Rays the Valley. Volunteer Training AND Customer Info Session for Subscription Solar
GCC Downtown Campus 270 Main St. Greenfield, MATRAINING
Thu, July 20, 2017 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM EST INFO SESSION
Thu, July 20, 2017 7:00 PM-8:30 PM EST TRAINING DETAILS
We’re preparing to sign up hundreds of people for our new solar offerings and we’re wondering if you might be interested in volunteering to help people figure out which is the best solar option for them. Volunteers can work out of our Northampton office, in their community, or at one of Co-op Power’s upcoming events. If you’re able to volunteer, please sign join us for Thursday’s volunteer training session please RSVP or arrange for another time by contacting Daniel McLeod at dmcleod@cooppower.coop or call (413) 772-8898 ext 3. INFO SESSION DETAILS
Feel free to come by at 7pm to learn more about the offering and ask questions even if you are not interested in volunteering. One of the goals of the grant-funded project is to sign up 400 customers by mid-August. People can also call Co-op Power at 877-277-6543, or send a copy of their electric bill to solar@cooppower.coop and let us know which options sound best to them. Volunteers can help us process these signups. As a volunteer, you might also schedule drop in hours at your Town Hall or a local restaurant. MORE INFO ON THE VOLUNTEER TRAINING SESSION Training Session Agenda: - Welcome
- Who’s Co-op Power? Who’s Rays the Valley? What are we working to accomplish? What’s your role?
- Overview of Subscription Solar
- Overview of Direct-Owned Shared Solar
- Overview of Direct-Owned Solar
Sponsored by Co-op Power and Rays the Valley GOAL OF RAYS THE VALLEY Co-op Power members decided to make community solar one of Co-op Power’s top priorities and we’ve made a lot of progress over the last two years. As part of this effort, Co-op Power and the Franklin Community Energy Co-op have been working together with Community Action, Climate Action Now, and Mothers Up Front in a collaborative project called Rays the Valley, to develop these solar options and spread the word. We received one of 35 national Community Solar awards from the Department of Energy’s SunShot program for our work. This project is helping everyone, including low income households and nonprofits who can’t take advantage of the tax credits, to join the solar revolution. We’re in a national competition to build 2.5 MW of low income and nonprofit solar by October 2018. ABOUT RAYS THE VALLEY PARTNERS: Co-op Power is a consumer-owned energy cooperative dedicated to building a just and sustainable energy future. They use innovative ownership and financing models to bring clean energy to all. Franklin Community Energy Co-op, Hampshire Community Energy Co-op, and Hampden Community Energy Co-op are the community energy co-ops in Co-op Power’s network that are participating in this effort. Community Action is the community action program serving Hampshire and Franklin Counties, helping 7,500 low-income households cover their energy costs. The program works to reduce energy consumption, improve heating systems, and help pay a portion of fuel and utility bills. Climate Action Now Western Massachusetts is a grassroots organization in the Pioneer Valley comprised of 2500 activists devoted to preserving a livable climate for all people. Mothers Out Front Pioneer Valley is a chapter of a national organization dedicated to creating a healthy climate now and a livable future for all children. SOLAR PRODUCT OPTIONS We’re now ready to launch a set of three programs that can provide solar to every household, business, nonprofit, house of worship, school, and municipality in our county – whether they have a good site for solar, or money, or not. A solar investment can save people a lot of money, and now they can just subscribe, with no money down and save money right from the start. We’re now helping people choose between these solar options, depending on whether they have money or a site that’s good for solar: Solar Options Subscription Solar – No money down and you get great discounts off your electric bill from power generated in a nearby array. You don’t have much money. You can’t use the tax credits. You don’t have a good solar site Direct-Owned Shared Solar – You own panels in a shared array, with up to 30% off if you income-qualify. You either have money or you can qualify for a loan. You can use the tax credits or income qualify for an equivalent benefit. You don’t have a good solar site Direct-Owned Solar – You own your own solar on your property, with up to 30% off if you income-qualify. You either have money or you can qualify for a loan. You can use the tax credits or income qualify for an equivalent benefit. You have a good solar site Solar Hosting – You earn an annual lease fee to host a solar project on your property- from $500/year for a 25 kW array to $xx/acre for larger arrays (you might also sign up for a Solar Subscription from the array). You don’t have much money. You can’t use the tax credits. You have a good solar site. | 
