Charleston residents forming solar co-op to go solar together, get a discount

Neighbors in Charleston have formed a solar co-op to save money and make going solar easier, while building a network of solar supporters. The U.S. Green Building Council West Virginia and WV SUN are the co-op sponsors. The group is seeking members and will host an information meeting on Monday, May 22, 5:30pm, at the Charleston Area Alliance Building, 1116 Smith Street, Charleston, WV 25301, to educate the community about solar and the co-op process.

Charleston residents interested in joining the co-op can sign up here. Joining the co-op is not a commitment to purchase panels. Once the group is large enough, WV SUN will help the co-op solicit competitive bids from area solar installers.

Co-op members will select a single company to complete all of 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 up to 20% off the cost of their system.