Contact:
Katherine Klausing, RENEW Wisconsin
Katherine@renewwisconsin.org
614-406-1105 (mobile)
608-255-4044 x5 (office)
The MadiSUN Solar Group Buy is teaming up with one of Middleton’s best-known institutions to promote solar energy: the Capital Brewery and Bier Garten. On Monday July 17th at 5:30pm they will host a solar information session and happy hour, where guests can learn about how to save money and produce their own energy with solar energy. Interested households can sign up to participate in the Group Buy through the end of August.
Capital Brewery president Scott Wiener is supportive of the program. “Capital Brewery is glad to see the solar group buy come to Middleton,” said Wiener. “We installed our array in 2014 and hopefully we can use that investment to inspire our neighbors to take advantage of solar energy as well.” Capital Brewery also partnered with the City of Middleton on the Terrace Avenue Pavilion project in 2015. “The City had the foresight to install solar arrays on the south-facing roof, as well as self-watering flower pots and LED lighting under the pavilion,” Wiener added.
Middleton Mayor Gurdip Brar was enthusiastic about solar development when the Group Buy launched in April. “We at the City of Middleton are proud to work with our neighbors to bring the benefits of solar energy to all of our communities here. 2017 is going to be a great year for solar, and we encourage Middleton families to take advantage of this opportunity,” Brar said.
Interested households can sign up by visiting madisunsolar.com
The program will host free, public information sessions at:
Capital Brewery & Bier Garten
Monday July 17th at 5:30pm
7734 Terrace Ave, Middleton
First Unitarian Society
Sunday July 30th at 12:30 p.m.
900 University Bay Dr, Madison
Willy Street Co-op East
Thursday August 3rd at 6pm
1221 Williamson St, Madison
Over 300 people have already signed up to learn more and start the process of going solar. Approximately 50 households have already reserved a free solar property assessment, and dozens more have had their properties pre-approved for a site assessment. The group buy’s first solar installation was completed in early July at a home in Middleton’s Fox Ridge neighborhood.
The MadiSUN Group Buy program enables Madison and Middleton residents to “go solar” together. Through the group buy program, a team requested offers from solar companies across the region, pre-qualified a price and selected two providers to make it as easy as possible for people to join the program.
The program selected a collaborative proposal from Full Spectrum Solar and Midwest Solar Power, allowing both Madison-based companies to serve the group. The cities of Madison and Middleton invested in the marketing and competitive bidding for the program to drive down the cost for each participant, resulting in savings of about 10 percent.
Many households are investing in solar to help their personal finances—a typical 4kw system can save a household $1,700 in energy costs for each year of its 30-year life. And the cost of installing solar has never been lower, as homeowners can receive a Federal Tax Credit for 30 percent of the system cost, while Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy program offers up to $2000 in additional rebates for installing solar.
As MadiSUN approaches the end of its recruitment period at the end of August, program managers remain optimistic that more households will choose to go solar.
“We are really pleased with the level of interest we’ve seen,” said Katherine Klausing of RENEW Wisconsin, the nonprofit program administrator. “Madison families are realizing that putting solar panels on their homes can lower their energy costs and increase the value of their homes. But it’s also an investment into an energy source they can feel good about for years.”
Interested households can sign up by visiting madisunsolar.com.
