Residents Continue to Form Solar Co-Ops to Go Solar Together

Posted on

Contacts:
Devyn Giannetti: (216) 255-9813; dgiannetti@cuyahogacounty.us 


Attend a Free Online Info Session to Learn How to Save Money and Energy

CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH
- Now in its fourth year, Cuyahoga County residents are continuing to form solar co-ops to save money and make going solar easier. Cuyahoga County has partnered with Solar United Neighbors over the years to help organize co-ops and educate the community about the benefits of solar. The group is seeking participants and will host online informational meetings where residents can learn more and join the co-op.

“Climate change means we have to quickly ramp up the amount of renewable power we have generating electricity to our homes and businesses,” said Mike Foley, Director of Sustainability. “Our solar co-ops are great opportunities for lots of individuals to lessen their electric load from the traditional grid and save money over the long term.”

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 23 solar co-ops, helping roughly 350 Ohio homes go solar, saving Ohio residents more than $3 million on electricity costs over a 25-year span. The over 130 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 half a megawatt of rooftop solar in the county alone.

“Along with rooftop solar, co-op members can also purchase battery backup systems through the co-op adding to the resiliency of their homes while reducing their energy costs and giving them peace of mind that the lights will always be on,” said Tristan Rader, Ohio Program Director for Solar United Neighbors.

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. Residents from any community can attend an online 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.

Those who register will receive an email confirmation and will be invited to participate in the online information sessions.

Below are the upcoming online information sessions:
  • Thursday, July 23, 6:00 p.m.: Solar Info Session (Online)
  • Saturday, August 15, 3:00 p.m.: Solar Info Session (Online)
  • Thursday, August 27, 6:00 p.m.: Solar Info Session (Online)





  
How could we make it better?
   Please leave a comment before submitting.
Thank you for your feedback
Your feedback means a lot to us. We use it to improve the experience of all of our users.