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New Site Chosen for Colorado Springs First Community-Owned Solar Gardens
Wednesday, July 18, 2012

New Site Chosen for Colorado Springs First Community-Owned Solar Gardens

Clean Energy Collective to provide 1 MW of local clean energy production.

Colorado Springs, Colo. (July 18, 2012) — The Clean Energy Collective announced today the location for Colorado Springs’ first community-owned solar gardens. Pending final land approval from El Paso County, the solar gardens will be located on an 8.7 acre parcel south of Colorado Springs on the east side of I-25, and south of the Stratmoor Valley Subdivision.

The property will house two 500 kW community solar farms that will deliver clean, locally-produced solar power to 300 to 400 CSU customers. Construction will begin upon final County approval, with a target date of late 2012 for power production.

The CEC’s community solar model allows any residential or educational institution electric customer in Colorado Springs Utilities’ electric service territory-including renters, those in poorly-sighted properties and individuals of all income levels-the first opportunity to own solar panels in a community solar garden, producing clean energy without having to build a costly system of their own, and reap the benefits directly on their monthly electric bills.

“We are very excited to provide Colorado Springs the opportunity for affordable clean energy ownership,” said CEC founder and president Paul Spencer. “Colorado Springs is a very forward-thinking community.”

Colorado-based Clean Energy Collective was the first in the nation to build and operate a community-owned renewable energy facility, and this will be the sixth solar facility for the company. Along with their pilot facility operating in El Jebel, and an 858 kW facility in Rifle-currently the largest community-owned solar garden in the nation-CEC is building community arrays in El Jebel, Fort Collins, Telluride and Taos, New Mexico. CEC is also working on more than 33 MW of community solar opportunities throughout the nation.

“Colorado Springs Utilities is pleased to be working with Clean Energy Collective and their community solar garden projects,” said Mark James, demand side management and renewable energy solutions manager.

Colorado Springs City Council approved the community solar farm program in October 2011. Subscribers receive a credit on their electric bill for their share of the energy the community solar farm produces. The arrangement between the municipal utility and the private sector is one of the first of its kind in the nation.

CSU electric customers can get more information regarding ownership in the Colorado Springs Community Solar Farm by contacting David Wiedinmyer at (800) 646-0323, or visiting www.springscleanenergy.com.

ABOUT CEC
Colorado-based Clean Energy Collective is a developer of community-based renewable energy facilities and a national leader in community power generation. CEC pioneered the model of delivering clean power-generation through large-scale facilities that are collectively owned by participating utility customers. The CEC’s proprietary RemoteMeter® system automatically calculates monthly credits and integrates with existing utility billing systems, enabling all utility customers to easily have clean, renewable power credited directly on their monthly utility bills, without modifying their home or office. C
EC has community solar partnerships with many other utilities and is working on dozens of other community solar projects nationally and internationally.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Colorado Springs Community Solar
Powered by Clean Energy Collective
Web: www.springscleanenergy.com
Phone: 1-800-646-0323
Email: sales@springscleanenergy.com

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