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Residents Continue to Form Solar Co-Ops to Go Solar Together
Contacts:
Devyn Giannetti: (216) 443-8393; dgiannetti@cuyahogacounty.us
Learn How to Save Money and Energy from Group Solar Purchasing
CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH – Now in its third year, Cuyahoga County residents are continuing to form solar co-ops to save money and make going solar easier. Cuyahoga County and Cleveland State University have partnered with non-profit Solar United Neighbors to expand outreach efforts, organize the co-ops and help educate the community about the benefits of solar. The group is seeking participants and will host information meetings where residents can learn more and join the co-op. The group will launch September 24 with a press conference and information session.
“Residents of Cuyahoga County should know that there are many avenues to live a more sustainable lifestyle, and the opportunity to join a solar co-op is one of many excellent resources available,” said Cleveland State University Director of Sustainability, Jennifer McMillin. “The Cleveland State University Office of Sustainability is proud to partner with Solar United Neighbors to bring information about residential solar power options to our community of faculty, staff and students.”
“We are proud to have educated more than a thousand people about the benefits of solar through these co-op sessions and helped many of them go solar,” said Cuyahoga County Director of Sustainability, Mike Foley. “Now, with great partners like Solar United Neighbors and Cleveland State, we are able to help even more people save money and navigate what otherwise can be a pretty complicated process.”
Solar United Neighbors expands access to solar by educating residents about the benefits of distributed solar energy, helping them organize group solar installations, and strengthening Ohio solar policies and its community of solar supporters. Solar United Neighbors of Ohio has worked with 20 solar co-ops, helping roughly 300 Ohio homes go solar, saving Ohio residents more than $5 million on electricity costs over a 25-year span. The over 100 Cuyahoga County households that have gone solar through the co-op in past rounds saved about 20 percent on the total cost of their installations, which amounts to over 600 kilowatts of rooftop solar in the county alone.
“I’m excited to help my neighbors go solar,” said Solar United Neighbors of Ohio Program Director and Lakewood resident, Tristan Rader. “The solar co-op helps members learn about solar technology and if going solar is right for them. If you’ve ever thought about solar, or just want to learn, this is a great opportunity to do so.”
Co-op participants will select a single company to complete the installations. They will then have the option to purchase panels individually based on the installer’s group rate. By going solar as a group and choosing a single installer, participants can save on the cost of going solar and have the support of fellow group participants and solar experts at Solar United Neighbors.
Residents interested in joining the co-op can sign up at www.solarunitedneighbors.org/cuyahoga. The solar co-op is free to join and joining is not a commitment to purchase panels, and residents from any community can attend a session that works best for them. Once the group is large enough, Solar United Neighbors will help the co-op solicit competitive bids from area solar installers.
For more information on the impact of the solar co-op program, watch this video.
Below are the upcoming information sessions and events:
Press Conference and Information Session—September 24, 6-8 p.m.
Melt Bar and Grilled—6700 Rockside Road, Independence
Euclid Information Session—September 25, 6-8 p.m.
Paragon—21920 Lake Shore Boulevard, Euclid
Cleveland West Information Session—September 26, 6-8 p.m.
Michael Zone Recreation Center—6301 Lorain Avenue, Cleveland
Parma Information Session—October 2, 12-1 p.m. Cuyahoga Community College West, Galleria—11000
Pleasant Valley Rd, Parma
Westlake Information Session—October 2, 6-8 p.m.
Cuyahoga Community College Westshore, SLT 310—31001 Clemens Road, Westlake
Cleveland Information Session—October 3, 12-1 p.m.
Cuyahoga Community College Metro, MBA 209—2900 Community College Avenue, Cleveland
October 23, 11:30-12:30 p.m.
Cleveland State University, Student Center Room 313—2121 Euclid Ave, Cleveland
Highland Hills Information Session—October 3, 6-8 p.m.
Cuyahoga Community College East, EEC 113—4250 Richmond Rd, Highland Hills
Lyndhurst Information Session—October 22, 6-8 p.m.
Granite City Brewers, Legacy Village—24519 Cedar Rd, Lyndhurst
Hough Information Session—October 23, 6-8 p.m. Lexington-Bell Community Center—7724 Lexington, Cleveland
Bay Village Information Session—October 24, 6-8 p.m.
