The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority officially turned on a new solar carport system atop the Anacostia parking garage and another at the Southern Ave Station in the nation’s capital. The two projects are part of a four-project portfolio being undertaken by the Metro in D.C. and Maryland.

Metro leveraged private investments, economic opportunities, and clean energy policies within the District of Columbia to open doors for this project. This project is part of Metro’s ongoing commitment to sustainability initiatives and the 2025 Energy Action Plan, which will help advance the Clean Energy DC Plan that seeks to cut carbon emissions in half and transition to 100% renewable energy by 2032.

Metro’s solar carport project is a collaboration with TotalEnergies (formerly SunPower) to install the solar carports and subsidiaries of MN8 Energy (formerly Goldman Sachs Renewable Power LLC), which own and operate the four Metro sites. Collectively they will generate around 10 MW of electrical capacity.

“As one of the largest community solar projects in the region, the success we’re celebrating today wouldn’t have been possible without the power of partnerships. This was a truly collaborative effort involving the community, local workforces, and a team of people that came together to make this dream a reality,” said Bradley Dakake, senior account executive of TotalEnergies.

The renewable energy generated from the solar carports will be provided to subscribing District of Columbia residential and commercial community solar customers.

Construction is also underway on solar carports at two other stations: Naylor Road expected to be completed in the winter of 2023 and Cheverly scheduled to finish in the spring of 2024.

News item from Metro