Pisgah installs additional solar projects for Asheville community housing developer

A local installer, Pisgah Energy, has added solar arrays to two more affordable housing communities in Asheville, North Carolina: Star Point Apartments and Lakeshore Villas. The work was done for Mountain Housing Opportunities (MHO), a nonprofit that builds affordable housing in the area. With these two additions, MHO now has solar power at six of its multifamily properties.

The five new rooftop systems total 212 kilowatts of capacity and use SEG panels with SolarEdge inverters. Together they're expected to generate more than 300,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a year. MHO says the solar power will lower operating costs at the properties, which helps keep rents affordable for residents, while also cutting the carbon footprint of the buildings. Part of the funding traced back to a 2020 gift from a longtime supporter of the organization, given in memory of one of MHO's founding volunteers.

This is a nonprofit housing project rather than something a typical homeowner can apply for, but it's a real-world example of solar paying off in a practical way: lower utility costs on buildings that serve lower-income residents. If you're weighing solar for your own house, the same basic math applies on a smaller scale, generation offsetting your electric bill, though your savings and any available rebates will depend on your utility, your roof, and what your state offers.