Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus

New Columbia Solar partnered with The Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus (RIC) to develop the largest solar canopy in Washington, DC. The two organizations collaborated on this project to provide a brighter and more sustainable future for generations to come. The installation is 1,148 kW and will offset more than 1,000 Metric Tons of CO2 over its 20-year lifetime, which is equivalent to preventing more than 1.12 million pounds of coal from being burned.

The solar facility, which sits on top of the RIC parking garage, will also help the local community through the District’s Solar for All program. The Solar for All Program is the Mayor’s Initiative to bring the benefits of solar energy to 100,000 low- to moderate-income families in the District of Columbia, and this solar facility represents one of the largest systems in the program and will serve more than 325 income-qualified families in the District. As part of the program, each household will have their electricity bills cut in half and will save up to $500 annually.

The installation was an engineering feat, representing one of the District’s most complex solar facilities. For example, the load-bearing capacity of the concrete deck was less than the weight of the Spydercrane needed to lift and install the steel canopy frame. NCS’s engineering team had to devise creative solutions, such as using large steel “railroad ties” to disperse the load of the Spydercrane across a larger surface area.