Solar Helps Denver Nonoprofit Plan for Big Plans to Expand

Solar Helps Denver Nonoprofit Plan for Big Plans to Expand

Published on May 14, 2026

Since its start in 1989, the Women's Bean Project has been a lifeline for Denver women trying to start over. The nonprofit organization employs women experiencing chronic unemployment to spend nine months training and learning how to re-enter the workforce. The staff produces food products and gifts - items you can now find in grocery stores like King Soopers and Whole Foods. Women enter the Women's Bean Project looking for a second chance. They leave with a community that supports them and the skills they need to change their lives.

In 2022, Women's Bean Project moved into a new facility, twice the size of their first home in Curtis Park. The new 20,000-square-foot facility in Athmar Park gave Women's Bean Project a chance to start over in a sense, too. The organization is dedicated to making this new facility as efficient and sustainable as possible. They partnered with Energy Outreach Colorado (EOC) to build out the new space with this goal in mind. According to EOC, "Almost an entire wall of garage windows was converted into wall space and insulated. All lighting was converted to LEDs. The organization is expected to save 46,186 kWh and 526 therms annually, significantly reducing utility bills and allowing for more funding to go towards serving women."

EOC referred Women's Bean Project to a city program that provided funding to install clean energy systems at area nonprofits. The program, run by Denver's Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency (CASR), helped Women's Bean Project install a 110kW rooftop solar system. During the design of the solar system, the organization emphasized its intention to continue expanding production. The organization also plans to electrify the building's HVAC system when its high-efficiency rooftop units reach the end of their service life.

Together, the city and the Women's Bean Project decided to oversize the new solar system to accommodate these planned increases in electrical load. The system covers 120% of the building's electrical needs, meaning there is plenty of room to grow. It also means their electric bills are fully covered, allowing for even more budget to go towards the mission rather than building operations.

The organization's sustainability goals go beyond the building's efficiency and energy source. The Women's

Bean Project worked with CASR to install an EV charging station at the new building site as well. They encourage their staff to drive electric or bike to work whenever possible. The EV charger makes this easier, particularly if staff do not have a place to charge their EV at home.

They learned valuable lessons to pass along to others who might undertake similar projects. First of all, there are several side costs associated with installing EV charging, such as

permitting, parking lot restriping, software subscriptions, and others. They found that installing more than one charger can make the project more cost-effective since it can combine many of the side costs. They also found that their roofing contractors needed to be deeply involved in the solar project to avoid any warranty issues with either the roof or the solar. Bringing the roofing contractor into the conversation earlier in the process would have saved time and confusion.

Despite the challenges, the organization says the projects were well worth it. Building energy efficiency and electrification into the expansion plans meant that building operations would not become a larger portion of the nonprofit's budget. The Women's Bean Project still directs more than 75% of its revenue to paying wages and providing support services to the marginalized women they employ.

• Environment
• Sustainability