Burlington — If there’s any place that understands the impacts of climate change first-hand, it’s the Katrina-flooded Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans.
With the help of a new Vermont-manufactured solar system, a ward community center and skate park is taking a very visible step toward addressing the global environmental challenge.
The community is now celebrating having the “greenest skate park in the world.”
The Lower Ninth Ward Village’s skate park and solar tracker were commissioned at a celebration September 26, which included representatives of Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation and Grammy winning rapper Lil Wayne, a skater himself.
Make It Right builds healthy homes and buildings for communities in need. As part of making the project as environmentally responsible as possible, Make It Right sought to include the most efficient solar electric system it could.
Working with Joule Solar Energy, a local Louisiana-owned company, they chose the pole-mounted dual-axis AllSun Tracker system made in the Burlington area.
The tracker system is an industry leader and uses GPS and wireless technology to follow the sun throughout the day boosting energy production. It was heralded at the event as the first solar tracking installation of its kind in the region.
The 6kW solar tracker will produce over 10,000 kWh per year and supply the energy for the community center and skate park’s lighting, fans, and computers.
“The solar tracker provides the park affordable, clean energy. Lower power bills help keep the park sustainable for the entire community,” said Pierre Moses, Make It Right Solar’s program director.
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