American Cities Join Hands For Solar Group Programme

The programme ensures that participants get quality system at a discounted price

Seven Denver-area municipalities in the state of Colorado have announced the launch of a solar group buying programme. Participating in the venture are the city and county of Denver and Adams County, along with the cities of Edgewater, Westminster, Wheat Ridge, Northglenn and Thornton, in partnership with non-profit Solar United Neighbours. The Solar Switch programme aims to offer homeowners and small businesses a convenient way to learn about and install rooftop solar panels and battery storage.

Solar Switch leverages the power of group buying, and the expertise of Solar United Neighbours, to ensure participants get a quality system at a discounted price. Solar Switch vets qualified installers to compete for the group and runs a reverse auction to secure a competitively priced solar package. “We are excited to scale the Solar Switch programme to help make solar accessible to even more people in the Denver area,” said Grace Rink, Denver’s chief climate officer.

“This programme will help homeowners while further growing our local renewable energy economy and making progress on Denver’s ambitious climate goals.”
According to the partners, as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), participants may be able to use the solar tax credit for residential solar and save 30 per cent on their total system cost. “This programme will help homeowners while further growing our local renewable energy economy and making progress on Denver’s ambitious climate goals.”

A similar tax credit is also available to small businesses, which are invited to take part in the programme. In addition, there are a number $8,000 rebates available to income-qualified residents in the city and county of Denver. The municipalities reckon Solar Switch is another step forward towards their renewable energy goals, while more rooftop solar will also help grid resiliency, grow the local economy, promote energy independence and improve air quality.

Solar Switch’s auction is expected to save residents an average of $5,000 on a standard-sized system. “This partnership will bolster our efforts to bring even more local solar energy directly to Denver area residents,” said Tanner Simeon-Cox, Colorado programme director for Solar United Neighbours. “Leveraging the power of group buying through Solar Switch can help participants get a discounted price on a rooftop solar installation, while receiving additional support through each phase of the process.”