Sign-ups for Solarize Athens (Georgia), a program designed to bring the savings of bulk solar purchases to residents and commercial buildings in the Metropolitan Athens Area, ended at midnight on April 30. The sign-up period closed with 729 Athenians expressing interest in installing solar on their home or business.
“We’ve still got work to do but there is no doubt that Solarize Athens has been a great success,” said Jennette Gayer the Director of Environment Georgia, one of the sponsors of the Solarize Athens program. “The solar scheduled to be brought online by Solarize Athens has already removed nearly 700,000 lbs. of global warming pollution from the atmosphere every year and we anticipate many more installations will be scheduled.”
Solarize Athens was launched in December by Environment Georgia, the Georgia Climate Change Coalition, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light and Solar Crowd Source following a town hall that influenced the priorities of the program and a competitive bid process that selected solar installer Alternative Energy Southeast (AES). Further input from the community helped to choose Nucci’s Space as recipient of a solar array that is paid for using Solarize Athens profits.
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Residents who have signed-up will have 60 days to have their site reviewed, investigate financing options and sign a contract with AES.
The Coalition behind Solarize Athens emphasized two major accomplishments: first, more people signed up thru Solarize Athens than the previous Solarize Campaign in Georgia, Solarize Tybee which had 584 sign-ups. Second, just before the close of the program the number of residential kW committed was enough to bump the program into Tier 6 or $2.90 per watt, the last and cheapest tier. This means that residents who had solar installed in the beginning of the program under Tier 1 and paid 3.19 per watt will receive a rebate check. It also means the Solarize Program is delivering nearly a 25% savings to customers.
— Solar Builder magazine
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