This home has an extensively shaded roof with an undesirable azimuth, but the owners still wanted to install solar on the property in an aesthetically pleasing manner. To address this need, New Prairie Construction Company partnered with Greentech Renewables to design a prairie-style solar pergola. The installers constructed the pergola with rough-hewn western red cedar stained to match the home's current finish.
The solar equipment consists of 24 300W Sunpreme Maxima bifacial solar modules, which can have up to a 20% backside power boost, SolarEdge DC optimizers for module-level MPPT, a Solaredge 7600 inverter, Orion Frameless clamps, and ProSolar rails.
The pergola not only provides partial shade for the patio but also has the capacity to generate 65-75% of the home's annual electricity usage. Its innovative water-shedding design, featuring a custom gutter and rain chain, ensures its longevity and continued energy generation. This solar array met the homeowners' needs and also became a featured project for the community-led solar education program, Urbana-Champaign Solar 2.0, showcasing its success and benefits to the community.
Champaign, IL 61821
United States
