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The Town of Carrboro is a community partner of Solarize the Triangle, a community-based group-purchasing program for solar energy, battery storage, and other clean-energy technologies that helps Triangle homeowners, businesses, and nonprofits become more resilient, reduce energy expenses, and save on the cost of renewable-energy systems by obtaining volume discounts on materials and installation services — the more property owners who purchase renewable energy systems, the lower the price to all buyers – through the power of purchasing together. Solarize the Triangle is led by TJCOG through the Triangle Sustainability Partnership and Solar Crowdsource, a group of local governments, nonprofits, and advocates working to make solar power more affordable and accessible in the Triangle. 

The goals of the Solarize Carrboro campaign are to:

• Make solar energy more accessible: vetted materials, pricing, and installation services through competitive bid process;
• Make solar energy more affordable: lower the cost of solar energy through the power of group-purchasing and reduced acquisition costs;
• Reduce energy burden for low- to moderate-income (LMI) families: further buy down upfront cost for low- and moderate-income families;
• Increase clean-energy education and community engagement: widespread community engagement, education and outreach activities through town hall meetings, workshops, solar tours, and outreach through local community groups and events; 
• Promote solar friendly policies: encourage local governments to adopt streamlined solar energy permitting policies and fair distributed generation policies;
• Give back to the community: donate a solar energy system to a local nonprofit organization(s); and
• Make a lasting impact: accelerate the deployment of solar energy installations in a way that can be sustained beyond the timeframe of the Solarize the Triangle campaign.

Solarize the Triangle is partnering exclusively with Yes Solar Solutions for this campaign. Yes Solar Solutions Co-Founders Stew and Kathy Miller have been small business owners in Cary since 1994, and founded Yes Solar in 2009. Their experience in past Solarize programs in the community made them eager to participate in the Solarize Research Triangle partnership. The company’s history of quality projects and an emphasis on customer satisfaction and service, helped them earn the only NC Accreditation from NABCEP. President Stew Miller says, “We are thrilled to be part of this mission to make solar accessible with the best possible customer service and confidence, and help drive the cost of solar down for everyone.”  

The Enrollment Deadline is September 30, 2023. 

Connections to Carrboro's Community Climate Action Plan:

By promoting clean and renewable energy in Carrboro, the Solarize the Triangle campaign supports the implementation of Carrboro’s Community Climate Action Plan. This initiative will play a role in helping the Town reach its goals to reduce 2010 levels of greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2030. Solarize Carrboro will enable residents to invest in solar at a more affordable group-purchasing price and realize the benefits of financial savings through energy efficiency, the creation of new jobs, and improved air quality and public health. Solarize the Triangle is built around supporting residents, particularly to build an inclusive program that creates opportunities to address equity and resilience.  

Solarize Carrboro aligns with the following Community Climate Action Plan initiatives:

• Reduce Emissions Attributed to Carrboro Buildings by 80% by 2030: Solarize the Triangle will enable residents across Carrboro to invest in solar at a more affordable rate, lower electricity bills, and help bring about a clean energy future for our Town. Transitioning to renewable energy alternatives will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions within Carrboro, but will also reduce energy bills for residents, enabling financial savings to be invested back into the Town’s local economy.
  
  
• Expanding Public Partnerships and Create Grassroots Partnerships to Engage Community: The Town of Carrboro is partnering with the Triangle J Council of Governments, Solar Crowdsource, and the following municipalities: the Cities of Raleigh and Durham, Durham County, Chatham County, the Towns of Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, Apex, Holly Springs, and Morrisville, and Orange County. This collaboration will not only solarize Carrboro, but will increase public awareness, engagement, and participation in the program throughout the Triangle.
  
  
• Integrate Climate Action with the Local Living Economy: During the RFP process, Solarize the Triangle asked all bidders to indicate whether their ownership/staff were willing to collaborate with Solarize coalition members and local efforts to promote clean-energy jobs in the Project Area. To promote workforce development, the contractor will work with the Coalition Members to provide internship/apprenticeship opportunities to qualified applicants. 
  
  
• Facilitate Low-Cost Financing for Renewable Energy Projects: In addition to providing group discount pricing on solar energy, battery storage, and other clean energy technologies to all participants, Solarize the Triangle will include a program to help reduce the energy financial burden for low-income and moderate-income (LMI) residents in participating communities. In the event an LMI participant property is not eligible for solar, the selected contractor, Yes Solar Solutions, will report any known energy efficiency/weatherization upgrades needed. Preference was be given to contractors who were prepared to offer energy efficiency evaluations and offer measures for customer consideration when appropriate. Solarize the Triangle will help guide participants unable or uninterested in moving forward with a fixed solar installation toward other energy-related resources, and reduced environmental footprint, such as portable solar/battery systems, home energy audits, weatherization, insulation, roofing, more efficient electrical use and appliances, and/or other clean energy products. 
  
  
• Environmental Justice and Climate Equity: Lifting up minority, people of color, and community members who have been historically marginalized is central to this initiative. The Solarize the Triangle program will include a program to help reduce the energy financial burden for low-income and moderate-income (LMI) residents in participating communities. Solarize the Triangle will implement a community education, marketing and outreach campaign consisting of public workshops and events, open house events, media outreach, email, social media and online marketing, along with other activities to encourage area residents and businesses to enroll in the program. As part of the campaign, the RFP calls for the selected contractor to take part in a charitable community project (in addition to the LMI Program described above). The contractor will collaborate with Solarize the Triangle to design, develop, and construct the project(s) as well as partially finance the project from a percentage of total Solarize revenues.

 View the Town’s Community Climate Action Plan to learn more about Carrboro’s climate action efforts and how you can reduce your carbon footprint.

For additional questions, please contact the representatives below:

Solarize the Triangle
Email: admin@solarizethetriangle.com
Phone: (770) 288-0440

Town of Carrboro
Laura Janway
Environmental Sustainability Coordinator
Email: ljanway@carrboronc.gov
Phone: (919) 918-7326