Good news for anyone looking to go — and save — green. Out of the Roaring Fork Valley comes the first-ever community solar power array, a system developed by local Paul Spencer that is sure to revolutionize clean energy consumption nationwide. His team, Clean Energy Collective (CEC), has developed a program that not only makes solar energy accessible to every homeowner, but makes it easy, inviting and financially viable.
Making Hay
The idea is simple. Put a large solar array on vacant land, run the power directly to the local utility company and allow area homeowners to buy fractional ownership. The homeowners then see a credit back on their normal utility bill, relative to the amount of solar power they purchased. Homeowners never have to think about it, save money every month and actually power their homes with clean energy. Brilliant.
"Owners can own anything from a single panel to enough panels to wipe out their entire utility bill," explains Spencer. "The average home around here would require up to 25 panels to completely run the utility bill to zero."
Customers pay a one-time fee to purchase their panels and that's it. No further expenses, unless they decide to purchase more panels. According to Spencer, a single panel will save $45-$50 per year, and if you purchase enough panels to completely power your home, you never pay a utility bill again. The system is guaranteed for 50 years and, according to Spencer, will average a 10 percent return on investment over time. Because CEC purchases the solar panels in bulk, customers get them at a great discount as compared to traditional home systems. Currently, a 230-watt panel runs $725.
The company's first installment sold out before it was built. Located outside of El Jebel, the Midvalley Solar Array went active in August 2010. It consists of 338 panels, owned by 18 clients. The next array, located at the Garfield County Airport, will be 11 times larger, with 4,700 panels producing one megawatt of energy. These two installments serve Holy Cross utility company's territory and customers. But CEC has four more locations planned and is pursuing utility companies around the state and country, even looking to franchise the concept. They have been working with Xcel Energy for more than a year and anticipate launching the system for Xcel customers in late 2011, accounting for 55 percent of Colorado residents.
"It's very aggressive growth," Spencer states. With the Midvalley Solar Array, the CEC simply wanted to establish the model and work out the kinks. Now, they have grander designs.
"My goal was to create a vehicle to spur wide scale use of clean energy, nationwide," he states.
A Homegrown Program
Spencer, who lives off-grid with home-based solar power in the Roaring Fork Valley, is quick to deflect credit for the community solar project. "None of this would be a reality without the rest of the team," he says. That founding team consists of Lauren Martindale, working on community outreach and legislation; Mark Boyer, the "financial wizard" and Spencer's lifelong friend; David Wiedinmyer, in business development and sales; and a local group of angel investors.
Spencer is also eager to credit Holy Cross Energy. "They were absolutely instrumental in our ability to make this happen," he says. The longstanding utility company was very involved and positive with thorough attention to detail and protection of their costumer, explains Spencer. "Holy Cross is tremendously forward-thinking when it comes to clean energy."
The clean energy model that Spencer and his team have established is not only poised for tremendous growth in the solar arena, but also suits all kinds of clean energy technologies. "We are already looking into several possibilities for micro-hydro and biomass in the Roaring Fork Valley and Eagle County," he states.
While the concept seems simple on the surface, there was quite the maze of technological, legal, tax and utilitarian issues to navigate. "We're not the first ones to think of this, we're just the first ones to figure out how to do it," he says.
"It goes beyond my wildest dreams, how quickly this has garnered attention nationally. Something about it really clicks with people," he muses. "It is really exciting to see your hard work come to fruition and make an actual difference."
"My goal was to create a vehicle to spur wide scale use of clean energy, nationwide."
Where Do I Sign Up?
So, how do you sign up? "It's as simple as you can imagine," says Spencer. "David will walk you through how much power you need, how much you should buy and what your rate of return will be."
By analyzing past utility bills, Wiedinmyer can discern how many panels a customer would need and offer different price structures and scenarios. "Homeowners start seeing credits on their next bill, and for the rest of time," says Spencer. "It's a 10 to 15 minute phone call."
Clean energy Collective
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