Calling all solar contractors in Connecticut, the Connecticut Green Bank sent out a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services for several solar projects at affordable multifamily housing (AMFH) sites. In total, the Green Bank is installing 2 MW of solar on nine affordable housing working with the Green Bank’s Solar Marketplace Assistance Program (Solar MAP). Submissions are due on Jan. 13, 2025.
Connecticut solar RFP
The Green Bank commissioned evaluations of each Site and provides detailed exhibits for each proposed project through this RFP. The nine sites are located in Cheshire, Hamden, Storrs, Tolland, New Haven, and West Hartford, and will include seven rooftop solar jobs and two hybrid carport projects.
This solicitation also requests secondary project pricing that incorporates the requirements associated with the use of federal Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds (GGRF), such as the Build America, Buy America Act and Davis-Bacon and Related Acts. Federal compliance requirements are further explained in the solicitation. This secondary pricing is optional, but Green Bank strongly encourages submissions as this is a priority funding area.
The solicitation offers site visits on Dec. 9 and 10 and an informational webinar on federal compliance requirements on Dec. 13 for federal compliance requirements.
Green Bank solar financing
On a recent episode of The Pitch, Chris Cucci, EVP at Climate First Bank and OneEthos, explained how Green Banks are a key partner for their ethical solar financing terms. Example:
“To your point that a lot of low to moderate income homeowners can’t monetize the tax credit because they don’t have the tax liability … we have a big wave of opportunity happening — it’s starting now, and it’s going to be for the next five to six years — which is the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Three big grant programs totaling $27 billion that’s been awarded all across the country to different community lenders and state green bank authorities. That is something that we see as a huge opportunity.
“We have entered into a really cool program in the Metro DC area. We partnered with a nonprofit green bank called Montgomery County Green Bank in that market, and they’re subsidizing the interest rates on our loans. If we do a loan in a low or moderate income Census tract in their market — what’s called an Equity Emphasis Zone in their market –they’re going to buy that rate down from our 7.99% APR down to a 0% APR for the first 10 years.
“That’s one example, and there are countless Green Bank Partners across the country. We’re currently working with people all over the Midwest, a few on the West Coast, some in the Mountain region, on programs just like that. And when we do that, our installers who are already on-boarded with us, they get priorities.
“That’s why I always tell people: we’re in 27 states today, we’re going to be in all 50 by the end of this year with our consumer platform, so go ahead and get signed up now. Start onboarding with us because then you get first dibs at some of these programs that are going to make solar a no-brainer for low to moderate income.”
Tags: commercial and industrial
