CARRBORO, N.C. – The regionwide community-based group-buying program known as Solarize the Triangle reached its 2nd price tier based on commitments from property owners in the Triangle region to buy and have installed new renewable energy systems for their residences.
The Triangle Sustainability Partnership, a local government partnership of 12 communities, is offering the program for a second year to enable residents and businesses to save on the ordinary cost of solar energy and battery power through combined purchasing with others across the Triangle.
The availability of federal tax credits makes this form of clean energy even more affordable.
The more residents and business owners who contract for solar installations through the program, the more savings accrue for all participants. The 2nd price tier in the program ($2.98/watt) was reached through initial contracts totaling 164 total kW.
Once these installations are activated, 307,664 lbs. of CO2 in the Triangle region will be annually avoided. That’s the equivalent of 357,754 miles driven annually by an average gasoline-powered passenger vehicle.
All homeowners who purchase during the campaign, regardless of when, will be provided with the lowest-price ($2.65/watt) if Tier 8 is reached. Enrollment – which is to simply sign up – is underway now through Sept. 30 at www.solarizethetriangle.com. Already 340 property owners have enrolled to receive a free, no-obligation evaluation.
To help local property owners – both residential and business owners – learn more about the program’s many dimensions, Solarize the Triangle campaign organizers will be present at several upcoming public events, including:
- Holly Springs Farmers Market:
- Saturday, Aug. 5 and Sept. 2
- 300 W. Ballentine St., Holly Springs
- Southern Ideal Home Show: Booth 432
- Friday-Sunday, Sept. 15-17
- North Carolina State Fairgrounds, Raleigh
Throughout the 2023 campaign, the Partnership will continue to offer clean-energy education and outreach events with a goal of increasing participation through a better understanding of rooftop solar components, suitability assessment considerations, and contract provisions.
Interested property owners may go to solarizethetriangle.com to learn more about the program and sign up for a free, no-obligation evaluation.
The deadline to enroll is Sept. 30, 2023. All residential solar and battery contracts must be completed by Dec. 31, 2023. A separate deadline for commercial/non-profit contract completions is Feb. 28, 2024.
Like last year, the 2023 regional program focuses on:
- Making solar energy more affordable: lower the cost of solar energy through the power of group-purchasing and reduced acquisition costs. Savings passed to residents of the Triangle region;
- Making solar energy more accessible: contractor(s), materials and pricing will be highly vetted for best practices using a competitive bid process;
- Education and community engagement: widespread community engagement, education and outreach activities through town hall meetings, workshops, solar “open house” gatherings, and outreach through local community groups and events;
- Promoting solar-positive policies: encourage local governments to adopt streamlined solar energy permitting policies and fair utility distributed generation policies; and
- Giving back: Solarize the Triangle and selected contractors will use a portion of campaign proceeds to donate a solar energy system to a deserving local nonprofit organization and/or help to underwrite solar-energy systems for qualified low- and moderate-income families with high energy burdens.
Solarize campaigns are driven by community group purchasing. Based on a tiered “bulk” purchasing concept, the more local residents and business owners who contract for their solar installations through the program, the more savings accrue to all participating property owners.
Helping to facilitate the program on behalf of the members is The Triangle J Council of Governments and Solar CrowdSource. For the program’s second year, the installer selected through a rigorous vetting process remains Yes Solar Solutions, a Cary-based, fully-licensed NC general contractor with more than 1,600 projects installed.
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About Solarize the Triangle: Solarize the Triangle is a campaign developed via the Triangle J Council of Governments. Communities involved include: Chatham County, City of Raleigh, Durham County, City of Durham, Town of Cary, Town of Chapel Hill, Town of Hillsborough, Town of Carrboro, Town of Apex, Town of Morrisville, Orange County and the Town of Holly Springs. Lowering the cost of solar-energy and battery-storage installations through the power of bulk purchasing, reducing contractor acquisition costs, and transferring those savings to residential and commercial residents is the objective of the 2023 campaign, which resumed this spring.
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