Commercial buildings are wonderful for solar. In general, they have expansive, often flat, roof spaces that have plenty of room for arrays that can significantly offset electric bills. Milano-Self Storage’s 24,000 square foot building in Madison, Connecticut was the perfect place for a solar installation. Co-owner Dave Milano took the time to consider all the benefits of a solar PV system, including the financial incentive of being able to sell Zero-Emission Renewable Energy credits. In the summer of 2016, Milano chose to partner with New Haven solar contractor, Sunlight Solar Energy, to install a 31.5kW solar photovoltaic system at its 7 Orchard Park location. The installation was completed and the system was energized by October of 2016.
On the process of going solar, Milano says, “Milano Self-Storage invests a lot into the electricity that helps its 7 Orchard Park storage building maintain a comfortable environment year-round. We decided to install solar panels at this heated/air-conditioned facility with the goal of not only saving money on electricity, but also to give our customers the peace of mind that their goods are being stored in an environmentally-friendly way.”
The solar PV system at Milano Self-Storage is comprised of 90 350-watt Hyundai modules and 2 Solaredge SE14.4 inverters with power optimizers. The system will cover 100% of the building’s yearly electricity usage. Milano was also able to take advantage of the ZREC (Zero-Emission Renewable Energy Credits) incentive.