Occupancy of a first-of-its-kind residential community project - a community that strives for neutrality in carbon emissions—is currently being completed in Houston, Texas. In this unique project, the Israeli solar energy group "HaMaor HaGadol" (the Great Light) is participating, which works to produce solar electricity in the United States and Israel. The project, called "UTOPIA HOMES," will include 11 buildings of 3 floors each. Each apartment has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. A common parking lot for the entire complex is covered with solar panels.
All neighborhoods can easily meet their energy needs thanks to autonomous solar generation and storage facilities, advanced WtE (waste-to-energy) solutions, and a plot management platform.
The buildings of the neighborhood are capable of providing themselves with energy independently during weather events or when there are loads on the electricity grid, thanks to technology from the ENSIGHTS company, which can manage the entire community 24/7 and optimize consumption and prices. Goldman Investments jointly owns ENSIGHTS.
Tesla will participate in the project by integrating the company's innovative solar panels (Shield) on the roofs of the buildings and energy storage systems. The energy storage will enable the sale of electricity to public institutions near the residential project or storage for times when the electricity system is disconnected (e.g., during natural disasters). Additionally, the project will integrate a garbage-to-energy conversion system from HomeBioGas. Their system will help heat the water in the residential complexes.
The participation of “HaMaor HaGadol” in the project allows the group's advanced technological solutions to be integrated into the community. Among other innovations, the advanced technology of the ENSIGHT company will be integrated into the project, enabling the monitoring and supervision of the solar energy creation process in combination with artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. The technology allows for real-time detection of faults and tracks energy consumption at each stage. Additionally, RST systems will be integrated into the solar energy systems, providing an autonomous washing infrastructure for the solar panels without human involvement.
The current project in Houston is a Proof of Concept for the company's vision: the construction of 40,000 carbon-neutral apartments within three years in the sunbelt states of the United States.
Hadar Goldman, the project's initiator, said: "The current project will make it possible for the first time to combine high-quality residences with the rising need for environmentally friendly homes. Thanks to autonomous solar production and storage facilities, advanced WtE solutions, and a smooth management platform, entire neighborhoods will be able to supply their own energy needs while meeting luxury requirements in the market. We are happy to involve companies like 'The Great Light' group and 'Tesla Energy' in the project."