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<br /> <br />26 <br /> 2023 2030 2040 <br />Renewable 42% 64% 75% <br />Carbon-Free 64% 80%+ 100% <br />Table 10. Xcel Energy’s planned grid mix 7,8 <br />6.2 On-Site Solar <br />Decarbonizing the electric grid can be supported by distributed on-site generation in developments like RCC, <br />with rooftops and parking lots hosting solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Based on the building assumptions <br />used for this analysis, the rooftops at Rice Creek Commons are estimated to be able to host 27 MW of solar <br />PV, which would meet 84% of the community’s estimated annual electricity use under the Scenario 2: <br />District Energy – Town Center (Table 11). About half of this generation is from commercial, industrial, <br />institutional, and multifamily buildings, while the other half is from townhomes and single-family homes. <br />Because of their geometry and energy loads, multifamily buildings are typically only able to produce a <br />portion (around 40%) of their annual electricity use, while other building types are typically able to generate <br />more electricity than they use each year. <br />The amount of on-site solar could be further increased with the use of solar over parking lots and/or other <br />ground-mounted systems. To qualify as a net-zero energy community, RCC would need to generate as <br />much energy as it uses on an annual basis. Installing solar panels over parking lots would help realize this <br />goal. <br /> <br />Generation <br />Capacity <br />(MW) <br />Annual <br />Generation <br />(MWh) <br />% of <br />Electricity <br />Use <br />Rooftop Solar Potential: All Buildings 27.1 31,900 84% <br />Commercial, industrial, institutional, multifamily 13.8 15,900 42% <br />Townhomes, single-family homes 13.3 16,000 42% <br />Table 11. Rooftop solar potential <br />Opportunities for on-site solar should be evaluated with consideration to: <br />• Grid connection and capacity: Solar PV systems can be set up to primarily serve the building’s own <br />consumption but can also sell excess energy to the grid. Sites anticipating large amounts of excess <br />generation should coordinate early with the electric utility to ensure the local grid has the capacity to <br />accept this electricity. <br /> <br />7 Xcel Energy, NSP Renewable Generation Forecasted 2024-2040, provided to LHB upon request, based on the <br />Preferred Plan in the 2024-2040 Integrated Resource Plan filed February 1, 2024. <br />8 Xcel Energy, 2024-2040 Upper Midwest Integrated Resource Plan, filed February 1st, 2024.