Urbana offers bulk solar purchase program for homeowners & businesses

URBANA, Ill. (WAND) — The Midwest Renewable Energy Association is announcing the return of the Solar Urbana-Champaign group buy program.

In partnership with the Cities of Urbana and Champaign, this educational and group purchasing program has helped hundreds of homeowners and businesses throughout the area to save money on their energy bills while reducing their carbon footprint. Now, with larger tax incentives available this year, there has never been a better time to make the switch to solar.

"We combine community education with bulk and declining block pricing to make solar installations cheaper and easier," Scott Tess, Sustainability and Resilience Officer for the City of Urbana, told WAND News.

The Solar Urbana-Champaign program makes it easy to get started with solar. This program brings property owners throughout the region together to learn about solar and purchase systems in bulk. By doing so, participants take advantage of significant cost savings and incentives that aren’t available to individual buyers.

"This program makes it faster, easier and cheaper to get solar energy installations for your home or business," Tess explained.

By investing in solar, homeowners can dramatically reduce their monthly electricity bills right away, while also protecting themselves from the uncertainties associated with future rate hikes.

Solar Urbana-Champaign is open to residents and small businesses in Champaign, Piatt and Vermilion Counties. Participants will have access to a range of services and support, including a free site assessment, custom system design, installation, and ongoing maintenance.

"Installations can sell their solar renewable energy credits to the state and get an incentive for that," Tess added.

The program partners with a local solar installer, ensuring that participant’s money stays in the regional economy, strengthening the community as a whole. This year’s selected installer is Sangamon Solar, based in Monticello, IL.

The Grow Solar program is organized around presentations called “Solar Power Hours”, which are free, open to the public and will be held across the program area. Afterward, attendees can ask questions and sign up for a free site assessment from the installer to see if solar is right for their property.

The first Power Hour will be on August 30 at the Common Ground Food Co-Op in Urbana from 5:30-6:30. To learn more about the Solar Group Buy program, visit solarurbanachampaign.com.