Kyocera Solar and VGI Energy have teamed up to put solar power on some affordable, multi-family housing units in Chicago.
“VGI’s retrofitted buildings throughout Chicago have been outfitted with 20kW rooftop solar arrays, providing electricity from the clean, renewable energy of the sun and contributing to VGI’s goal of achieving zero-net-energy-capable buildings,” the companies noted in a recent press release.
And this is not the first time the two have teamed up to help more people go solar. “Since 2010, VGI has installed Kyocera solar modules on six Chicago buildings ranging in size from 18 to 70 units, providing more than 600 people with the opportunity to use renewable energy in their daily lives.”
I’m sure you’ve heard of Kyocera, but VGI Energy might be a new name to you — it was to me. VGI is apparently a socially and green-minded company, an arm of VLV Development, that is working hard to improve the lives (and help the pocketbooks) of Chicago’s less affluent. “VGI’s vision is to transform and preserve the current state of affordable multi-family housing in the City of Chicago — breathing new life into buildings with a sharp eye toward sustainability by installing LED lighting, energy-efficient windows, ENERGY STAR® appliances and water-efficient plumbing fixtures,” the press release added.