Largest Solar Power Neighborhood In Southeast Built In New Orleans

Clean Technica

The St. Thomas Housing Project had been a somewhat rundown low-income housing project before Hurricane Katrina hit, known primarily for its high crime rate. But now, the area has become the focus of several government agencies working to revitalize it through sustainable and renewable technologies.

The new housing, named River Garden Apartments, is designed as a mixed-income development covering eight blocks and around a square mile. It’s currently the largest solar neighborhood located in the southeastern US, and the largest solar project in Louisiana, because of the 420 kW of photovoltaics installed on the roofs.

“Installing PV systems on multiple roofs, each with a specific configuration and mounting angle, posed a challenge for the company,” Kathleen Zipp of Solar Power World notes. “Turning to SolarEdge’s power optimization system allowed using maximum roof space for optimum power harvesting, even in areas with partial shading or obstructions.”