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    DSD installs 1.85-MW Solar array to power Virginia Retirement Village

    March 30, 2023
    According to DSD, the solar farm within The Village at Orchard Ridge can produce an estimated 2,396 MWh of energy annually, which is equivalent to powering 330 homes per year. It is expected to meet 85 percent of the community’s energy needs
    Image credit DSD Renewables
    Virginia R Etirement Village 1 6425be030494a

    New York-based commercial and industrial solar developer DSD Renewables has completed the installation of a 1.85-MW ground mount solar project at The Village at Orchard Ridge, a retirement community in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia.

    Virginia Retirement Solar Microgrid 2
    The Village at Orchard Ridge is affiliated with National Lutheran Communities & Services (NLCS), a faith-based, not-for-profit ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s (ELCA) Delaware-Maryland, Metropolitan Washington, D.C. and Virginia synods, serving people of all beliefs.

    “We believe that ‘Leadership by Doing’ is the best way to make a meaningful impact on our community,” said Richard Mazza, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Business Planning and Development at National Lutheran Communities & Services. “Not only does it reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower energy costs, but it also gives our residents an opportunity to be proactive in environmental initiatives.

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    According to DSD, the facility can produce an estimated 2,396 MWh of energy annually, which is equivalent to powering 330 homes per year. It is expected to meet 85 percent of the community’s energy needs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

    The company notes that the project, which started construction in July 2022, was met with challenges. To ensure minimal disruption to the community’s 300-plus residents, DSD and NLCS collaborated with the local utility to develop innovative solutions to overcome interconnection limitations.

    “In the face of growing climate change concerns, it’s increasingly important that organizations like NLCS take the lead in demonstrating environmental stewardship, and we’re proud to have been a part of it,” said David Eisenbud, Senior Director, Origination of DSD. “In this new market for DSD, our team brought ingenuity and rigor to every step in the process, and now we look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on residents at The Village at Orchard Ridge and the surrounding community.”

    With the installation of this solar project, DSD expands its footprint to 23 U.S. states.