Sedona News – The Cities of Flagstaff and Sedona, and Coconino County have partnered with nonprofit group Solar United Neighbors (SUN) to launch the second Northern Arizona Co-op. The co-op will assist residents go solar.
This co-op follows the launch of the primary Northern Arizona Co-op in 2021. That group reached 225 member households and is Solar United Neighbors’ most profitable co-op in Arizona thus far. The second Northern Arizona Co-op offers a brand new alternative for residents to make the most of the realm’s plentiful sunshine.
“The City of Flagstaff is making great strides to uphold our commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2030, but we know that we can’t do it alone,” stated Flagstaff Vice Mayor Miranda Sweet. “The solar co-op represents the ‘what’s possible’ when we work together to create solutions, collectively. I am confident that round two of the Northern Arizona Co-op will be equally if not more successful in bringing less expensive residential solar to the region.”
The co-op is free to hitch and open to all owners and enterprise homeowners in Flagstaff, Sedona, and Coconino County. Together, co-op members will study solar energy and leverage their numbers to buy particular person solar programs at a aggressive worth and high-quality.
“The City of Sedona’s Climate Action Plan sets an ambitious target of reducing community-wide emissions by 50% by the year 2030,” stated Alicia Peck, Sustainability Manager for the City of Sedona. “The Northern Arizona Solar Co-op will help us meet that goal by lowering the cost of solar for residents and business owners, ultimately making rooftop solar more accessible for our community.”
After a aggressive bidding course of facilitated by SUN, which stays vendor impartial, co-op members will choose a single solar firm to finish the installations. Joining the co-op doesn’t obligate members to buy solar. Instead, members can have the choice to individually buy panels and electrical car chargers based mostly on the installer’s group price.
The co-op is collaboration at its greatest, providing a possibility for neighbors to return collectively and reap each particular person and collective advantages. These embody month-to-month invoice financial savings, native resiliency, and enhancements in air high quality. All Northern Arizonans can profit from regionally produced energy.
“We’ve wanted to install solar panels to our home for a long time. The Solar United Neighbors Co-op in 2021 was a perfect option for us,” stated Kevin Brown, member of the 2021 Northern Arizona Co-op. “The co-op provided all the education and technical support we needed to make informed decisions about our system. We’re delighted to be saving money on our electric bills and to make a positive ecological difference.”
Now is a very nice time to go solar, because the federal tax credit score for solar is meant to decrease on the finish of this 12 months. That means going solar within the subsequent couple of months will guarantee owners save the utmost quantity, whereas subsequent 12 months these financial savings might lower.
“The Northern Arizona co-op will enable homeowners and small businesses to go solar together at a competitive rate,” stated Bret Fanshaw, Arizona program director for Solar United Neighbors. “We’re excited to bring another solar co-op to Northern Arizona, where we know lots and lots of people are ready to turn to the power of the sun.”
SUN has hosted ten solar co-ops in Arizona since 2019. According to the group’s estimates, the 289 properties and companies that now have solar panels due to co-ops signify: greater than 2 megawatts of solar power, $6.5 million in native solar spending, and greater than 40,000 metric tons of lifetime carbon offsets.
SUN will host a number of free info periods to coach group members about solar energy and the co-op. Individuals enthusiastic about going solar can join the co-op or the upcoming info session on the co-op net web page solarunitedneighbors.org/naz2022.
Information conferences are deliberate for:
Tuesday, May 24
6 – 7:30 p.m.
Virtual
Register Here
About Solar United Neighbors
Solar United Neighbors is a nonprofit group that works in Arizona and nationwide to signify the wants and pursuits of solar homeowners and supporters. Solar co-ops are a part of the group’s mission to create a brand new energy system with rooftop solar on the cornerstone. Solar United Neighbors holds occasions and teaching programs to assist individuals develop into knowledgeable solar customers, maximize the worth of their solar funding, and advocate for honest solar insurance policies.
