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BOULDER, COLO. – (June 20, 2014) In support of the City’s goals to reduce its energy costs and carbon footprint, The City of Englewood, Colo. is purchasing panels in a community solar array developed by Clean Energy Collective (CEC). The solar PV purchase is earmarked to offset the power needs for one of Englewood’s high energy-use locations.
Considered a pilot program to start, the City of Englewood is purchasing 42 solar panels in the Aurora/Arapahoe Community Solar Array at a cost of $34,545. Payback of the system is estimated at less than 5 years. Along with renewable energy credits, the savings is expected to total more than $215,000 over the next 20 years.
Part of Xcel Energy’s Solar*Rewards Community program, Xcel Energy customers—residential, commercial or municipal—have the opportunity to purchase solar power from a number of community-owned solar facilities built and operated by Clean Energy Collective. These medium-scale facilities are sited and maintained for maximum power production. Individual panel owners then receive credits directly on their monthly Xcel Energy bill for the power produced.
Although a popular public move towards more sustainable operations, community solar is also helping municipal entities better manage future budgeting and energy requirements, especially amid rising energy costs. Along with the City of Englewood in Colorado, the Town of Telluride, San Miguel County, and the City of Fort Collins are employing community solar to offset energy use for city and county operations.
“We are excited that the City of Englewood is on board,” said CEC’s chief operating officer Tom Sweeney. “More and more municipalities are finding it effectively serves their budgetary and environmental objectives.”
CEC has 11 community solar facilities operating or in development in Colorado, reaching more than 75% of state ratepayers. CEC also has facilities in New Mexico, Minnesota, Kansas, Wisconsin, Vermont, and Massachusetts.
About Clean Energy Collective (CEC)
Colorado-based Clean Energy Collective is the nation’s leading developer of community-owned renewable energy facilities and power generation. CEC established the first community-owned solar garden in the country in 2010 near El Jebel, Colorado. Since that time, CEC has built or has under development 40 community solar projects with 18 utility partners across 8 states, representing 26 MW of community solar capacity. www.easycleanenergy.com
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