Tower turns on 122 kWh solar electric system at Blair House

Daily Record Staff//July 12, 2019//

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A new 122-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system is on the roof of the 310-unit, 12-story Blair House, on 16th Street in Silver Spring. (Prospect Solar photo)

The largest solar electric generation rooftop system on a multi-family building in Montgomery County was activated Thursday.

The 122-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system is on the roof of the 310-unit, 12-story Blair House, on 16th Street in Silver Spring, The Tower Cos. of Rockville and Prospect Solar of Sterling, Virginia announced.

Prospect Solar designed and installed the system for Tower, which owns, develops and manages property in the Washington area. The system has 265 modules from U.S.-based manufacturer SunPower, and an estimated annual production of more than 150,000 kilowatt-hours, or 12 percent of the total building energy demand, the companies said in a news release.

Eugenia Gregorio, Tower’s vice president of strategy and sustainability, said Tower expects their investment in the solar power system to be paid back in the first year, with positive cash flow for at least 20 years afterward. The on-site solar installation demonstrates a clear business case for renewable energy, she said.