Solar Projects

** Lafayette’s 1MW Solar Garden is
 up and running **

Lafayette is a Forerunner in Creative Municipal Energy Programs - Solar Garden Project

The City of Lafayette was awarded one megawatt (dc) of capacity in Xcel’s Solar*Rewards Community Program in 2012. With this capacity, two solar gardens will be constructed through a visionary partnership between the City of Lafayette, Community Energy, and Bella Energy. When built, it will produce enough energy to power more than 180 homes.

This model enables solar facilities to be constructed at ideal locations, and provides solar to those who want it, but cannot host it themselves. Off-site entities participate as "subscribers". Subscribers sign up for a share of the solar garden, and receive a credit on their Xcel bill each month based on how much energy their share of the solar garden produces.

In addition to the City of Lafayette benefiting from the green energy production, a portion of the output of each solar garden will be dedicated to low-income individuals in Lafayette. The City of Lafayette is contributing the land for the solar gardens, which makes it possible to donate the output at no cost to low-income subscribers. Community Energy estimates that income-qualified participants will be able to reduce their electric bills by about 50%. Bella Energy, a commercial solar contractor, is serving as general contractor to complete construction, targeted for 2013. View press release

Solar Installations on City Facilities

From 2010-2012, over $76,000 in annual savings has been realized.

City Hall (61 kW)
A Power Purchase Agreement with Bella Energy enabled the City to install a solar garden at City Hall.

Recreation Center (62 kW) 
Solar panels at the Recreation Center were installed as part of the Johnson Controls Power Performance Agreement (PPA).

Police Department (79 kW) 
Public Library (79 kW) 
Water Reclamation Plant (200 kW)
A public-private partnership with Main Street Power made the installation of three solar array systems at the Police Department, Lafayette Public Library and the Water Reclamation Plant economically feasible.

Energy Savings:
These installations provide real economic benefits to the City by decreasing the monthly utility bill and creating cost savings. The solar energy produced for the City will have a significant monetary and environmental impact for years to come.

Solar Garden Installations

Lafayette is a Forerunner in Creative Municipal Energy Programs. The City of Lafayette was award one megawatt (dc) of capacity in Xcel’s Solar*Rewards Community Program in 2012. With this capacity, two solar gardens will be constructed through a visionary partnership between the City of Lafayette, Community Energy, and Bella Energy, and when built, it will produce enough energy to power more than 180 homes.

This model enables solar facilities to be constructed at ideal locations, and provides solar to those who want it, but cannot host it themselves. Off-site entities participate as "subscribers". Subscribers sign up for a share of the solar garden, and receive a credit on their Xcel bill each month based on how much energy their share of the solar garden produces.

In addition to the City of Lafayette benefiting from the green energy production, a portion of the output of each solar garden will be dedicated to low-income individuals in Lafayette. The City of Lafayette is contributing the land for the solar gardens, which makes it possible to donate the output at no cost to low-income subscribers. Community Energy estimates that income-qualified participants will be able to reduce their electric bills by about 50%. According to Xcel, anyone who earns less than 185% of the federal poverty line is income-qualified. Bella Energy, a commercial solar contractor, is serving as general contractor to complete construction, targeted for 2013.

Energy Savings
The solar gardens will supply about 1.5 million-kilowatt hours per year of solar generated electricity to Lafayette offsetting an estimated 1,034 metric tons of carbon dioxide. This is an annual environmental benefit equivalent of about 213 zero-emission passenger vehicles or 27,883 newly planted trees growing for ten years.

Renewable Energy Demonstration Projects

Wind Turbine at Lafayette Public Library
The Lafayette Energy Sustainability Advisory Committee in partnership with Next Generation Energy installed a wind turbine in the fall of 2009 at the Lafayette Public Library as a demonstration of the City’s commitment to alternative energy as well as to provide electricity for the library. This is an annual cost savings of $450 a year.