Bay Village Library—502 Cahoon Rd, Bay Village
Devyn Giannetti: (216) 443-8393; dgiannetti@cuyahogacounty.us
Learn How to Save Money and Energy from Group Solar Purchasing
CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH – Now in its third year, Cuyahoga County residents are continuing to form solar co-ops to save money and make going solar easier. Cuyahoga County and Cleveland State University have partnered with non-profit Solar United Neighbors to expand outreach efforts, organize the co-ops and help educate the community about the benefits of solar. The group is seeking participants and will host information meetings where residents can learn more and join the co-op. The group will launch September 24 with a press conference and information session.
“Residents of Cuyahoga County should know that there are many avenues to live a more sustainable lifestyle, and the opportunity to join a solar co-op is one of many excellent resources available,” said Cleveland State University Director of Sustainability, Jennifer McMillin. “The Cleveland State University Office of Sustainability is proud to partner with Solar United Neighbors to bring information about residential solar power options to our community of faculty, staff and students.”
“We are proud to have educated more than a thousand people about the benefits of solar through these co-op sessions and helped many of them go solar,” said Cuyahoga County Director of Sustainability, Mike Foley. “Now, with great partners like Solar United Neighbors and Cleveland State, we are able to help even more people save money and navigate what otherwise can be a pretty complicated process.”
Solar United Neighbors expands access to solar by educating residents about the benefits of distributed solar energy, helping them organize group solar installations, and strengthening Ohio solar policies and its community of solar supporters. Solar United Neighbors of Ohio has worked with 20 solar co-ops, helping roughly 300 Ohio homes go solar, saving Ohio residents more than $5 million on electricity costs over a 25-year span. The over 100 Cuyahoga County households that have gone solar through the co-op in past rounds saved about 20 percent on the total cost of their installations, which amounts to over 600 kilowatts of rooftop solar in the county alone.
“I’m excited to help my neighbors go solar,” said Solar United Neighbors of Ohio Program Director and Lakewood resident, Tristan Rader. “The solar co-op helps members learn about solar technology and if going solar is right for them. If you’ve ever thought about solar, or just want to learn, this is a great opportunity to do so.”
Co-op participants will select a single company to complete the installations. They will then have the option to purchase panels individually based on the installer’s group rate. By going solar as a group and choosing a single installer, participants can save on the cost of going solar and have the support of fellow group participants and solar experts at Solar United Neighbors.
Residents interested in joining the co-op can sign up at www.solarunitedneighbors.org/cuyahoga. The solar co-op is free to join and joining is not a commitment to purchase panels, and residents from any community can attend a session that works best for them. Once the group is large enough, Solar United Neighbors will help the co-op solicit competitive bids from area solar installers.
For more information on the impact of the solar co-op program, watch this video.
Below are the upcoming information sessions and events:
Press Conference and Information Session—September 24, 6-8 p.m.
Melt Bar and Grilled—6700 Rockside Road, Independence
Euclid Information Session—September 25, 6-8 p.m.
Paragon—21920 Lake Shore Boulevard, Euclid
Cleveland West Information Session—September 26, 6-8 p.m.
Michael Zone Recreation Center—6301 Lorain Avenue, Cleveland
Parma Information Session—October 2, 12-1 p.m. Cuyahoga Community College West, Galleria—11000
Pleasant Valley Rd, Parma
Westlake Information Session—October 2, 6-8 p.m.
Cuyahoga Community College Westshore, SLT 310—31001 Clemens Road, Westlake
Cleveland Information Session—October 3, 12-1 p.m.
Cuyahoga Community College Metro, MBA 209—2900 Community College Avenue, Cleveland
October 23, 11:30-12:30 p.m.
Cleveland State University, Student Center Room 313—2121 Euclid Ave, Cleveland
Highland Hills Information Session—October 3, 6-8 p.m.
Cuyahoga Community College East, EEC 113—4250 Richmond Rd, Highland Hills
Lyndhurst Information Session—October 22, 6-8 p.m.
Granite City Brewers, Legacy Village—24519 Cedar Rd, Lyndhurst
Hough Information Session—October 23, 6-8 p.m. Lexington-Bell Community Center—7724 Lexington, Cleveland
Bay Village Information Session—October 24, 6-8 p.m.
Bay Village Library—502 Cahoon Rd, Bay Village
