Solar United Neighbors (SUN) will host two in-person "Solar 101 events" in Dayton about its Miami Valley Business and Non-profit Solar Co-op this month.
The Miami Valley Solar Co-op makes commercial rooftop solar more affordable because members buy panels and pay for installation in bulk, the non-profit said in a press release. Co-op members also get to learn about solar energy in general.
The co-op is free to join and open to small business and nonprofit owners in the greater Miami Valley region.
After a competitive bidding process facilitated by SUN, which remains vendor-neutral, co-op members select a single solar company to complete the installations. Joining does not require members to purchase solar. Instead, members have the option to individually purchase panels, battery storage, and/or electric vehicle chargers based on the installer’s group rate.
SUN's first information sessionis at noon on Wednesday, July 12 at the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce offices downtown. The second session is at noon on Tuesday, July 18 at the Alta Fiber, formerly Cincinnati Bell, store on Webster Street in Dayton. A third session will be held on August 30, 2023 at noon at the Dayton Arcade in the SOPEC conference room space.
"Solar United Neighbors co-op model enables us to fulfill a long-standing need for collective action by businesses and nonprofits to increase the availability of solar installations," Matt Joseph, commissioner for the City of Dayton, said. “Miami Valley is fortunate to have access to such an initiative and it is a privilege to endorse and support those efforts. Together we can make a big difference in creating equal access to the benefits of clean energy."
The City of Dayton joins a number of other local organizations that have signed on as partners in support of the solar co-op including Montgomery County, the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, the University of Dayton, and Dayton Regional Green.
“Moving towards solar is an important stride this solar co-op provides that also aligns with the County’s Sustainability Plan,” said Carolyn Rice, a Montgomery County Commissioner. “The bulk discount pricing along with the 30% tax credit incentives extending as a direct payment to non-profits makes this an opportune time to go solar.”
Solar United Neighbors said their organization has completed about 40 solar co-ops across Ohio—including the Miami Valley residential solar and EV co-op — and that 622 homes and businesses across the state now have solar panels because of solar co-ops, which represents 4.69 megawatts of solar power, $12.7 million invested in the regional economy and more than 176 million pounds of lifetime carbon offsets.
“I am excited to work with Miami Valley businesses and nonprofits to educate them about the benefits of solar energy,“ said Mryia Williams, Ohio Program Associate for Solar United Neighbors. “If you’ve ever thought about going solar before, this is the perfect opportunity to do so.”
