ever-growing energy costs since it will allow the community to produce their own power.
 
 
With Flexera’s help and research and development, the community members reached consensus and agreed to contribute the onetime assessment to put this solar program in place. The Refuge joins three other communities in which Flexera Solar has helped in a community wide level.  This is a model that could be adopted by many communities in the state of Delaware and is proving to be a very good investment.
 
 
Coleman Bunting and Ron Grey of Bunting Construction also made their own monetary and environmental contributions to the project. The solar carport design eliminated the need to remove trees to erect the first solar carport in the state of Delaware. They also made their own financial contributions to help lower initial cash outlay for the system.
 
 
Community member and project leader Carolyn Bray assisted and guided the HOA, Bunting Construction, Flexera, and the community members to see this through.
 
 
This was a community effort that will have significant positive savings and income benefits for the community for the next 3 decades.
 
 
The refuge also had 6 residents purchase and install private solar energy for their homes.  Last reported, some homeowners were seeing negative power bills in July, and they were generating far more power than anticipated.
 
 
System Highlights:
 
The Refuge at Dirickson Creek has 2 solar photovoltaic systems totaling 37,533 DC watts
 
The Pool house was fitted with 74 Delaware made Motech Panels
 
The free-standing solar carport structure (First in the State of Delaware) is fitted with 96 Delaware made Motech panels.
 
The carport structure was engineered and designed by Baja Systems of California.
 
Flexera designed, installed and managed the entire project and will be managing the sale of the Communities Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs).  Flexera also handled all state grants, Federal rebates; interconnect agreements, construction and installation.
 
Collectively, the system will generate an average of 3,532.6 kilowatt hours per month = at least 42,390 kilowatt hours a year.  This will result in the generation of 42 SRECs that will be sold, providing cash to help pay down the system.
 
Estimated annual system green house gas emission reduction:  30.576 metric tons per year.
 
Total estimated combined savings and income from energy production and SRECs:  $18,813.57
 
The system is estimated to pay for itself in 3-4 years.
 
The refuge also had 6 residents purchase and install private solar energy for their homes.  Last reported, some homeowners were seeing negative power bills in July, and they were generating far more power than anticipated.
 
A great community success story...
For more information,  please contact:  Flexera, Inc. sales@flexera.net
or call 302-604-4209