Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Plano Solar Co-op 2022

It's time for another opportunity to Go Solar with a group purchase! The Plano Solar Co-op 2022 is here! 

Imagine walking into a solar company’s office with 50 or 100 of your neighbors and saying, “We all want to get solar. What kind of deal can you give us?”

Check it out and share with your friends that live in Plano and the surrounding areas!

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Plano Solar Co-op

Wow – It’s hard to believe that it has been over 5 years since we did our Solarize Plano Projects! 

And now we would like to let you know that a new “group” purchase program is here for 2021!

Imagine walking into a solar company’s office with 50 or 100 of your neighbors and saying, “We all want to get solar. What kind of deal can you give us?”

Check it out and share with your friends that live in Plano!

Monday, February 16, 2015

Go Solar at Home

The next step in expanding the use of rooftop solar in Plano and North Texas!

After two very successful "solarize" campaigns, Plano Solar Advocates is introducing a pilot project titled "GO SOLAR AT HOME" which is modeled after the very successful “Bring Solar Home” campaign from Solar San Antonio.

To learn more about Go Solar at Home - read on, and/or go to the Enrollment Page

(NOTICE: We have kept information about our prior solarize projects throughout the pages of this website for background and reference for other groups considering a solarize project. For a summary of the projects, see Solarize Project Summaries)

Like our earlier Solarize Plano Projects, this project is being done in collaboration with the City of Plano’s Live Green in Plano initiatives. The project is available to Plano residents, and we welcome residents of surrounding communities to participate as well!

The primary goal of the project is to connect homeowners (and small businesses with rooftops) who are thinking about, or ready to install solar, with local area solar installers. Enrolling in the project is not a commitment to purchase, but a commitment to learn more about LOCAL CLEAN rooftop solar PV energy.

As part of the enrollment process, interested residents are guided through basic rooftop solar education steps. They are encouraged to research their annual energy consumption to enable them to calculate possible solar PV system sizes specific to their situation.  These are simple, but important, steps so that interested individuals are better equipped and positioned to review proposals from solar installation companies if they choose to go forward.

After completing the basic education steps and completing the online enrollment form, your information will be provided to three local solar installation companies. These companies will contact you to discuss your goals and determine if solar is a good option for your residence.
To take the next step - Enroll Here!

Monday, January 12, 2015

Check back soon for the next Plano Solar Advocates project to help you GO SOLAR!

Plano Solar Advocates completed the 2013 & 2014 Solarize Plano Projects to help interested residents to "Go Solar"!  For 2015 we are planning to launch a new pilot project to help the next wave of interested residents to "Go Solar"!

The new pilot project will be modeled after the very successful campaign offered by Solar San Antonio called "Bring Solar Home".   (Learn more at www.solarsanantonio.org/bringsolarhome) Through this type of program direct assistance is provided to homeowners and small businesses interested in going solar.  Our plan is to offer this pilot project to Plano and surrounding communities.

Check back here during the next 2-4 weeks to learn more for both those interested in installing solar PV and for companies interested in participating.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Future Projects & 2014 Project Status

The Plano Solar Advocates 2014 Solarize Plano Project enrollment is closed.  We are evaluating the possibility of organizing a similar project for 2015 or possibly other alternatives.   Please check back here in late November and/or early December 2014 for an update.

One of the main benefits of "solarize" group purchase type projects is to accelerate the adoption of rooftop solar PV in a given local area.  Other communities that have successfully utilized these group purchase projects have found that the best results are generally achieved within the first two iterations.  Since this 2014 project is our second iteration, Plano Solar Advocates is also considering other alternative type projects. One that is being considered would be similar to the very successful campaign offered by Solar San Antonio called "Bring Solar Home".   (Learn more at www.solarsanantonio.org/bringsolarhome)  Through this type of program direct assistance is provided to homeowners and businesses interested in going solar.

