10.8 kW Farm Installation in Newton, MA

Newton Community Farm is a vibrant non-profit organization just 12 miles outside of Boston, MA. The farm provides locally-grown produce through a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program, an onsite farm stand, the Newton Farmers’ Market, and donations to local food pantries, which was awarded a grant to install solar panels in 2021 as a co-recipient with the city of Newton.

This energy grant from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) was designed to aid small-scale farms in reaching their sustainability goals. To bring the beautiful agricultural installation to life, Ace Solar worked with Resonant Energy, their project manager, and the Greentech Renewables Auburn location to ensure timely execution throughout the build and access to some of the top solar products on the market.

This stunning array features Roof Tech RT MINI Screws as roof anchors, Ironridge rails and BX System clamps, Qcells Q.PEAK DUO all-black panels, the SolarEdge Energy Hub Inverter and SolarEdge optimizers, and an LG RESU16H battery. One major challenge in the installation process involved accommodating the structural insulation panels (SIPs) in the roof, leading to the switch from Ironridge flashing to Rooftech minis.

Using 27 panels adding up to 10.8 kW of power and a battery with 16 kWh of storage capacity, this installation will provide 99% of all energy required for the farm's annual operations. According to Resonant Energy, the greenhouse gas emissions saved from the atmosphere from this array equal almost 23,000 miles of driving a standard modern vehicle.

The Newton Community Farm will also use this solar power production for educational purposes, as the 501c3 organization has developed a variety of sustainability and farming educational programs for all ages. 

Photo credit to Resonant Energy.