WEBINAR: Community Solar 101
January 10, 2013
Want to bring solar power to your community? Working together with neighbors can make it easier.
Watch this webinar to learn more!
In January 2013 New Dream hosted a webinar about how everyday people can work with neighbors to bring solar energy to their community. Topics included solar cooperatives, bulk purchasing, group net metering, and more.
Guest speakers:
- Anya Schoolman - Executive Director, Community Power Network. Schoolman founded the Mount Pleasant Solar Cooperative, and she has assisted more than 70 homeowners in Washington, DC in going solar.
- Dan Conant - Solar Community Organizer, SunCommon. Conant's successful projects include founding and directing the Arlington Solar Raisers program in Virginia, and organizing hundreds of Vermont families to go solar, together, through the VPIRG Solar Communities program.
Click here to watch a recording of the webinar. Hear Schoolman and Conant share their experiences and answer questions about how you can get something going in your own town! (Video length: Approx. 1 hour)
Additional resources for community solar projects:
- New Dream's Guide to Sharing: Step-by-step tips on how to start a solar cooperative, time bank, and more.
- A Guide to Community Solar: U.S. Department of Energy publication with information about legal issues (e.g. tax incentives, policies, compliance) relevant to community solar projects. This guide is a resource for community organizers, solar energy advocates, government officials, and utility managers.
- Community Power Network: Network of grassroots organizations working to promote locally based renewable energy projects and policies
- Solar Citizen: Connecting regular Americans to clean local energy by providing tools, resources, and information to help you start a renewable energy project in your community.
- Mt. Pleasant Solar Cooperative: An association of 70-plus households that have gone solar together in the Mt. Pleasant community of Washington, DC
- DC Solar United Neighborhoods: A coalition that is leading the charge to make Washington DC a solar city.
- Solarize Portland Guidebook: A community guide to collective purchasing of residential PV systems. The guidebook provides lessons, considerations, and step-by-step plans for project organizers to replicate the success of Solarize Portland.