La Familia de Broward Una herramienta útil para las necesidades de las familias hispanas
Today, nonprofit group Solar United Neighbors (SUN) announced the launch of the Broward County Solar, Storage and EV 2021 Co-op to help Broward County residents go solar.
“The co-op will enable Broward County homeowners and business owners to join the growing community of people saving money by harnessing solar power,” said Laura Tellez, Florida Program Coordinator for Solar United Neighbors. “Together, we’re building a movement to transform our electricity system into one that is cleaner, fairer, and shares its benefits more broadly.”
The co-op is free to join and open to homeowners and business owners in Broward County. Together, co-op members will learn about solar energy and leverage their numbers to purchase individual solar systems at a competitive price and top quality.
After a competitive bidding process facilitated by SUN, which remains vendor neutral, co-op members will select a single solar company to complete the installations. Joining the co-op does not obligate members to purchase solar. Instead, members will have the option to individually purchase panels and electric vehicle chargers based on the installer’s group rate.
“I went solar through a Broward Solar United Neighbors Co-op in October 2019,” said Kamala Anandam, resident of Weston. “The co-op made the process so much easier and economical, even for a widow like me. In the first year, I saved a little over $800 in my electricity bill and believe it or not, my FPL bill for of the last four months has been $9.99, which is simply the customer service charge fee. The solar panels completely covered my electricity consumption.”
Partnering on the co-op are Broward County, League of Women Voters of Broward County, The City of Sunrise, The Climate Reality Project Boca Raton Chapter, Dream in Green, rethink ENERGY FLORIDA, The CLEO Institute, Citizen Climate Lobby of Boca Raton, Sierra Club-Broward Group, Temple Solel of Hollywood, Broward Climate Alliance and funder The Green Corridor.
“Broward County is an enthusiastic supporter of the Broward Co-op and the efforts of Solar United Neighbors (SUN) in delivering technical support to residents considering rooftop solar,” said Jennifer Jurado, Chief Resilience Officer and Deputy Director in Broward County. “The SUN co-op provides residents an opportunity to collectively bargain for the most competitive prices as part of group solar purchase and installation. Residents receive independent technical guidance throughout the process, truly a valuable service for those eager to engage in solar solutions but new to the technology and not sure where or how to start.”
Since 2017, SUN has facilitated solar installations by nearly 120 Broward households with a total installed capacity of 1.2 MW. SUN has hosted 68 solar co-ops in Florida since 2015. According to the group’s estimates, the 1,990 homes and businesses that now have solar panels because of co-ops represent: 19+ MW of solar power, $44.1 million in local solar spending, and more than 650 million lbs. of lifetime carbon offsets.
SUN will host several free information sessions to educate community members about solar energy and the co-op. Individuals interested in going solar can sign up for the co-op or one of the upcoming information sessions at the co-op web page: SolarUnitedNeighbors.org/
Information meetings are planned for:
Wednesday, September 22 at 6pm
About Solar United Neighbors
Solar United Neighbors is a nonprofit organization that works in Florida and nationwide to represent the needs and interests of solar owners and supporters. Solar co-ops are part of the organization’s mission to create a new energy system with rooftop solar at the cornerstone. Solar United Neighbors holds events and education programs to help people become informed solar consumers, maximize the value of their solar investment, and advocate for fair solar policies.
