A Proposed Solar Array Would Deliver Power to Ward 8

• January 25, 2019

by Nena Perry-Brown

A proposed solar array would deliver power to the people of Ward 8.

GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic is proceeding with a zoning application which would pave the way for construction of a "Community Renewable Energy Facility" at the intersection of South Capitol Street SW and Southern Avenue SE (map).

The proposed project would install a trio of solar arrays, surrounded by an 8 foot-tall fence, on the 15.44-acre, city-owned site. The panels would be roughly six feet high. The vacant, sloping site abuts Oxon Run Park and is zoned RA-1, necessitating a special exception for utility use.

It is estimated that the installation would produce nearly 3.6 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy. GRID's expertise is in working with low-income communities, and income-qualifying Ward 8 residents would be the first beneficiaries of the installation, with over 850 households expected to apply. Subscribed households are expected to use 4,000 kWh of energy annually at a savings of $220-$230.

DC's Department of General Services (DGS) awarded the contract for construction of a solar array to GRID in March 2018 after releasing an RFP the previous summer. Upon completion, DGS would manage the solar facility while GRID would operate and maintain it. NEO LLC is the design engineer.

A Board of Zoning Adjustment hearing has not yet been scheduled. In the interim, GRID and/or the Department of Energy and the Environment are expected to present at the next ANC 8D meeting.

Clarification: NEO LLC is not a development partner, but a design engineer.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/a-solar-array-slated-for-southern-avenue/14931