The Solar Switch program – a solar group buying co-op – has been launched by seven Denver-area municipalities in Colorado. The program aims to offer homeowners and small businesses a convenient way to learn about and install rooftop solar panels and battery storage. Solar Switch is another step forward towards the renewable energy goals of the participating municipalities, while also aiding in grid resiliency, growing the local economy, promoting energy independence, and improving air quality.
Participants include the City and county of Denver and Adams County, and the cities of Edgewater, Westminster, Wheat Ridge, Northglenn and Thornton, in partnership with the nonprofit, Solar United Neighbours.
Solar Switch expects to leverage the power of group buying – and the expertise of Solar United Neighbours – to ensure participants get a quality system at a discounted price. Qualified installers are vetted by the co-op who can then compete and run a reverse auction to provide a competitively priced solar package.
“We’re excited to scale the Solar Switch programme to help make solar accessible to even more people in the Denver area,” said Grace Rink, Denver’s chief climate officer. “This program will help homeowners while further growing our local renewable energy economy and making progress on Denver’s ambitious climate goals.”
Solar Switch’s auction model is expected to save residents an average of $5,000 on a standard-sized system.
“This partnership will bolster our efforts to bring even more local solar energy directly to Denver area residents.” said Tanner Simeon-Cox, Colorado programme director for Solar United Neighbours. “Leveraging the power of group buying through Solar Switch can help participants get a discounted price on a rooftop solar installation, while receiving additional support through each phase of the process.”