Town wants to shine light on solar power

Posted Wednesday, May 6, 2015 6:44 pm

BRATTLEBORO >> It's not only the warm weather that has Brattleboro Climate Protection Executive Director Paul Cameron thinking about sun and about solar power.

Prices for solar electric installations have never been lower and even if a property is not well suited for installing solar panels, there are more options than ever for joining a community solar project.

And with financial incentives available Cameron said a group of local solar energy companies have joined with sustainable energy organizations, and Vermont State Employees Credit Union to increase Brattleboro's solar energy capacity.

Brattleboro Solar Summer is a new program that is making it easy to jump start solar projects by providing information, bringing home owners and renters face-to-face with the solar installers and also bringing the costs down through a bulk purchase program that will drive down the installation costs as more people sign on.

"Now is a great time to go solar," Cameron said. "By choosing locally generated renewable electricity, you're making a smart investment that can save you money in the long run."

Organizers behind the Brattleboro Solar Summer campaign hope to get at least 100 residents or businesses to install a solar array or agree to purchase power from a community solar array before Sept. 30.

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A community solar array is a large project, built off site of a customers home or business, but which allows the customer to purchase the solar power without installing an array on the home's or business's property.

"We want to assist Brattlebboro residents to choose locally generated, clean, renewable power," Cameron said. "There has never been a better time than right now."

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Cameron said he is working with five local solar installers who have agreed to reduce the cost of putting in a new system by between $250 to $1,000 depending on how many people sign up during the campaign, and also in relation to the size of the system.

Soveren Solar, Integrated Solar, Gary MacArthur Solar, Solar Source and Sunnyside Solar are all collaborating during the campaign.

The incentives are only available to Brattleboro residents, but a free informational session will be open to the public on Monday, June 8 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Marlboro Graduate School at 28 Vernon St. Kirk Shields from Green Mountain Power will discuss the basics of solar, including site issues, costs, savings and financing, and solar installers will also be on hand to talk about projects.

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The campaign is also using a Windham County-wide program that provides reduced-interest loans through Vermont State Employees Credit Union. The credit union's Windham County Solar Loan Program uses funding in the VGreen loan program, which is financed with money from the Public Service Department's Clean Energy Development Fund.

The program helps reduce loans by about 1 percent.

The tiered program offers different loan reductions based on income and on the size of the project.

"The more solar power we can generate close to home, the more resilient we will be," said Cameron. "It can be confusing and there are more choices and options than ever so we want to help people get good information, and simplify the process, and encourage them to decide to go to solar."

For more information, or to sign up for the information at the Marlboro Graduate Center call 802-251-8135 or go to www.brattleborosolarsummer.org.