Olympia, WA. Olympia Community Solar and South Sound Solar just completed installation of a solar array at Quixote Village as part of their work to leverage solar energy as both a powerful tool for equity and a contribution to Thurston County’s renewable energy transition.
As an integral community resource for the unhoused in Olympia, Quixote Village is an ideal location for hosting solar. Construction of the solar array on Quixote Village’s 30 tiny homes and community building was completed at the end of August 2022. The Quixote Village solar project includes four solar panels across each of the thirty tiny homes and 86 panels on the community building (206 total). South Sound Solar designed and installed the 66 kilowatt system.
The installation will reduce the village’s energy bill, saving more than $551,000 over the next forty years. Savings from the solar energy will directly benefit village residents by making more resources available for mental health programs and services. The solar energy will reduce Quixote Village’s carbon footprint by 58 thousand pounds of CO2 emissions, equivalent to planting 705 trees every year, or not driving 106,000 miles. Remarkably, the project’s Silfab Solar Panels were manufactured in Washington State.
This project is another example of the work that Olympia Community Solar does creating clean energy opportunities for people and organizations who thought Solar was out of reach. Olympia Community Solar developed the project and secured five grants to fund the project.
Project funding came from the Squaxin Island Tribe, the City of Olympia, Puget Sound Energy and the Tides Foundation. “The Quixote Village solar project is an example of how solar energy may be leveraged as a powerful tool for equity. Solar energy is not only a climate solution, it is a vehicle for economic justice” stated Olympia Community Solar President Mason Rolph.
South Sound Solar has been installing residential and commercial solar systems for over 14 years. They are well known for their community contributions and dedication to equity.
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