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How People Power is Helping the Midwest Join the Solar Boom
http://nationswell.com/connexus-energy-midwest-community-solar-power/[font face=Serif]
Appears in Preserving the Environment | by Lorraine Chow on November 20, 2014
[font size=5]How People Power is Helping the Midwest Join the Solar Boom[/font]
[font size=4]Communities in America's heartland are finding a way to make the switch to clean energy. [/font]
[font size=3]…
In Midwestern states, such as Kansas, Wisconsin, Michigan and others, residents are tapping the sun’s rays without installing a single panel on their roof, Midwest Energy News reports.
According to the publication, Connexus Energy (a nonprofit co-op consisting of 128,000 members) allows residents of the northern Twin Cities suburbs in Minnesota to purchase single or multiple panels (at $950 each) from a massive, football-field sized community solar garden located at the Connexus headquarters in Ramsey. A Connexus customer then receives a credit on their power bill based on how much power their panels produce. Patrons usually sign up for a 20 to 25 year long contract with the payoff kicking in after 14 to 16 years.
“We didn’t do this to make money, we did this to fulfill a need of our members,” Don Haller, vice president of marketing and member services for Connexus, tells Midwest Energy News. “We found there is a small number of our members are who are definitely interested in community solar and wanted us to provide it.”
Solar co-ops have become an increasingly attractive and popular method for people who want to make the switch to clean energy, but don’t live in the right location for a rooftop installation or cannot afford its large sticker price. If As this map illustrates, solar communities have popped up in 34 states, located on farms, schools, military bases and more.
…[/font][/font]
Appears in Preserving the Environment | by Lorraine Chow on November 20, 2014
[font size=5]How People Power is Helping the Midwest Join the Solar Boom[/font]
[font size=4]Communities in America's heartland are finding a way to make the switch to clean energy. [/font]
[font size=3]…
In Midwestern states, such as Kansas, Wisconsin, Michigan and others, residents are tapping the sun’s rays without installing a single panel on their roof, Midwest Energy News reports.
According to the publication, Connexus Energy (a nonprofit co-op consisting of 128,000 members) allows residents of the northern Twin Cities suburbs in Minnesota to purchase single or multiple panels (at $950 each) from a massive, football-field sized community solar garden located at the Connexus headquarters in Ramsey. A Connexus customer then receives a credit on their power bill based on how much power their panels produce. Patrons usually sign up for a 20 to 25 year long contract with the payoff kicking in after 14 to 16 years.
“We didn’t do this to make money, we did this to fulfill a need of our members,” Don Haller, vice president of marketing and member services for Connexus, tells Midwest Energy News. “We found there is a small number of our members are who are definitely interested in community solar and wanted us to provide it.”
Solar co-ops have become an increasingly attractive and popular method for people who want to make the switch to clean energy, but don’t live in the right location for a rooftop installation or cannot afford its large sticker price. If As this map illustrates, solar communities have popped up in 34 states, located on farms, schools, military bases and more.
…[/font][/font]