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Columbus, Ohio – The Columbus Region Green Fund, along with Mayor Andrew Ginther, Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce, and Columbus Partnership CEO Jason Hall, celebrated a major milestone today: the activation of over 400 kW of solar panels at Corban Commons Senior Living Facility. This project marks the first fully operational installation under the Impact Solar Initiative, a program financed by the Columbus Region Green Fund.
Affordable housing is a cornerstone of a thriving, inclusive community, and this project strengthens that foundation by reducing long-term living costs for vulnerable residents. Built to serve low-income seniors, Corban Commons will now save over $2 million in energy costs over the system’s lifespan, all without paying any upfront costs. The installation, co-developed by Clean Energy Ventures and Community Renewable Energy, will be maintained under a 20-year power purchase agreement. After that, the nonprofit owners will assume ownership and utilize free energy generated by the panels, further extending long-term affordability and asset value.
“This solar installation is more than just panels on a roof or on the ground,” said Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther. “It represents action, partnership, and follow-through. It’s delivering real savings to seniors living here at Corban Commons. It’s reducing pollution in our community by using clean, solar energy. And it’s putting the power— quite literally—in the hands of community-based organizations. This is exactly the kind of impact we envisioned when the City made its $7 million investment in the Green Fund.”
Launched in 2023, the Columbus Region Green Fund was created through investments from the City of Columbus, Franklin County, and the Columbus Partnership. Its mission is to accelerate clean energy adoption in Central Ohio by focusing on nonprofits, affordable housing, and LMI-serving businesses, communities often excluded from traditional financing.
“We are saving our seniors over $2,000,000 in cost reduction for their housing because of projects like this. That’s a permanent discount for those who have long served this community and who put in their time,” said Jason Hall, CEO of the Columbus Partnership. “We got here because government, philanthropy, and business all agreed to row in the same direction. I am so proud that we are a community anchored in a values-based approach to building our future. That is the Columbus Way.”
According to Columbus Region Green Fund Executive Director Zach McGuire, Corban Commons is just the start. More than 10 nonprofit and affordable housing developments in the Impact Solar program will be financed and installed in the coming months, with broader programs rolling out to support energy efficiency upgrades and single-family solar installations.
You can watch the full press conference here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE40rOYuXFk
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For Immediate Release
May 22, 2025
One Columbus Media Contact
Jon Keeling
614-657-5917
jk@columbuspartnership.com