A housing community in Ithaca, New York, has banded together to lower their energy costs and reduce their carbon footprint by banding together to install a renewable energy system. The EcoVillage Cohousing Cooperative, which consists of 30 homes, has constructed a 50 kilowatt, ground-mounted array. The unit is the second largest in the county and is expected to supply as much as 60 percent of the community’s power needs. It will also save an estimated 250 tons of CO2 annually.

The solar unit and smart meter system cost $275,000 and according to Tompkins Weekly, was financed “by interest-bearing loans from a subset of residents, which are paid off over time through regular monthly charges for electricity. After rebates and tax incentives, the system will cost just $88,000.”

It is estimated that the solar system will be completely paid off within 15 years.

One of the project’s organizers, Jeff Gilmore, told the Tompkins Weekly, “It’s also a creative financing model that other cooperatives can use.”

Sustainability is an important issue in the Ithaca area. Nearby Cornell University has also instituted a green policy and a number of initiatives with the goal of becoming fully sustainable.
The University’s Sustainable Campus Office supports the research, development, and practical applications for environmental sustainability. The office supports a number of initiatives throughout the campus, including building, climate, energy, food, water, waste, and transportation.

Over the past six years, Cornell has reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by seven percent and hopes to become a carbon neutral campus by 2050. There are two solar hot water systems on campus generating an estimated 100 million BTUs per year; a one megawatt hydroplant; 17 kilowatts of photovoltaic solar arrays around the campus; and a renewable cooling system on campus that saves around 25 million kilowatt hours annually.

The University also mandates that all new buildings constructed on campus must meet LEED Silver Certification standards but must also be 30 percent more energy efficient beyond that certification. Currently, the campus has three LEED-certified buildings with eight more awaiting certification from the United States Green Building Council.

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