Community Profiles

Founded in 2009, Sunwheel Energy Partners is focused on bringing sustainability and energy solutions to urban communities across the nation. Sunwheel provides turnkey solar photovoltaic systems that offer clean, sustainable power, lower energy costs, and green jobs to affordable housing developments, government institutions, and businesses nationwide.

Through the MBS Urban Initiative investment, Sunwheel provided 11 affordable housing sites across California with solar power, totaling 1.6 megawatts. Combined, these projects generate over 2.3 million kilowatt-hours of clean, renewable electricity annually, eliminating nearly 2 million pounds of CO2 emissions each year.

Sunwheel worked with the utility companies and the California Public Utilities Commission to help refine the program to better serve the needs of low-income residents. Sites that were eligible for the California Solar Initiative’s Multi-family Affordable Solar Housing program (MASH) were able to pass solar savings to tenants free of charge through a virtual net metering program. On average, residents at these sites eceive 50 percent of the energy produced by the solar systems free of charge without any increase in rent.

In addition to the economic and sustainability impacts, over 30 residents of the affordable housing communities were hired to install the solar panels. These residents also benefitted from specific, on-the-job training in a growing green sector industry.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Quick Facts 

Project Goal: Retrofit 11 affordable housing communities with solar panels

Total Development Costs: $16,260,783

Square Footage: 1.6 megawatts of solar panels

Developer: Sunwheel Energy Partners

Tax Credit Investor: US Bancorp Community Development Corporation

NMTC Qualified Low Income Community Investment: $15,983,393

Other Key Project Financing: Multifamily Affordable Solar Housing (MASH) Program, Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP), Sunwheel Energy Partners, GoSolarSF, and the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit program

Construction Jobs: 69

Permanent Jobs: 1 (13 additional through Green Streets)

Investment Date: September 2009