Cash Flow Positive from Day One
Partner
McQuade’s ACE Hardware
Challenge:
Limited capital available to install a solar photovoltaic system, a project with a positive return on investment.
Solution:
$450,000 fixed rate, 20-year Commercial property-assessed clean energy (C-PACE) program loan.
Results:
Using C-PACE financing, McQuade’s ACE Hardware installed a 200-kW rooftop solar array. The solar installation generates over $50,000 annually in electric savings and will save more than one million dollars over the life of the system. The reduction in carbon emissions attributable to the system is equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 300 single family homes. “We were interested in the possibility of roof mounted solar, but we had just done a full remodel of our store. Without C-PACE financing this project would not have been possible. With no money out of pocket and C-PACE covering installation costs we will be cash flow positive from day one,” said Mark McQuade, General Manager of Ace McQuade’s in Westerly. “I’m looking forward to reduced electricity costs for years to come, and our customers can know they are shopping at an environmentally friendly hardware store.”