Bella Energy strives to provide the highest quality solar energy solutions to empower communities with opportunities to contribute to a sustainable future and clean energy economy.
To give the people of the world the same clean energy opportunities we have here in the USA, Bella Energy donated and installed solar electric and hot water systems on the Dushanbe Cybercafé in Tajikistan.
As part of our mission to the empower renewable energy community regardless of economic level, Bella Energy created one of America’s largest solar electric systems for an affordable housing project. We (or Bella) installed a 52.5 kW solar electric system on an affordable housing site owned by Boulder Housing Partners (BHP). Diagonal Court Townhouses, at 3265 30th Street in Boulder, consists of five separate buildings with six units each for a total of 30 units. Bella Energy donated the labor for the project.
This pioneer funding for renewable energy on affordable housing was received from the City of Boulder’s Housing Fund, the Colorado Governor’s Energy Office, and a pilot program for multi-unit solar electric systems from Xcel Energy’s Solar Rewards Program. Bella worked in conjunction with VisionSun Design to pull together the project. Solar energy will save the residents over $7,800 per a year on their electricity bills at current rates.
“It is a model for the future of energy conservation and affordable housing. Much credit goes to Bella Energy and VisionSun Design for their commitment”
Tim Beal
Boulder Housing Partner’s Director of Housing
“Boulder Housing Partners is committed to providing sustainable and cost effective housing to the community. This is just one example of the efforts they are making to save energy and money for the community members they serve”.
Diane Dandeneau
Director of Residential Sales Programs
“The need and the benefit of solar energy for those who can least afford the upfront costs is obvious. Actually making it happen takes vision and commitment. BHP supplied the opportunity, Bella Energy the experience and dedication to community to make it happen.”
Paul Melamed
VisionSun Design, LLC
Boulder based environmental film company Oceanic Preservation Society exposes rising mercury levels in the world’s oceans, Boulder based Bella Energy provides solar electric system to power film studio.
Bella Energy has installed a 22.8 kilowatt solar system on Oceanic Preservation Society’s (OPS) Boulder film production studio. Time lapse photography was used to film the project. Seven installers placed all 114 panels and series wiring in a single day: 7am-7pm on a day with high temperatures of only 15 degrees Fahrenheit – Special Thanks to Operations Director Dave Gomez!!! The work was filmed by 2 cameras on scaffolding taking seven pictures per second each over 12 hours. That’s a total of 605,000 digital images!
The high-efficiency system includes: 22.8kw Sanyo 200w solar panels, Unirac Sunframe racking, 19 series strings, 4 arrays, 8.4kw South, 14.4kw East, 4 SMA Inverters – 4000, 5000 and 2, 7000’s. These are all on the production studio for OPS and the offices of Louie Psihoyos Photography.
OPS is working toward the international release of a feature-length film on the levels of mercury in our oceans due in part at least to pollution from coal-burning power plants and the related danger to 70% of the world’s population who have seafood as their main protein staple.
“I never want to pay for electricity again… we want to be our own Conoco station, and the sun’s going to run it.”
Louie Psihoyos
Oceanic Preservation Society
“It was an honor to work with such an organization and a pleasure working with their amazing staff. The world will be a better place for their efforts, actions and this much anticipated film!”
John Shaw
Project Engineer/Sales
In December 2007, Bella Energy installed a 20 kilowatt solar electric system that will power JAX new office complex. Made up of 112 Conergy 175 watt modules, this 20 kilowatt photovoltaic system covers 2,300 square feet of the building’s flat top surface.
JAX will save the company on electricity costs while avoiding paying the increasing costs of utility bills for the next 40 years. Xcel rate increases average 3.5% increase per year.
Readers of the Fort Collins Coloradoan had the following comments:
“A big ‘thumbs up’ to JAX!!”
“Way to go JAX!”
“As a company we try to make choices that are environmentally sound because it makes moral sense, but it has to make economic sense as well. With the federal tax credits and Xcel Energy rebates for solar systems, it will be a quick payback on our financial investment. It feels good to be doing the right thing.”
Jim Quinlan
JAX Owner
“Jim Quinlan is a long-time Ft. Collins business leader who understands that solar energy not only makes sense for the planet, but it makes good business sense.”
Jim Volpa
Business Development
On June 12th Governor Ritter’s office asked for a bid on a solar PV project for the Governor’s Denver residence. They were using last minute state money found at the end of the financial year so the entire project had to be bid, awarded and installed (including extensive security screening for all our staff on site) within the remaining 18 days left in the month of June.
Bella Energy successfully installed a 2.4 kW grid tied system on a shed adjacent to the Visitor Center patio. The entire system includes12 Sanyo 200 watt high efficiency modules, a Fronius IG 2500 LV grid tied inverter and a wireless display unit for use in the Visitor Center well within the deadline for the project.