We would be interested in your feedback for our 2015 project planning. Please use the online poll in the right column of this webpage to let us know whether you would be more interested to participate in a 2015 Solarize Plano Project (group purchase) or more interested in a "bring solar home" type program which can be operated on a more continuous timeline.  If you have some other ideas, please vote for "other program" in the poll and then use the "Other Questions and/or Comments" area in our "Contact Us" form to provide us your thoughts in more detail.

As of August 25, 2014 the current 2014 Solarize Plano Project Contract Statistics are:


# of contracts committed by enrollees
22 (114.3 kW)
# of Phase 1 installations started (planned June 25)
13
# of Phase 1 installations completed (expected late August)
10
# of Phase 2 installations started (planned early Sept)
tbd
# of Phase 2 installations completed
tbd

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Enrollment now closed - Remaining To-Do List for Enrollees

Enrollment is now closed. However, for enrollees that plan to move forward, there are some remaining items on their "to-do" list. See list below. Hopefully, enrollees have already completed some, or all of these. There are two more deadlines, July 23 for Decision Point 2 (site survey) and July 31 for Decision Point 3 (sign contract).

1. Do a little homework on your annual electricity consumption. See Homework Assignment for a simple exercise to calculate example solar PV system sizes based on your annual electricity consumption.

2. Download this presentation file - 2014 Solarize Plano Information Session presentation (pdf).
The first slide contains some updated timeline information related to the phase 2 extension that is currently open and described in the May 16 blog posting at www.solarizeplano.org

3. Invest about 30-45 minutes watching the project online video Information Session meeting which presents the slide presentation you have downloaded in step 2 above.

4. If after completing steps 1-3 above, you believe that you are ready for a home site assessment, complete this online form - 2014 Decision Point 2 Form Questionnaire . The last day to complete this form is July 23. However, the sooner we have your DP2 response, the sooner your site assessment can be scheduled and a proposal can be prepared by the selected solar company for your consideration.  The available Oncor incentive funds are continuing to be used up, so the sooner you make a decision, the better your chances that Oncor incentive funding will still be available.

5. If your decision is to sign a contract with the solar company, the last day to sign is July 31. Again, as stated in step 4, the available Oncor incentive funds are continuing to be used up, so the sooner you make a decision, the better your chances that Oncor incentive funding will still be available.



**** To review Project Communications, go to the URL below ***** http://www.solarizeplano.org/p/communications.html



Saturday, July 12, 2014

2014 Solarize Plano Project - Only 3 days remaining!

The last day to enroll is coming fast.  Only 3 DAYS REMAINING! So tell everyone in Plano that you know that it is great time to learn more about local solar energy and to enroll in the Solarize Plano Project!.

First required first step is to Enroll! Go to **** ENROLL HERE  ****.

Then after enrolling, follow the additional 5 steps outlined below.

1. Do a little homework on your annual electricity consumption. See Homework Assignment for a simple exercise to calculate example solar PV system sizes based on your annual electricity consumption.

2. Download this presentation file - 2014 Solarize Plano Information Session presentation (pdf).
The first slide contains some updated timeline information related to the phase 2 extension that is currently open and described in the May 16 blog posting at www.solarizeplano.org

3. Invest about 30-45 minutes watching the project online video Information Session meeting which presents the slide presentation you have downloaded in step 2 above.

4. If after completing steps 1-3 above, you believe that you are ready for a home site assessment, complete this online form - 2014 Decision Point 2 Form Questionnaire . The last day to complete this form is July 23. However, the sooner we have your DP2 response, the sooner your site assessment can be scheduled and a proposal can be prepared by the selected solar company for your consideration.  The available Oncor incentive funds are continuing to be used up, so the sooner you make a decision, the better your chances that Oncor incentive funding will still be available.

5. If your decision is to sign a contract with the solar company, the last day to sign is July 31. Again, as stated in step 4, the available Oncor incentive funds are continuing to be used up, so the sooner you make a decision, the better your chances that Oncor incentive funding will still be available.

**** To review Project Communications, go to the URL below ***** http://www.solarizeplano.org/p/communications.html