Allume Energy, RENU Communities and esaSolar have successfully commissioned Orlando’s first behind-the-meter shared solar system in a multifamily building. SolShare is hardware that allows you to share rooftop solar with multiple units in the same building.
The shared solar system is one of the most innovative in the U.S. and will generate clean renewable electricity to power Canopy Villa Apartments, an apartment complex with 296 units in Orlando. Residents can subscribe to the SolShare technology to receive a portion of the solar energy from the roof. This will offset the cost of their individual electricity bill.
Canopy was the first asset of the recently announced ESG focused venture between Taurus Investment Holdings LLC, and Aegon Investment Management. Utilizing Taurus’ sustainable retrofit subsidiary, RENU, the partnership will acquire multifamily assets, aiming to significantly reduce the energy consumption and carbon output of those assets.
“This innovative partnership represents RENU’s core values of constantly evaluating and implementing tailored solutions for our projects. We are excited for this collaboration, leveraging this technology to accelerate the distribution of clean energy and improve resiliency,” says Christopher Gray, Ph.D., CTO of RENU Communities.
Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), Allume, RENU, and esaSolar collaborated to review and ensure that Florida’s system met safety and interconnection requirements.
RENU provides decarbonized energy retrofits for existing real estate assets. This is achieved by combining state of the art technology with real estate expertise. RENU partnered to esaSolar in order to design, build, and install the solar array, as well as to integrate the SolShare technology into the existing electrical systems.
“Because Orlando is one of the fastest growing cities in Florida, it needs to develop affordable housing solutions that also prioritize energy efficiency and sustainability,” states Morgan Brawner, esaSolar’s vice president of business development. As a local solar development and construction firm, esaSolar provided technical consulting to ensure the system would operate correctly with OUC’s electric grid.
SolShare, developed and maintained by Allume Energy, allows multi-tenant residents to access the economic and environmental benefits of rooftop solar without affecting the existing electricity supply or metering infrastructure. It sits completely behind the meter.
“We are thrilled to see the SolShare in this milestone project unlocking a crucial part of offering carbon-neutral living in Florida,” comments Mel Bergsneider, Allume’s executive account manager. “We look forward to expanding solar access to as many Floridian tenants while contributing to OUC’s net-zero energy goals.”