Delivering on the promise of the ‘New Energy Economy’ in Colorado, we are working to make our state government a model consumer of renewable energy,” said Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. “Solar power is a reliable, secure, clean and economically viable energy resource that can help reverse the trends of global warming.”
Governor Bill Ritter
Colorado Governor
I was proud that Bella was chosen to work on this project because it really complements Governor Ritter’s progressive energy policies, and at the same time helps show the public a little bit of what’s possible with solar energy.
Andy Hoke
Project Manager
It’s great to see our leaders ‘walking the talk’ and leading by example on green energy!
Mona Newton
Governor’s Office
Structural Associates installed one of the first 10 to 100kW projects in this mid-sized Xcel Program. The system consists of 28 kW, with 6 inverters grid tied on their main offices and warehouse in Glenwood Springs. It generates close to 100% of Structural Associates’ power. As an environmentally-conscious builder, they are showing the way for their customers, whose homes are a model of energy efficiency, green building and solar energy.
“I look for the highest quality and professionalism in all my subcontractors. Ken Olson is one of the leading solar engineers in the country and was able to design and install a highly efficient solar electric system that exceeded all my expectations.”
Shane Evans
Owner
“Structural Associates is a company that exemplifies the value of doing
well by doing good. They have built a company culture around being good
to the environment, which has also been good to their bottom line.”Ken Olson
President SolEnergy, a Bella Energy Partner
Bella Energy supplied the hardware for 64 kilowatts of solar electricity for 60 housing units. Each building has solar awnings that produce a large percentage of the monthly utilities for electricity. Bella also supplied a 40 panel solar thermal system for heating hot water for each of the units. The Eagle Place model shows financers and policy makers that having alternative energy systems on HUD projects will dramatically reduce utility bills in the long run and buffer against future utility rate hikes. Because the residents will be saving money monthly, builders will qualify for a bigger loan up front to buy solar system hardware during initial construction of the buildings.
“Bella advocates for renewable energy housing for all sectors of society. This is the standard that all housing should be built to, now and in the future.”
Mona Newton
Project Manager, Bella
This is Colorado’s most energy efficient affordable housing project and our goal is to be the nation’s most energy efficient. We are setting a national and statewide precedent on how solar energy systems are funded in affordable housing projects.
Amery Host
Project Developer, Peak Properties
Porter Industries, recognized as a leader in the cleaning industry in its use of environmentally sensitive products, applied it corporate “Green” philosophy to its building (LEED Gold Certified) and now to its power. In early 2007, Bella Energy installed this 10kW solar electric system to even further reduce the company’s environmental footprint, making this the first LEED Gold building in Colorado to go solar electric.
“They started with good communication, their installers were knowledgeable and experienced, and the outcome was an outstanding installation producing considerable energy savings.”
Bob Stone
Owner, Porter Industries, Inc.
“Porter Industries is a company that has shown tremendous leadership with energy efficiency, environmentally sensitive cleaning practices, and now with solar electric. They understand how to add to their bottom line while staying true to their core values. We were very honored to be chosen as their solar electric provider.”
Jim Volpa
Business Development
Solar Village Prospect is part of the new urban development, Prospect New Town, in Longmont, Colorado – a community which Dwell magazine has called “America’s Coolest Neighborhood”. Bella and Industrial Solar were key partners in creating this multi-family model for sustainable development. A mix of retail space and sixteen residential lofts, flats and condominiums, Solar Village’s key features include PV awnings that shade out the summer sun while generating electricity, and a 21 panel solar hot water system that meets all of the building’s domestic needs – as well as a good portion of the needs of the building’s radiant floor heating system. The Colorado Renewable Energy Society recognized the success of Solar Village by awarding it “Exemplary Solar Building of 2006″.
“We worked with Bella Energy for two years in developing our solar electric system. At the end, they were on budget and on time with a building integrated solar system that has performed flawlessly.”
Mark Kostovny
Co-founder, Solar Village
“Solar Village was Bella’s and Colorado’s first integrated solar electric building project”
Jim Welch
Bella President
“Solar Village Prospect is the first of what will become a national brand of true communities known for quality, comfort, low maintenance and efficiency for homeowners and our environment.”
Alex Platt
Architect
Rich Jorgensen, a Boulder contractor, like many Bella Energy customers need power not only for the residence but for a office as well. This project had one south roof and needed as much solar power as possible. To achieve that Bella Energy chose the Sanyo Module with the world’s highest solar module for efficiency.
“Your team did a great job on my solar electric system. I am in the construction business, where execution is critical. Yours could not have been any better. It was a 10!”
Rich Jorgensen
Home Owner
“Rich, being a general contractor ,had high expectations for his solar provider. Our web based project management system was a huge help in getting the project efficiently, on time and budget.”
Dave Gomez
Bella Project Manager
