Amid Texas blackouts, solar panels offer off-grid electricity reliability
Today, nonprofit group Solar United Neighbors (SUN) announced the launch of the Northern Maryland Solar Co-op, to help residents go solar in Baltimore (City and County) and Harford and Carroll Counties.
“The co-op will enable Maryland homeowners and business owners to join the growing community of people saving money by harnessing solar power,” said Kimberly Armstrong, Maryland program director 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.”
Armstrong is a 20+ year resident of Belair Edison in Baltimore. She has had solar panels on her roof for four years. It saves her about 20% on her electric bill.
The co-op is free to join and open to homeowners and business owners in Harford, Carroll and Baltimore Counties as well as the city of Baltimore. 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. Members will be able to receive the 26% federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) on installation costs due to the recently passed COVID-19 legislation as well.
Partnering on the co-op are the Maryland State Conference of the NAACP, Belair Edison Neighborhood Association, Johns Hopkins University Office of Sustainability, Sierra Club of Maryland, and the Harford County Green Business Network.
SUN has hosted 41 solar co-ops in Maryland since 2014. According to the group’s estimates, the 717 homes and businesses that now have solar panels because of co-ops represent: 5,831 kW of solar power, $15.9 million in local solar spending, and more than 133 million pounds 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: https://www.
Information meetings are planned for:
Thursday February 25th at 6:30PM focusing on rooftop solar
Thursday March 11th at 6:30PM focusing on community solar (for those who rent or whose homes aren’t good for rooftop solar)
About Solar United Neighbors
Solar United Neighbors is a nonprofit organization that works in Maryland 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.
