Sunwheel Energy Partners celebrated the commissioning of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at three affordable housing community sites on January 25, 2010 in San Francisco’s Western Addition and Hayes Valley neighborhoods. The projects created green jobs and bring solar power in addition to providing financial benefits to the owners and residents.
The ribbon cutting ceremony, which took place at Plaza East Apartments, was attended by dignitaries, important local, state, and federal officials. Community members who were employed to install the solar system and site’s residents also took part in the ceremony.
Sunwheel Energy Partners’ efforts to provide solar power to affordable housing community sites in San Francisco were praised by the dignitaries. Sunwheel’s projects in California will generate more than 2.3 million kWh of clean electricity per year from renewable sources. This helps to reduce about two million pounds of carbon dioxide emission per annum. The projects also help 1,500 families living in sites’ communities to reduce their electricity costs.
Jonathan Goldstein, President and Founder of Sunwheel, said that company believed in bringing renewable energy to affordable housing community sites in San Francisco and throughout the country not only for energy sustainability but also to provide jobs and economic benefits to families.
Commissioner Timothy Alan Simon of the California Public Utilities Commission said the commissioning of the projects were a great achievement. He added that the green movement is being led by the people and not just by corporations and Wall Street and everyone is contributing to combat the climate change for a brighter and greener future. He hoped that the young people who worked on the projects will be inspired to look for careers in many areas of clean technologies.
Sunwheel Energy Partners had developed the solar installations at the three community sites and was enabled by programs such as California Solar Initiative’s Multi-family Affordable Solar Housing (MASH) program, the federal New Markets Tax Credits, GoSolarSF and solar Investment Tax Credit programs. California’s new Virtual Net Metering tariff was implemented in these projects that enabled resident families to share electricity and cost savings.