Entering the spring season, South Sound residents could have the chance to get exterior and take within the area’s longer daytime and budding greenery. As nature begins to spring again to life, the brand new season will also be a time for Thurston County owners to begin interested by inexperienced dwelling enhancements, together with a transition to solar energy.
To assist streamline the solar panel set up course of, an area nonprofit, Olympia Community Solar is launching the second annual Solarize Campaign, set to start in early April. Photo courtesy; Olympia Community Solar
To assist streamline the solar panel set up course of, native nonprofit, Olympia Community Solar (OCS), is launching the second annual Solarize Campaign, set to start in early April. During the 2022 Solarize Campaign, group members can be taught extra about the advantages of solar for his or her home or enterprise by signing up for a free evaluation and session with the chance to lock in aggressive group pricing for each the solar gear and set up.
OCS has joined with a quantity group companions for the Solarize Campaign, together with set up companions, South Sound Solar, Sunset Air, PacWest Solar, and Capstone Solar and lending companions like Olympia Federal Savings (OlyFed).
“Last year was OCS’s first Solarize Campaign and exceeded all their expectations,” says Barbara Whitlow, AVP/Residential Relationship Manager with OlyFed. “We’re just honored to be a part of OCS and to provide a variety of financing options to enable folks to utilize solar power. It’s a much-needed green energy option for our homes and business and then they can save money on their energy bills, too. So, it’s good for the planet, good for the people.”
As home energy prices proceed to rise, extra owners are occupied with searching for out various and extra eco-friendly energy sources. As a renewable energy supply, solar panels have gotten an more and more fashionable and reasonably priced possibility for owners. In addition to being a cleaner energy supply, solar panels may assist to cut back month-to-month utility payments.
During the 2022 Solarize Campaign, group members can be taught extra about the advantages of home solar panels, join a solar panel session and lock in aggressive group pricing for solar panel set up. Photo courtesy; Olympia Community Solar
According to Mason Rolph, president of OCS, as soon as solar panels are put in on a home, the panels will start to create energy for the home and past. Any extra energy produced from the panels will journey to the native energy firm to assist power extra houses. Rolph says that after solar panel set up, owners should obtain a month-to-month electrical invoice, however it is going to seemingly be considerably decreased.
“I imagine solar like a bucket,” says Rolph. “It’s filling with energy from either the utility or from the solar array and if there’s extra energy, it overflows into the utility system. If your energy overflows to the utility, they provide you with credits that you can use at another time.”
The mission of OCS is to assist the area people to entry cleaner energy sources. As part of their mission, OCS works at a coverage degree to assist encourage clear energy sources, whereas additionally creating group clear energy tasks and eradicating boundaries for native owners occupied with solar panel set up. The Solarize Campaign is a method that OCS is ready to assist owners and small companies entry solar in a reduced and reasonably priced method.
Initially rising out of Portland, Oregon, annual Solarize Campaigns have now unfold all through the Pacific Northwest and past. This 12 months will mark OCS’s second Solarize Campaign. During OCS’s first marketing campaign, over 120 households in Thurston County had been in a position to set up solar panels at their home. During this 12 months’s upcoming marketing campaign, the OCS group anticipates a fair bigger demand for solar set up.
The 2022 Solarize Campaign could have a number of sides, together with house owner training, consultations, and in the end solar installations. OCS has vetted and partnered with native solar suppliers, installers and monetary establishments to offer consultations, set up and financing for owners who’re occupied with solar energy. Through the Solarize Campaign, owners can buy and set up solar panels at a lower cost, in comparison with if a house owner put in panels independently.
OCS has joined with a quantity group companions for the Solarize Campaign, together with set up companions, South Sound Solar, Sunset Air, PacWest Solar, and Capstone Solar and lending companions like Olympia Federal Savings. Photo courtesy; Olympia Community Solar
“The Solarize Campaign focuses on creating pathways past all those barriers,” says Ben Silesky, program director for OCS. “So, by purchasing all this equipment in bulk, we’re able to lower the overall cost of the installation, because the material is just a lot cheaper to buy in bulk. It also saves time for the installers because all of the lead generation and marketing are done for them by OCS, who does all of the community education and outreach.”
Partners for a Greener World
In addition to produce and set up companions, OCS has additionally joined with lending companions, like OlyFed, to assist make solar panels extra accessible to native owners. OlyFed has lengthy been dedicated to offering monetary providers for environmentally-conscious owners and small enterprise house owners.
This consists of offering financing for inexperienced constructing and energy-efficient home tasks. Through the Green Choice Retrofit Home Equity Loan Program , owners can take part within the Solarize Campaign and finance solar and any related prices or extra energy environment friendly tasks like a brand new roof and home windows, ductless heating, tankless water heaters and a lot extra. Whitlow says OlyFed has a devoted group of educated mortgage officers who might help information owners by means of the environmental home mortgage course of and it have a devoted lender contact particularly for the Solarize Campaign.
The 2022 Solarize Campaign will formally launch in early April. Interested owners can be part of the waitlist and shall be contacted a few solar panel session after the marketing campaign begins. To be taught extra concerning the Solarize Campaign, or to become involved, go to the Olympia Community Solar web site. To be taught extra about inexperienced lending choices, go to the OlyFed web site.
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