Boulder County Courthouse

Two local Colorado solar installers, Independent Power and Namaste Solar, teamed up to install a 9.9 kW solar power system on the Boulder County Courthouse. Its estimated energy production is 13,898 kWh per year.

SOLAR ON THE BOULDER COUNTY COURTHOUSE

The roof of the west wing of the Boulder County Courthouse now features a 9.9 kW solar power system with 46 high-efficiency SunPower SPR-215 panels. It produces approximately 13,989 kWh per year. The project is part of an ongoing effort by the county to highlight its use of alternative energy and to show how renewable energy can be incorporated into an operation like county government.

“This is a community that stands at the forefront of environmental sustainability, and we hope that we can provide a role model for others to follow,” said Boulder County Commissioner Tom Mayer in a statement.

This system will save local taxpayers an estimated sum of $45,000 over 30 years, and will reduce carbon emissions by 853,890 lbs. The courthouse is located in the downtown Pearl Street district, Boulder’s famed outdoor pedestrian mall. Visitors to the Pearl Street Mall will be able to track the benefits of the Courthouse solar electric system through an interactive computer kiosk that will be installed in front of the Courthouse.

Two local installation companies, Independent Power  and Namaste Solar, have voluntarily teamed up for this landmark project. “Since we all work together in the field and share a concern for the quality of our environment and a belief in the benefits of renewable solar power, we see each other as collaborators and not competitors,” says Ray Tuomey, co-founder of Namaste Solar.

“We wanted to do something that would benefit the city where we work, says Barton Churchill, project manager for Independent Power. Together, we are providing the County with the highest levels of performance, reliability, and value. The installation will deliver reliable, clean solar power to the Courthouse for years to come. We’ve enjoyed working together—our crews are already asking when we can do more projects together.”