Pittsburgh neighborhood organization taps local talent for rooftop solar project

The Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation (WCDC), a nonprofit in eastern Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, commemorated commercial operation of a solar project three years in the making today.

A 23.4-kW solar array installed on the WCDC’s roof has been operating since summer began. The project was installed by local contractor EIS Solar. In its first month, the solar array has generated 7% more power than originally projected.

WCDC started the process of bringing solar to its building in 2023. The Pennsylvania Solar Center, a solar nonprofit, assisted the development corporation in originating the project, navigating policy hurdles and finding the right solar contractor through its GET Solar program.

“It’s really common for organizations to need a lot of support,” said Leo Kowalski, director of transformation at the PA Solar Center. “Solar can be complicated. It doesn’t have to be, but often it is, and financing is a huge piece of it. But it’s also a democratizing force. What’s so exciting about solar is that we can really get our hands on it as people.”

Funding from this solar project came from several sources. Mahesh Sabhnani, a Google employee and local resident, donated $10,000 to the project, and the search engine giant matched his donation with another $10,000. Equity-focused financier Neighborhood Community Development Fund made a custom financing program for the project’s loan. It also qualified for a state energy efficiency rebate, as well as the federal investment tax credit and domestic content bonus adder.

While the array will save WCDC money on electricity costs, Gordon Manker, director of business development, said this is a demonstration solar project for the whole Wilkinsburg neighborhood.

“Let the WCDC be the trial run to see how it goes, to see how it get more people involved, more businesses involved in getting solar on their roof,” Manker said.

WCDC spearheads development and restoration projects in Wilkinsburg, such as rehabilitating houses and preserving historic buildings. Now that the array is operating on its roof, the organization hopes to host local workshops focused on bringing solar to businesses and other organizations in the neighborhood.

“Hopefully in the next couple years, we’ll be doing so much more,” Kowalski said. “Maybe it’s new partners, maybe it’s new folks. But we’ll find we’ll the community and build the new project.”