April Solarize update

Hello everyone! Happy Earth Month and welcome to our first edition of the Solarize newsletter — where we update our GLREA members on the progress made with the program and upcoming goals. In case you would like a refresher on how the GLREA Solarize program works, check out this updated overview! 

We have two Solarize programs running this month.

Wayne County Event 1 - Livonia: April 28th

Oakland County Event 2 - Novi: April 29th 

Stay tuned for our other upcoming Solarize events! The GLREA team is currently working on several other Solarize locations for the spring and summer.

Impact Update:

GLREA has held 52 Solarize meetings, which has led to 186 sales of solar installations! While our data is incomplete, we have recorded at least 1,435 kW of clean, renewable electricity capacity added, and at least $347,263 saved for participants. 

Recent event recaps:

Oakland County Event 1: February 24th

In February, we kicked off our biggest Solarize program yet: Oakland County! GLREA is partnering with the Oakland County Sustainability Office and Board of Commissioners to put together an eight-event series to make solar more accessible to residents, businesses, nonprofits, places of worship, schools, local units of government, and other entities throughout the next year and a half. 

The first event was held at the Cornerstone Community Financial Credit Union in Troy, with Absolute Solar as the installer. The Detroit 2030 district was also a key partner in organizing the event, and providing helpful information regarding the tax credits and direct pay options still available for commercial solar projects.

Washtenaw County Event 1: March 24th 

And exactly one month later, we held a Solarize meeting for businesses, nonprofits, places of

worship, schools, and local governments at the Homeland Solar warehouse in Ann Arbor! (This program was not open to residential customers as A2Zero already is running a homeowners-focused Solarize program for the county.)

Homeland Solar is still accepting requests for solar quotes, in case you are interested in getting solar for your organization but could not attend the event last month. Email lexcrill@umich.edu if you would like to learn more!

Thanks for reading!

If you're not a GLREA member already, please consider becoming one at glrea.org to support our work making renewable energy more accessible, through programs like solarize.