We are pleased to share that our community is working to reduce our carbon footprint. As the beneficiaries of a very generation donation of a resident, we recently had solar panels installed in our community to support our maintenance and grounds buildings. Not only will it shrink these departments’ dependence on fossil fuels, but it will generate cost savings to boot!

Here is a little more information about the recent solar panel installation:

• The solar panels are designed to produce 30 kW of power and will support approximately 10,000 square feet of building space.
• The estimated time of payback for the system normally would have been over 12 years; however, due to a generous donation from a resident the payback begins immediately!
• We estimate the 30-year electric bill savings to be $293,165.
• Due to our non-profit status, Givens Estates will receive 0.75 cents per watt rebate from Duke Energy.
• The system is a “Grid-Tied Photovoltaic System”, meaning the buildings are still tied into the utilities electric grid, so we have power even when the sun is not shining. The system sends power back to the grid on sunny days and when the buildings have a lower demand for power.
• The projected annual system production is 47,600 kWH, 15,866 of which would go to Grounds and 31,733 to Maintenance, offsetting approximately 71% and 77% of current consumption, respectively.
• The system was installed by Sundance Power Systems.

Thank you to all who donated time and resources to help Givens Estates with its commitment to the environment.