Solarize Somerville is a go!

[mem-winterhill.livejournal.com]

Hello neighbors--

On this cold winter day, I'm delighted to share the sunny news that Somerville MA has been chosen by the MassCEC (Clean Energy Center) to be a Solarize Mass community! You can see the announcement here:
http://www.masscec.com/about-masscec/news/state-energy-officials-announce-five-new-communities-participate-solar-program

State energy officials today announced the selection of the first five communities to participate in Solarize Mass for 2016.  The new municipalities participating in the community-based solar energy group-buying program that lowers overall costs of installing solar electric systems include Somerville and Natick, as well as Shelburne, Colrain and Conway, which have joined as a trio of partner communities....

You can learn more about the MassCEC and the SolarizeMass program at: www.solarizemass.com .

More after the LJ cut....


As the announcement has just been made, we don't have a lot of additional information at this time. But this selection means that we can now work with the city and the state to help residents of Somerville to decide if solar is a suitable option for them and their homes or businesses. We'll be developing and sharing educational materials, we'll have events to help people learn more and get questions answered, and we will help people to understand the processes associated with generating local, artisanal electrons.

Officially I'm the "Solar Coach" for Somerville. I am a point of contact to help people with basic solar PV issues and incentives. I'm working with folks from the city who will manage the overall project. This is a joint effort by the Office of Sustainability and Environment, with director Oliver Sellers-Garcia, and the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development with Russell Koty.

As a Coach, I am a volunteer organizer and am not authorized to speak as a spokesperson on behalf of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or MassCEC. My job is to help people to understand the program once it's in place, and to answer questions that my neighbors may have as they consider the options. Things outside of my wheelhouse will be directed to the folks who can answer them.

You can contact me here with questions, or soon we'll have some information resources with more details. If you might want to volunteer to be on the outreach team. let me know.

Mary Mangan
Solar Coach Volunteer
somervillesolarcoach@gmail.com

[vendors should not contact me, I'm not supposed to have contact with them prior to the proposal process]

Thanks to MZRowan for the shout-out, glad to see the excitement. I just wanted to add more details and contact info.

Comments

[mem-winterhill.livejournal.com]

And then I got my first electric bill, right after I posted. Here's my new usage: http://screencast.com/t/x4KiIg0LwA

And I have a credit. Not bad for short winter days. I think I'm going to like this solar stuff.

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

ok, so i'm an interested somerville homeowner. what do i do next?

[mem-winterhill.livejournal.com]

Terrific, lyonesse!

We are still in the process of setting up a city web page, and notification lists, and all those things. We still also have to get trained by MassCEC in the processes.

So I will post here when I have more details about any of the places to get information, and when we set up a mailing list or have events where you can talk with us. If you want to shoot me an email to the SomervilleSolarCoach@gmail.com I can also start a folder of folks who are interested and be sure to ping you when there's more news.

[noire.livejournal.com]

I would also like to be in that folder, as another Somerville homeowner very interested in going solar.

[mem-winterhill.livejournal.com]

I'm really pleased by the response to this, even with just this soft launch announcement. Thanks so much for your interest.

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

Do you have south-facing panels? (We could only get west-facing panels if we get them, which I understand from my research are a decent option if you can't do south-facing.)

[mem-winterhill.livejournal.com]

Ours are south-east. Here's what it looks like on Project Sunroof: http://screencast.com/t/lAQet4MP2ee

If anyone wants to check their roof, you can try out the Google Sunroof tool: www.google.com/sunroof‎ (https://www.google.com/get/sunroof#p=0)

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

Wow, what a great site!

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

I've already signed a contract to install solar and will have workers on my roof within the next few weeks. Will the solarize incentive coming to Somerville affect me at all?

[mem-winterhill.livejournal.com]

'Fraid not. I'm in the same situation. A year ago when Somerville first asked if people were interested, I had replied that I was. But then when I didn't hear any more, I went ahead and got 'em anyway.

Mine are a done deal. I won't benefit from this program on the costs.

That said, I do think that we as power producers will benefit from having more neighbors involved with this. That way we'll have a community of folks to talk with, or to work with if any relevant legislation ever comes our way. I think it's also good for us to support our local solar industry if we do need services in the future too.

[somerfriend.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't worry about it, solarize vendors are often but not always less than non solarize program vendors for a particular house. And there are other factors, and the fact that you will have an additional year of incentives (some of which you might not get later) and electricity generation.

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

Ah, I'm not worried, and made my decision without these incentives being live -- but I was still curious whether there's anything involved that might affect the stage of the project I'm in - if there were rebates specific to the Solarize program it might not be too late to apply for them, for instance. :)

[mem-winterhill.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to get back to you since we've had our first training. I asked them your question. As I'm in the same boat, I was also interested, of course!

They told us that there wasn't anything else associated with this program that could help existing solar homes. They did say, though, that folks who might have smaller, older systems are eligible to add on if that's something that they could use. That doesn't help either of us, but maybe there are some folks who want to add on. So that was good to know.

They gave me a giant pile of "SolarizeMass" pens, though--come by our booth at some event/festival thing that we do this summer and I'll give you one. Sorry it can't be more.

[nathanjw]

What sort of solar arrangements are available through Solarize Mass? Outright purchase of PV systems? PPA/lease arrangements? Group buying makes me think the former, but it was PPA that got me to get PV installed myself.

[mem-winterhill.livejournal.com]

My understanding is that we will explore all options for Somerville. I can imagine that there are advantages for the different scenarios in different homeowner/biz/condo situations.

For example, here's what Needham had: http://solarizeneedham.org/faq/#Q16
There will be two options for participating in Solarize Needham – you can purchase and therefore own the system or enter into a lease or Power Purchase Agreement. There will be five tiers of pricing, with the savings increasing for everyone as more contracts are signed.

[Note: the Needham project is just an example, some details on things like incentives have changed since theirs.]

Thanks for sharing your experience. That helps me to know about what people might want.