As the years pass, technologies that were once cutting-edge reach a critical mass of affordability that leads to widespread adoption throughout the market. Solar energy technologies are reaching such a critical mass of affordability and widespread adoption: Every rooftop and parking lot in America is now potentially a site for generating cheap, clean, and renewable energy. According to PR Newswire, “[Photovoltaic] panel manufacturing costs have fallen from $5 per watt in 2000 to less than $0.25 in 2023.” While China typically dominates the photovoltaic (PV) panel market, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 has created momentous incentives for onshore manufacturing of PV panels in the United States, which will inevitably drive prices lower through competition between foreign and domestic manufacturers.
At ICAST, we strive to bring the best energy efficiency and renewable energy to low-income communities and affordable housing properties. To accomplish this, we’ve hired highly qualified solar industry veterans like Walter Cupa, ICAST’s National Solar Solutions Manager, to incorporate solar energy into our offerings. Before joining ICAST, Walter owned his own solar and roofing business, servicing various markets, including Florida, Georgia, Texas, New Mexico, California, and Michigan—many states where ICAST builds rooftop solar today. Walter decided to join ICAST because of the unique opportunity presented by the organization to create positive change: “In 2023, I learned about ICAST’s impactful work helping low-income families in multifamily properties—families that often spend large portions of their income on utilities.” Now, Walter uses the skills he cultivated in the private sector to navigate the complexities of diverse utility companies and their various policies regarding rooftop solar integration for ICAST’s projects.
As solar energy enters the mainstream, Walter and the ICAST team believe it has a place alongside our energy efficiency work, enhancing and deepening the impact we bring to vulnerable communities. However, plenty of work must be done, as the widespread adoption of a new energy technology comes with legal and policy challenges alongside outdated perceptions. Walter notes that:
[Solar has] an immense potential to help low-income property owners utilize unused space on their roofs through state, federal, and utility incentives. Unfortunately, many property owners are unaware of these opportunities. Our goal at ICAST is to scale our efforts to help these properties adopt solar, enabling low-income tenants to save on utilities, improve their financial well-being, and enhance their quality of life. Additionally, these initiatives increase tenant retention for multifamily properties by providing utility savings and improving net operating income. This, in turn, helps property owners continue offering affordable housing to the families who need it most.As markets, policymakers, and utilities adjust to the oncoming wave of solar development, solar energy presents an opportunity for both tenants and property owners to deeply benefit together.
ICAST, with the help of people like Walter, is bringing these benefits to communities across the country. Recently, ICAST completed a carport rooftop solar project in New Orleans for Tivoli Place Apartments, totaling 135.36kW of electricity. Tivoli Place is an affordable housing community serving seniors and individuals with disabilities. The project was logistically challenging as the carport meant to house the solar had to be installed over a pre-existing parking lot without covering any parking spaces. Thanks to the exceptional leadership of our Director of Operations Manager David Burn and our Project Manager Veronika Martinez, the project was successfully completed, and Tivoli Place’s residents now enjoy significantly cheaper and cleaner energy.
ICAST is hard at work bringing projects like the one at Tivoli Place to disadvantaged communities and providing affordable housing nationwide. Other recent examples include a 51.75kW project in West Palm Beach, Florida, and a nearly 100kW project in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. With our energy efficiency retrofits, rooftop solar can save communities up to 50% on their utility bills.
Interested in ICAST’s solar projects? Learn more here. We’ve also authored a guide on developing sustainable and scalable solar in multifamily affordable housing, which you can find here.