Unique New Clean Energy Campaign in Columbia to Launch on July 10  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE         July 2, 2025

Bringing Accessible, Affordable Solar Energy And Battery Power
to Local Property Owners in Columbia and Boone County Via Group Purchasing

COLUMBIA, Mo. – A newly formed coalition of local organizations is set to publicly launch Solarize Columbia, a unique community-based campaign that makes solar energy and battery storage more affordable for homeowners, businesses and nonprofits in Boone County..

Solarize Columbia will debut Thursday, July 10 with a free, open-to-the-public event that provides the community with its first full look at an opportunity to add solar energy and battery power to your home or business at discount prices achievable through bulk buying. The more purchasers, the lower the total price is reduced for each installed renewable energy system.  

The campaign’s launch event will take place at Boone Electric Cooperative's community event space, 1413 Rangeline St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Refreshments and light snacks will be available. 

This launch event will feature:

• Representatives from the coalition of local organizations who conceived of and support Solarize Columbia;
• Specialists in solar energy from the locally chosen installer company selected through competitive bidding;
• Information about the benefits of solar energy and battery storage as well as how discount pricing will work in the campaign;
• A question-and-answer session; and
• How local homeowners and businesses can enroll for a free, no-obligation assessment of their property through Solarize Columbia.

"Renew Missouri, as a nonprofit clean energy advocacy group, would like to lend its full support to Solarize Columbia in the effort to promote affordable, accessible, and abundant solar energy for the city of Columbia."

-James Owen, Executive Director, Renew Missouri

“Addressing the climate crisis is urgent. Key to success is replacing fossil-fuel generated power with clean, climate friendly renewables; primarily solar and wind. The Solarize Columbia campaign will reduce costs and felicitate residents, firms and institutions in making the transition.”

-Mark Haim, Director, Mid-Missouri Peaceworks

"Expanding local renewable energy and building community capacity for climate action are key goals of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. The Office of Sustainability is proud to celebrate the community members and organizations driving the success of Solarize Columbia. Through a proven, community-led model, Solarize Columbia lowers the cost of rooftop solar while reflecting the spirit of collaboration and innovation that defines Columbia."

-Eric Hempel, City of Columbia Manager Office of Sustainability

“Mid-Missouri Sierra Club supports rooftop solar and optionally battery systems as one solution to create an affordable, clean and reliable energy grid while balancing preservation of important farm lands and conservation areas.”

-Mid-Missouri Sierra Club

This community-based group-purchasing program was developed by a community coalition consisting of Sierra Club - Mid Missouri Group, Mid-Missouri Peaceworks, Renew Missouri, League of Women Voters of Columbia Boone County, and Solar Crowdsource. Its purpose is to make solar energy, battery storage and other related energy technologies more affordable and accessible for homeowners, businesses and nonprofits within Columbia.

Objectives of the program are to:

• Make solar energy more affordable by lowering the cost of solar energy through the power of group-purchasing and reduced acquisition costs.
• Make solar energy more accessible through predetermined, highly-vetted materials, pricing, and selection of contractor(s) through a competitive bid process;
• Provide education and community engagement through outreach activities such as town hall meetings, workshops, solar “open house” gatherings, and other local community groups and events;
• Promote solar-positive policies that encourage adoption of streamlined solar energy permitting policies and fair utility distributed generation policies. In addition, the Coalition seeks to advance greenhouse gas reduction goals, clean-energy production, workforce development opportunities, and other community policy objectives.

Installer Selected Via Competitive Bid

Following competitive bidding and a rigorous evaluation process, the Solarize Columbia coalition selected Dogwood Solar to provide local property owners with this volume purchasing opportunity.

Since 2010, Dogwood Solar has helped numerous home and business owners in Missouri go solar through the installation of solar panels, battery backup systems and more.

"For 15 years, Dogwood Solar has been proud to serve central Missouri with quality solar installations and genuine customer education. I love what I do, I love my community, and I'm thrilled to help Solarize Columbia brighten our future. We've always believed that solar should be about more than just panels on roofs—it's about education, empowerment, and building a stronger, more resilient Boone County together. Being selected for this campaign is incredibly meaningful to us, and we're excited to help our neighbors harness the power of the sun."

-Dan Shifley, Owner, Dogwood Solar

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 Columbia is the first such campaign of its kind in this area.

Solar energy can help to achieve energy independence and stimulate local economic growth. Going solar can also reduce energy and economic burdens. Among the Columbia campaign’s related goals are to create a citizen-led method for a number of qualified low- and moderate-income residents to receive new energy systems that reduce their household energy costs.

Following the July 10 launch, the campaign’s organizers will begin to offer a series of free informative online- and in-person events as well as various community appearances to help familiarize everyone with how the program works.

To participate with no obligation, one must sign up for free by Oct. 31, 2025. Residential contracts must be signed by Jan. 31, 2026 and commercial contracts by April 30, 2026. All solar and battery installations through the campaign are expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2026.

Solarize Columbia has already begun accepting registrations for the campaign. Interested residents may go to SolarizeColumbia.com now to learn more about the program and be among the first to sign up in advance for a free evaluation.

About Solarize Columbia: Solarize Columbia is a program set into motion by a public-private coalition consisting of Sierra Club - Missouri Chapter, Mid-Missouri Peaceworks, Renew Missouri, City of Columbia Office of Sustainability and League of Women Voters of Columbia-Boone County with facilitation provided by Solar Crowdsource.  Increasing clean energy 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 launched in July 2025.

Contact:

Ken Haldin

For SolarCrowdsource

ken@solarcrowdsource.com

(404) 405-2924

Other:

Emily Piontek

On behalf of the community groups

erpiontek@gmail.com

(314) 562-2341