The 2022 Columbus Area Solar Co-op encourages Columbus residents and small businesses to go solar in alignment with the Columbus Climate Action Plan and supports our 2030 goal of 50 MW of residential onsite solar to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. The Co-op also supports equity and environmental justice through a partnership with the Empowered! program run by IMPACT Community Action and supported by Sustainable Columbus. Empowered! is a clean energy jobs training program focused on young people of color, women and our Opportunity neighborhoods The Co-op’s selected installer with work with the Empowered! program to provide training, mentorship and apprenticeship opportunities.
There are many technical considerations when purchasing and building a solar array:
• Evaluating site viability,
• correctly sizing a system,
• calculating financial impact,
• coordinating with the electric utility for interconnection,
• selecting a contractor,
• reviewing pricing, and
• obtaining a permit can be daunting for the average citizen.
The education and support offered by this co-op seeks to help residents overcome these barriers. At the end of the education and development process, co-op members who decide to move forward with a project should get the best possible market pricing on solar panel installation via the co-op’s bulk purchase. The city has teamed up with Solar United Neighbors, an experienced not-for-profit, to engage the community through informational sessions on what it means to join a solar co-op. There is no cost to join.
The goal for this co-op is to install 75 installations while educating hundreds of residents through educational information sessions explaining the co-op and answering questions.
To join, or to access more information, click HERE.