The following was submitted by Lynne Bonnett of the New Haven Energy Task Force.
The New Haven Energy Task Force announces that its project team, Sunnysideup, was selected to participate in the U.S. Department of Energy Sunshot Initiative’s, Solar in Your Community Challenge, a $5 million prize competition that aims to expand solar electricity access.
Over the next 16 months, Sunnysideup will develop innovative projects to enable low to moderate income residents in New Haven and nonprofits that serve low to moderate income residents go solar. Our project will demonstrate how multifamily property owners can share solar with their tenants. The lessons learned will help other cities in CT learn how to improve solar access for all, including tenants.
We are thrilled that our team was selected to join the challenge. Our project will benefit the people of New Haven and demonstrate that solar is a viable option for low to moderate income residents in our state.
Sunnysideup will join hundreds of other teams from around the country in their pursuit of solar projects and programs that expand solar access to low- and moderate-income households and nonprofit organizations. All teams will compete for $1 million in final prizes, which will be awarded by judges based on each project or program’s innovation, impact, and replicability.
• Our team aims to expand solar access to those that live in multifamily dwellings, those that rent, and those that have not had access to solar.
• We hope to entice team members to join us so that can help us make this a reality.
• Team Sunnysideup’s current members are participants in the New Haven Energy Task Force, an all volunteer group of people dedicated to improving energy security for all residents of New Haven.
About the Solar in Your Community Challenge
The Solar in Your Community Challenge, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative and administered by SUNY Polytechnic Institute, is a $5 million prize competition that aims to expand solar access to low and moderate income households; and state, local, and tribal governments; and non-profit organizations.
More information about the selected teams and the Solar in Your Community Challenge here.
About the SunShot Initiative
The U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative is a national effort to drive down the cost of solar electricity and support solar adoption. SunShot aims to make solar energy a low cost electricity source for all Americans through research and development efforts in collaboration with public and private partners. Learn more at energy.gov/sunshot.
For more information, contact, Lynne Bonnett, Sunnysdeup New Haven Energy Task Force member, at [email protected].
Progressive Mother Jones Finally Realizes Why Rooftop Solar Is A Total Scam
ANDREW FOLLETT
The magazine claims RECs ensure someone who buys a rooftop solar panel isn't actually fighting global warming, they're "just helping the utility meet a goal it was already mandated to meet—thus helping excuse it from building more solar capacity itself. In other words, your direct net contribution to reducing greenhouse gas pollution is nil.Rooftop solar is heavily subsidized by a 30 percent federal and state tax credits for home solar panels as well as RECs. Rooftop solar companies regularly install $10,000 or even more expensive systems at no upfront cost to the consumer, in exchange for simply collecting the profitable tax credits, RECs, and other subsidies. Solar power receives 326 times more subsidies than conventional energy sources, according to Department of Energy data.
http://dailycaller.com/2016/01/18/mother-jones-realizes-rooftop-solar-is-a-scam/