Subscriber Benefits

SOLARFORUS @ Henderson-Hopkins Community Solar Farm is located on the rooftop of Elmer A. Henderson: A John Hopkins Partnership School in Baltimore, Maryland. This project is a collaboration between Neighborhood Sun, The Climate Access Fund, and the school in effort to provide clean energy and savings opportunities to the school's community members and nearby neighbors, specifically low-income folks, in addition to covering all the school's energy needs. 100% of the energy generated by this solar farm will be allocated to low- or moderate-income (LMI) residents associated with or living around the school. Residents who subscribe will benefit from a 25% discount on the community solar credits applied to their utility bills each month once the solar panels are connected to the grid by Baltimore Gas and Electric after construction ends in June. 

Social and Environmental Impact Details

SOLARFORUS @ Henderson-Hopkins community solar farm will provide locally-generated solar energy at a discount for up to 200 low- or moderate-income (LMI) households in the community, with low-income subscribers receiving priority. The 800 kW solar array consists of over 1,000 solar panels on the Baltimore City Public Contract school’s roof, doubling as a job experience site through the Climate Access Fund’s partnership with Civic Works for its solar installation occupational skills training program. This collaboration helps the school to integrate energy efficiency education and opportunities that draw connections between the rooftop panels and the classroom. Any revenue generated by the solar panels will be reinvested back into the project to benefit local LMI households.

The Climate Access Fund and Neighborhood Sun are prioritizing community engagement and collaboration with Henderson-Hopkins, neighborhood associations, and other community-based organizations to ensure that this renewable energy project is welcomed by the community and actively benefiting those who it was designed to serve: low-income members of the school’s community and nearby neighbors. Throughout its 30-year lifespan, the SOLARFORUS Henderson-Hopkins Community Solar Farm is expected to generate over $1 Million in savings on electricity bills for its subscribers, 100% of whom will be LMI. Subscribers have the opportunity to save money while helping to prevent the generation of 27,000 metric tons of CO2-equivalent (equivalent to more than 3 Million gallons of gas NOT consumed).

Construction Timeline

The SOLARFORUS @ Henderson-Hopkins Community Solar Farm is owned and financed by The Climate Access Fund, and its construction is expected to end in June, after which BGE will need a few months to connect it to the grid. 

Photo Credits to Elmer A. Henderson: a John Hopkins Partnership School