Suburban Athletic Club - Framingham MA

525 panel (110KW) PV array at Suburban Athletic Club in Framingham, MA

SolarFlair Energy, Inc. worked closely with Suburban Athletic Club and TD Bank to help make solar power a reality for this Framingham business. Their 110KW grid-tied solar power system has reduced their operating costs and sends a positive message to the community. Suburban Athletic Club received a Federal stimulus grant from the ARRA in the amount of $211,000 as well as an $117,000 rebate from Massachusetts’ Commonwealth Solar Stimulus. The financing terms from TD Bank allowed Suburban to enjoy the benefits of energy savings in the first year by avoiding up-front capital costs and replacing their utility bills with a lower monthly loan payment. In addition, Suburban will have protection from long-term price increases from their electric utility.

Suburban Athletic is a premier health, fitness and recreation complex in the Metro west area. They provide a professional, comfortable and clean environment in an atmosphere of friendship, caring and sociability within the structure of a successful business operation. Their members are at the forefront of their planning. They constantly adapt to ever-changing programs and technology to address member’s desire for a leading-edge facility. Generating electricity from solar energy means they use less fossil fuel, reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.Promoting environmental responsibility is a positive public relations message that fits very well with their mission.

The PV system produces 114,000 kilowatt hours (KWh) per year which is 20% of their electrical needs. Each KWh represents a savings of 17 cents NOT paid to the utility. In addition to utility savings, for every KWh of electricity produced, they'll earn an SREC which can be sold to electric utilities needing to meet state renewable energy mandates. Over the next 10 years this market projects to add between 30 cents and 60 cents to the value of each KWh of electricity produced, dramatically reducing payback periods and improving the return on investment for solar system owners.