Jennette Gayer
State Director, Environment Georgia
State Director, Environment Georgia
Environment Georgia
Atlanta, GA—Atlanta’s first community-based solarize program will launch Thursday at Monday Night Brewery’s Garage from 7 to 8:30pm. The launch follows months of work from the Solarize Atlanta Coalition which, after a competitive bid process, chose Creative Solar as the installer for all residential roof projects and Hannah Solar as the installer for all commercial roof installations. After the launch event residential, non-profit and commercial roof owners can go to www.solarizeatl.com to sign-up. People who sign-up will get a free solar evaluation and, if they decide to buy solar, will have access to significantly discounted prices and materials vetted for quality.
Solarize programs create savings for participants by negotiating a tiered pricing schedule that drops the price of solar as more people in the community participate. In this program participants can expect to save 20 to 30 percent off the average cost of solar in Georgia. This is the fifth Community Solarize program to launch in Georgia but a record number of pre-registrations mean organizers hope it will be the largest to date and result in 200 plus new solar roofs in Atlanta and a solar roof in every neighborhood.
The Solarize Atlanta coalition includes the non-profits City of Refuge, Environment Georgia, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light, Livable Buckhead, the Sierra Club, Southface, and the US Green Building Council (USBC). Central Atlanta Progress, as well as Atlanta’s Office of Resiliency and the for-profit Solar Crowdsource, are also coalition members.
“How absurd is it that we can’t all walk down the street in Atlanta and see a solar array in our neighborhood,” said Jennette Gayer Director with Environment Georgia. “We aim to change that and jump-start the rooftop solar market in our city all while helping Atlanta hit its 100% clean and renewable energy goals.”
“The team at Creative Solar USA is honored by this opportunity to help Atlanta homeowners get non-polluting, cost-effective solar power at the best possible price,” Russell Seifert the CEO of residential installer Creative Solar USA said. “We are passionate about our work in clean solar energy and dedicated to giving Atlantans a great installation experience.”
Solarize Atlanta will include a concerted effort to involve commercial properties. Central Atlanta Progress, Livable Buckhead, and the USGBC bring expertise and see real opportunity in the city’s many commercial roofs.
“Adding a commercial building component to Solarize Atlanta is a great way for the city’s property owners to continue improving the environmental performance of their buildings,” said Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead. “Many of those rooftops hold tremendous potential for producing energy, and we’re looking forward to making that a reality.”
“Hannah Solar is pleased to have won the opportunity for commercial installations with Solarize Atlanta. We are Atlanta based, with ten years of experience in the solar business making us well suited to bring high quality installations to our local business colleagues,” said Pete Marte Hannah Solar’s CEO. We look forward to working with the Solarize Atlanta steering committee and leveraging our lending partner, Georgia’s Own Credit Union, for this exciting opportunity.”
City of Atlanta’s Office of Resiliency is a key partner in the effort and has already helped get things off on the right foot by streamlining the city’s solar permitting process. “Rooftop solar is going to be a key part of the City’s 100% clean and renewable energy plan,” said Stephanie Stuckey, Atlanta’s Chief Resilience Officer. “Solarize Atlanta makes solar straightforward and easy for our residents,” she adds. “What’s not to like?”