Event highlights 51st State Solar Co-op
On Monday, April 2, Solar United Neighbors of D.C. was joined by Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) Director Tommy Wells and EDGE Energy Co-owner Tony Colella to celebrate the progress made by the 51st State Solar Co-op. The event featured a ceremonial ribbon cutting on EDGE Energy’s sleek Sun Power solar panels, which will be installed for co-op participants who choose to go solar after EDGE was selected to serve the group.
Solar United Neighbors D.C. Program Director Yesenia Rivera kicked off the presentation with opening remarks about Solar United Neighbors and the 51st State Solar Co-op. Solar United Neighbors has helped more than 500 D.C. homeowners go solar in two dozen solar co-ops over the past decade, saving homeowners $1.3 million in the process. But the newly launched 51st State Solar Co-op is like nothing the District has ever seen before. In an unprecedented step, this solar co-op will expand the benefits of going solar to qualified low- and moderate-income (LMI) households, who will be eligible to receive a grant that pays for their solar installation. The co-op currently has 77 participants (market rate and grant eligible). For more details about the 51st State Solar Co-op, checkout our factsheet.
DOEE Director Wells provided a broader perspective on the Solar for All program that is providing funding for the 51st State Solar Co-op. Solar for All is a program of the District of Columbia’s Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) that seeks to provide the benefits of solar electricity to 100,000 low-income households and reduce their energy bills by 50% by 2032. The program, which was established by the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Expansion Amendment Act of 2016, is funded by the Renewable Energy Development Fund (REDF). Solar United Neighbors is one of two grantees working with single-family homeowners and tenants through the program.
EDGE Energy’s Tony Colella expressed his excitement to work with Solar United Neighbors first Solar for All co-op, and described the details of the high-efficiency solar panels that will be installed for the group.
The 51st State Solar Co-op is open to new participants until May 31. Eligible income-qualified D.C. residents can install and fully own a solar system that cuts their electric bill in half through the program with DOEE grant funding and the sale of five years’ worth of the Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) generated by the system. Signing up for the co-op is not an obligation to purchase or install a solar system. If you’re interested in learning more, attend the upcoming D.C. Solar Congress on Saturday, April 14, or sign up to join the co-op today!
D.C. Solar Congress
2018 D.C. Solar Congress
Saturday, April 14
9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
UDC David A. Clarke School of Law
4340 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20008
Click here to RSVP
51st State Solar Co-op Fact Sheet
