Solar co-op impacts
Individual benefits
The average size of solar installation in our solar co-ops is 7 kW. Going solar through one of our co-ops and installing a 7 kW array typically:
- Saves you an average of $30,674 on energy bills over the next 25 years.
- Increases the value of your home by roughly $9,274.
Environmental benefits
Greenhouse gas reductions vary by state and region, but a typical 7 kW system will eliminate 97.3 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions over its 25-year lifespan. A typical solar co-op will eliminate 2,919 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions over the next 25 years.
Community economic development benefits
Solar can significantly reduce (and sometimes eliminate) electricity bills, which puts money back in your pockets. Instead of exporting these dollars to out-of-state utility holding companies, solar allows people to improve their own financial well-being and keep their wealth reinvested in the local community.
The average solar co-op:
- Engages 60 participants
- Helps 30 households go solar
- Facilitates 210 kW of new distributed solar capacity
- Creates or supports six full-time local or regional solar jobs
- Generates $630,000 in private investment for local economies
- Stimulates $945,000 in induced economic impacts locally
- Increases home values by $630,000 (collectively)
- Reduces monetary exports by $1 million (via energy bill savings)
Total value of economic benefits per co-op = $3.2 million
Of course, there are some big differences in project size, cost, job creation impacts, etc. between rural and urban areas, and between Florida and Minnesota! These numbers are averages and are for illustrative not evaluative purposes.