SAVING GREEN BY GOING GREEN
Solar for All bringing solar panels and lower bills to Hartford residents
When Hartford resident Sophia Taylor-edwards started noticing more solar panels on the roofs of homes around her Blue Hills neighborhood, she started to wonder if solar would be a good option for her as well. “As a single parent, I’ve had to over the years shop around for electric suppliers,” Taylor-edwards said. “I had saw some of the solar panels throughout my community so it was not new to me, but exploring it more was new to me.”
Taylor-edwards said she then noticed a flyer for an informational event at the Hartford Public Library’s Albany branch. After meeting with several people there who answered her questions, she decided that she would move ahead with solar as well.
“Now that I’m part of the solar program, I don’t have to shop around anymore,” Taylor-edwards said. “I know my bill will be decreasing and it’s really helping me financially. I’m looking forward to the years I will have it to save a whole lot of money.”
Taylor-edwards is one of 200 Hartford residents who have taken advantage of Solar for All Hartford, a public-private partnership through the statewide Solar for All program that is helping bring energy efficiency to city residents regardless of their credit score or annual income.
Solar for All covers the full cost of installing, maintaining, and insuring the solar equipment with no cost to the recipient; funding is provided by the Connecticut Green Bank.
Connecticut Green Bank partnered with solar energy equipment supplier Posigen on the Solar for All program, has helped thousands across the state access solar including in Hartford.
The programs work through Posigen providing customers with a 25-year solar lease. The company and its financial partners own the solar systems and make money from the federal solar tax credit, which, in addition to solar incentives provided by the Green Bank, give customers lower bills.
“As more homes put solar on their rooftops they not only create jobs in the community, not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change, but they also reduce their energy bills.”
— Bryan Garcia, Connecticut Green Bank CEO
Customers still have monthly rental fees they have to pay. While equipment installation and maintenance is free for customers, they pay around $50 – $100 a month to rent the equipment. Even with the rental costs, customers can still expect to save money due to lower electric bills.
At a press conference in Hartford on Monday, city leaders including officials from Posigen and Connecticut Green Bank announced a new installment of Solar for All Hartford, offering access to solar for more Hartford residents.
The last two Solar for All Hartford programs were in 2017 and 2019.
“Together with towns and cities like Hartford we work to bring solar and energy efficiency to communities that have been underserved by traditional solar programs,” said Thomas Plagemann, Posigen CFO. “Many homeowners are essentially blocked from going solar because they don’t have the credit score required for traditional solar products. We have created our program to remove these barriers and serve all homeowners.”
Approximately 60% of the program’s solar projects are for places below the area median income with previous programs in Bridgeport, New Haven, Hartford, New London, Hamden, Greater Hartford, and Middletown.
The average Posigen customer in Connecticut has an average annual income of $46,000 per year, compared to the average income of $100,000 for the average national solar customer, according to Plagemann.
“As more homes put solar on their rooftops they not only create jobs in the community, not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change, but they also reduce their energy bills,” said Bryan Garcia, Connecticut Green Bank CEO. “As we’ve seen with rising electric costs, the homes that have installed solar are saving more.”
Garcia said homeowners with Posigen-installed solar panels can expect on average $800 to $900 in savings throughout 2023.
“This is a partnership we’re really proud of in Hartford,” Mayor Luke Bronin said. “Hundreds of Hartford homeowners have had the chance to save money and do the right thing environmentally at the same time. We want to keep that going. It’s now possible for any homeowner in our city to get their home improved from an energy efficiency standpoint and to get that solar installation that will help save them money and produce clean, green energy for decades to come.”
Anyone who is interested in the program can schedule a consultation with Posigen through the website, posigen.com.