BRATTLEBORO — Brattleboro homeowners, business owners, landlords, and renters who are interested in going solar will now have even more incentive. Local nonprofits, solar companies, and a credit union are teaming up to launch Brattleboro Solar Summer, a program to assist residents in choosing locally generated solar power.
The campaign will run from May 1 through Sept. 30, with the goal of increasing the overall number of solar electric installations and the total solar capacity in Brattleboro. The campaign aims to have at least 100 Brattleboro residents and businesses install solar arrays or purchase solar capacity from community solar arrays.
The five participating solar installers will offer a tiered discount to participants. This will range from $50 to $200 per kilowatt, or $250 to $1,000 for the average system, depending on the number of people who sign up during the campaign period.
Brattleboro Solar Summer will partner with Vermont State Employees Credit Union (VSECU), a credit union for everybody in Vermont, to promote the Windham County Solar Loan Program, a new low-interest loan program to finance residential solar installations for Windham County residents.
The loan program features interest rate buy-downs, applied to the discounted rates of VSECU's established VGreen loan program, funded by the Public Service Department's Clean Energy Development Fund.
“Now is a great time to go solar” says Paul Cameron, executive director of Brattleboro Climate Protection, in a news release. “By choosing locally generated renewable electricity, you're making a smart investment that can save you money in the long run.”
Brattleboro Solar Summer will hold a kickoff event in the Brooks House lobby on Saturday, May 2, from 1 to 4 p.m. Participating solar installers will be available to provide information and answer questions. The event will feature live music, refreshments, and local speakers.
A free informational workshop on solar will be held on Monday, June 8, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Marlboro College Graduate School, 28 Vernon St., in downtown Brattleboro. Kirk Shields from Green Mountain Power will discuss the basics of solar, including site issues, costs, savings, and financing. Solar installers will have informational tables and will be on hand to answer questions.