joy hughes – solar gardens...
TRANSCRIPT
Joy Hughes – Solar Gardens Institute
What is a Solar
Garden? Utility-tied shared solar photovoltaic (PV)
Local Subscriber Base - each owns or leases their own solar panels
Suitable for HOA’s, renters, affordable housing, shaded locations, and historic districts
Prevents cost shifting from wealthy to poor
Solar Gardens Legislation
Laws already in Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine and Washington Colorado law signed June 5, 2010 – implementation underway California SB843 in committee Vote Solar coordinating legislative efforts - 50 state strategy
Municipal Votes for Solar Gardens
April – Saguache town board – 7- 0
- Edmonds, Washington city council 5-2
September – Colorado Springs City Council 7-0 October – Antonito Town Board 7-0
- Lake County Commissioners 3-0 Santa Monica City Council? Los Angeles City Council?
California/Colorado
Comparison
Colorado California Maximum Size 2 Megawatts (20 acres) 20 Megawatts (200 acres) Minimum Subscription 1 kilowatt (low income exempt) 1 kilowatt Maximum Subscription 40% of capacitty 2 Megawatts Low income requirement 5% of capacity None Program Maximum 6 Megawatts per year for
first three years None
Subscriber may purchase capacity capacity or power Utility must purchase? mandatory optional
Why Distributed Solar?
Make it a community
decision
Sprouting up Everywhere
Maps showing community solar interest
Ellensburg Community Renewable Park - Washington
State Owned by municipal utility,
subscribers lease panels
Conceived in 2003, first phase built 2006
Now on fourth phase, expanding to over 100 kilowatts
Expanding to include wind, Solar Stirling Engines
Model for Smaller Arrays: University Park, Maryland LLC
Legal documents available
FREE
Limited to 35 members – no advertising
Good for churches, HOAs, neighborhood associations
Can be used to power common buildings or as a solar garden
Washington and Colorado Cooperative Subscriber Organizations
Small investors provide “sponsorship” for subscribers in any solar garden (including Clean Energy Collective and others)
Might be used as subscriber organization - third party finance needed ( C3PO ) for tax purposes
Broad securities exemption under Colorado law
Saguache Solar Garden – 200 kW
A private / public partnership with the Town of Saguache on a former dump site. Subscribers include town buildings, library district, low income.
Charles Tidd, Solar Gardener
Arvada Solar Garden – 500 kW
A privately owned former mine site, divided into parcels of approx. 1 acre. SPH is issuing a Solicitation of Interest for at least four solar gardens on the site.
Rachel Emmer, Solar Gardener
SGI’s Mission
To educate the public about community solar energy.
To promote community solar energy legislation at the federal level and in each state
To assist local organizations in organizing, developing, and managing community-owned solar energy projects everywhere.
To make affordable solar energy available for all humanity
Solar Gardener Program
A solar gardener is a grassroots community organizer and project manager
Receive training, tools, mutual aid
Participate in Governance
“Sweat Equity” – paid in panels
Original Gardener Gary Nystedt – Ellensburg Community Renewable Park
Thank you!
Contact Us
solargardens.org Joy Hughes – founder – [email protected] Robyn Lydick – Media Relations – [email protected] Please sign up for the mailing list