Jinko Solar's Green Initiatives in Jacksonville, Florida

As one of the world’s largest and most innovative solar module manufacturers with a local presence in Jacksonville, Florida, Jinko Solar has continuously invested in projects that enhance the sustainability and well-being of the surrounding community.

Since opening its 287,000-square-foot facility at Jacksonville’s Cecil Commerce Center in 2018, Jinko Solar — in partnership with Everybody Solar — has expanded local access to renewable energy with several green initiatives that provide nonprofit organizations with critical energy savings.

Sulzbacher Village

Founded in 1995 and located in downtown Jacksonville, Sulzbacher is the largest homeless provider in Northeast Florida, providing shelter, health care, and social services to over 7,000 individuals per year. Sulzbacher Village is a 70-unit permanent low-income housing community opened in 2018 that empowers homeless women and their families as a stepping stone for achieving self sufficiency.

While the village was designated as a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development EnVision Center in 2019 for its essential services, as one of Sulzbacher’s three campuses, it’s proven to have a substantial operating cost, making solar power an attractive alternative — especially given Jacksonville’s 221 annual days of sun.

In 2022, Jinko Solar donated a 49.8-kilowatt solar panel array to Sulzbacher Village to improve its energy efficiency, providing energy savings for the next 25 years and offsetting 105,054 pounds of CO2, exemplifying the benefits that solar power has not only on the environment, but also on finances.

"By adopting energy-efficient practices and harnessing the power of solar energy, we can redirect funds towards essential services like providing meals and health care to those in desperate need. Not only does this save money, but it also enables us to make a tangible difference in reducing our carbon footprint,” said Cindy Funkhouser, president and CEO of Sulzbacher.

Given the local impact of Sulzbacher, Jinko Solar was particularly honored to be a part of this project.

“We have been blessed to be a part of the Jacksonville community since we began advanced solar manufacturing operations here four years ago, and so we are equally blessed to have an opportunity to give back, especially to an organization with a mission as distinct and important to the community as Sulzbacher,” Jeff Juger, Jinko’s U.S. deputy general manager, said.

St Johns Housing Partnership

Dedicated to promoting safe, decent, and affordable housing in northern Florida, the St. Johns Housing Partnership in St. Augustine engages in a variety of construction services that enhance the local community, from neighborhood revitalization to the development of affordable housing.

By prioritizing build aspects like retrofitting and energy and water conservation, SJHP ensures energy efficiency and affordability in local housing projects, and with dual solar installations donated by Jinko Solar in May 2023, the organization can now be considered a beacon in local sustainability.

In addition to a 21.87-kilowatt solar array atop the SJHP main office saving the organization $2,500 in annual utility costs, the six-unit affordable housing complex for veterans, Patriot Place, received a 9.72-kilowatt solar system.

“Being able to put solar on the roof was amazing,” said Bill Lazer, the executive director of St. John’s Housing Project, on YouTube at the Patriot Place ribbon cutting. “We’ll save about $1,500 to $2,000 a year right now, but this is guaranteeing that it will remain affordable for a long time. I think the vets, when they move in, will be thrilled; it will be unique for them not to have to worry about a power bill.”

Following this installation, Patriot Place earned gold certification under the Florida Green Building Coalition Homes Standard — a popular certification program attesting a home is built to withstand Florida’s unique climatic and environmental characteristics. With the state using seven times the amount of energy than it produces, energy efficiency upgrades like solar panels play a major role in addressing these unique characteristics.

“Patriot Place is a good example of what can be done when the public and private sectors come together. I want to congratulate all the partners, donors and supporters that made Patriot Place a reality for an at-risk segment of our community. Affordable housing must be sustainable over time both in terms of actual affordability and debt service along with building performance and long-term maintenance,” Lazar said.

The Way Free Medical Clinic

The Way Free Medical Clinic in Orange Park, Florida, is a no-charge health care provider offering medical services like primary care, preventive healthcare, and chronic disease management to 50,000 uninsured and low-income residents of Clay County.

With energy costs often consuming 1% to 3% of a health care facility’s operating costs, energy efficiency has a profound impact on the services a facility can provide, especially for clinics like The Way that rely entirely on community donations and a volunteer staff.

Recently, Jinko Solar announced that it will be fitting The Way Free Medical Clinic’s headquarters with a 37.40-kilowatt solar array set to be installed in 2025, transforming the organization’s critical medical services.

Expected to generate 56,400 kilowatt hours of electricity annually and save a cumulative $500,000 over the next 25 years, this array allows for the expansion of existing programs and the development of new ones like dental care, more than doubling the number of patients served.

“The solar energy project provides an element of financial sustainability to our organization, as we have to raise 100% of the funds needed to operate,” said Don Fann, executive director of The Way Free Medical Clinic, in a press release. “This project will be a component of an innovative array of elements at the new site, including a demonstration edible garden and pandemic-ready facility features.”

Jinko Solar’s Shining Community Support

As a world-leading solar manufacturer dedicated to expanding access to renewable energy throughout its local community, Jinko Solar will continue to engage in green initiatives that illuminate the benefits of solar power.

With Jacksonville ranking as the No. 1 city for solar energy in Florida, Jinko Solar’s support of the local community is shining.