Arch Solar has completed a 191-kW DC solar installation at a newly developed affordable housing and community library complex in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, helping advance the city’s efforts to bring clean energy to underserved neighborhoods. The rooftop solar project is expected to offset approximately 38% of the site’s total electricity consumption, reducing utility costs for both residents and community facilities while supporting long-term affordability goals.
The development includes 93 townhouse-style affordable housing units and a renovated public library serving a low-income neighborhood. By lowering energy expenses, the project provides direct financial benefits to residents, including households living in reduced-rent units, while also decreasing operating costs for community services. The installation aligns with broader City of Milwaukee initiatives focused on expanding renewable energy access and promoting energy equity across the city.
Arch Solar designed and installed the system across three separate rooftops with varying configurations. To maximize efficiency and control costs, the company deployed a combination of SolarEdge SE50K and SE10K inverters along with dual-input power optimizers. The technology enabled longer string lengths, reduced wiring and conduit requirements, and lowered overall balance-of-system costs, helping keep the project within the budget constraints typical of affordable housing developments.
According to Arch Solar Business Development Supervisor Andrew Holmstrom, centralized monitoring, installation simplicity, and consistency across multiple buildings were key factors in the project’s design. The unified platform allows property managers to monitor performance across all three buildings while maintaining reliable energy production.
The system is projected to generate more than 221 MWh of electricity annually, deliver approximately $35,000 in first-year utility savings, and produce an estimated $1.68 million in lifetime savings. Supporters say the project demonstrates how renewable energy can be used to improve housing affordability, strengthen community resources, and create lasting economic and environmental benefits for Milwaukee residents.
