Apadana Solar Technologies, Cooperative Energy Futures (CEF) and Poly-Tex announced that the newest and largest community solar garden in Minneapolis is now live. Apadana is the designer and installer of the project, CEF is the owner and Poly-Tex Solar is the design and manufacturing partner for the project’s solar canopy system.

“The project used 3,760 solar panels and 140 tons of steel. Solar panels were mounted 16 ft above the parking deck providing excellent clearance for vehicle parking beneath the solar garden,” said Ahmad Kian, CEO of Apadana Solar Technologies.

“The Ramp A Community Solar Garden is the third project that we have undertaken with CEF,” noted John Ehresmann, President of Apadana Solar Technologies. “It has been the most rewarding, as well as most challenging project due to the purpose-built steel canopy super-structure. The project could not have been completed without the active support and cooperation of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the City of Minneapolis and their engineering arm, Walker Consultants, and ABM Parking Services.”

“This project exemplifies how cities can take underutilized parking areas and turn them into renewable energy assets allowing electricity to be produced where it is consumed,” commented John Frederick, VP of Sales & Marketing at Poly-Tex Solar. “Poly-Tex’s unique Tri-Plane Truss architecture allowed us to provide a cost efficient design for the Ramp A structure.”

The 1.3-MW solar carport will produce over 1.4 MWh of electricity each year for CEF subscribers. As a member-owned cooperative, CEF focuses on creating access for all, and many member subscribers, including renters and residents of affordable housing, are participating with no upfront cost while receiving net savings on their electric bills and building long-term equity as member-owners of the co-op.

News item from Poly-Tex