Local Campaign Nears Lowest Possible Pricing Tier;
Free Signups for Community Discounts End on Sept. 30
TULSA — Solarize Green Country, a community-based group-purchasing solar campaign, will conclude this month, meaning the next few weeks present the final opportunity for homeowners, businesses and nonprofits in Green Country to take advantage of low pricing and financial incentives offered via the campaign.
A coalition of local organizations launched Solarize Green Country earlier this year to help make solar energy and battery storage more affordable in the eight-county area through a unique bulk-purchasing concept. The more who participate in group purchasing, the more costs are reduced for every property owner in Green Country who contracts for a system.
The campaign recently achieved its 7th of eight progressively lower pricing tiers. Under the Solarize limited-time community offering, anyone who decides to purchase a solar power installation in the initial stages of the campaign receives the same discounts as the last participant.
This means that $2.63 kW is the current price with one lower tier remaining. Already, property owners in Green Country have purchased 320.5 kW of renewable energy systems as well as 65.5 kWh in battery storage through the campaign.
Nearly 200 local residents and business owners have signed up so far to receive a free, no-obligation evaluation. The deadline to enroll is Sept. 30, 2023.
In addition to online information always available explaining how the campaign’s tiered approach to solar and battery costs enables system discounts, there is another way to learn more. On Tuesday, Sept. 12, Solarize Green Country will host a virtual Financing Workshop to help homeowners dive deeper into details about solar financing. Topics will include the various financing options used to finance residential solar energy systems as well as the specific options available exclusively through this campaign. This free online session begins at 6:30 p.m. Registration is available here.
Recently, the coalition launched a related income-qualified program called “Share the Sun.” This program helps to make funds available to make solar even more affordable for households that can use this type of financial support to access renewable energy. No-cost or reduced-cost solar available for households making less than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) is the objective of this unique new initiative.
“Not only has it been awesome to witness the community embrace solar power, but it’s been even more rewarding to know residents are receiving the benefits of solar at reduced rates achieved through the power of the Solarize Green Country campaign,” said Adam Brown, a Solarize Green Country coalition member with Price Family Properties.
“While many support the beliefs of the campaign but may have been unable to participate up to this point, the Share the Sun program provides an opportunity to get involved, increase solar energy in our community, and provide assistance toward energy independence for families in need,” Brown said. “If you haven’t already, now is the time to get involved.”
Green Country residents can make tax-deductible donations to this program now. The Coalition’s nonprofit partner RG Foods is facilitating these donations. To learn more and/or contribute, visit Green Country Share the Sun here.
To formulate the overall Solarize campaign and reduce the cost of buying individually, Solarize Green Country sought competitive bids from solar-energy design and installation companies seeking to become the campaign’s sole installer for a time-limited 2023 program. The coalition selected Solar Power of Oklahoma (SPO) to provide local property owners with this volume purchasing opportunity.
Solarize Green Country is dedicated to:
- Raising awareness of local solar energy potential
- Providing practical education and support
- Reducing costs through group purchasing of materials and installation services
- Paving the way for more local solar in the future
Solarize campaigns have been adopted in numerous communities around the country since their inception in 2009 as a method to help local residents achieve energy independence together. Solarize Green Country is the first such campaign of its kind in this area of the state.
Solar energy can help to achieve energy independence and stimulate local economic growth. Going solar can also reduce energy costs and economic burdens. Among the new campaign’s goals are to create a program for deeper cost reductions for a number of qualified low- and moderate-income residents to receive new energy systems that reduce their household energy costs.
Interested residents may go to SolarizeGreenCountry.com to learn more about the program and sign up before the Sept. 30, 2023, enrollment deadline. All solar and battery installations are expected to be completed by June 30, 2024.
About Solarize Green Country: Solarize Green Country is a program promulgated by a public-private coalition developed among multiple area organizations: Ready for 100 Tulsa Campaign, Oklahoma Solar Association, Indian Nations Council of Governments, Oklahoma Renewable Energy Council, Real Good Food, Price Family Properties, Green Country Group of Oklahoma Sierra Club, Environmental Energy & Natural Resources Advocates, and Solar Crowdsource. Increasing energy independence via reducing the barriers and cost of solar-energy and battery-storage installations through the power of bulk purchasing is the objective of the campaign, which will launch in April 2023.
Contacts:
Gary Allison
Ready for 100 Tulsa campaign
918-292-9882
Ken Haldin
SolarCrowdsource
(404) 405-2924
