New York City and Westchester County residents gained a new way to support local solar energy when Green Mountain Energy Company launched the New York chapter of its Sun Club program.
The idea was simple. For just $5 a month, participating Green Mountain Energy customers could help fund solar energy systems for local nonprofit organizations.
The program served residential electricity customers throughout the Con Edison service territory in New York City and Westchester County. Therefore, customers could support clean energy projects close to home.
Solar Energy Helps Local Nonprofits
The Sun Club program aimed to do more than install solar panels.
Each project could help a nonprofit reduce electricity costs. At the same time, solar power could lower the organization’s carbon footprint.
In addition, every solar donation included an educational component. That gave local communities another opportunity to learn about renewable energy and the environmental benefits of solar power.
According to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority at the time, each kilowatt of newly installed solar photovoltaic capacity could avoid about 1,254 pounds of carbon dioxide pollution every year.
That represented a significant environmental benefit. In fact, Green Mountain compared those avoided emissions to planting 72 trees or eliminating 471 New York City taxi rides.
Green Mountain Energy Expands Its Clean Energy Mission
First of all, Green Mountain Energy built its business around cleaner electricity and carbon reduction.
“Green Mountain was founded with a mission to change the way power is made,” said John Holtz, then director of the company’s Eastern Region.
Holtz also said New Yorkers participating in Sun Club could help advance that mission while supporting the growth of solar energy across the Empire State.
Most importantly, the program gave individual electricity customers a direct way to support renewable energy projects in their own communities.
Program Launches in Madison Square Park
Green Mountain Energy officially introduced the New York Sun Club during a free concert in Madison Square Park.
The event took place near West 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue and featured the “cosmo-country” duo The Vanity Belles.
Meanwhile, Green Mountain Energy employees handed out sunflowers to promote the program and connect the solar initiative with the public.
The launch also helped turn renewable energy into something more visible and approachable. Instead of talking only about utility-scale projects, Sun Club focused attention on local nonprofits and community buildings.
Building on Cleaner Energy in New York
Green Mountain Energy had already been offering cleaner electricity options to customers in the Con Edison service territory since 2009.
Therefore, Sun Club represented another step in the company’s New York expansion.
Through the program, Green Mountain expected to announce at least three nonprofit solar projects before the end of 2011.
Interested nonprofit organizations were also expected to receive information about how to apply for future Sun Club projects.
Ultimately, the Sun Club model showed how relatively small monthly contributions could support larger community solar investments.
For New Yorkers, that meant another way to help expand renewable energy, lower emissions and support nonprofits at the same time.
Sources
NYSERDA — New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
Solar energy information, including savings, emissions reductions and New York’s clean energy programs.
U.S. Department of Energy — Solar Energy
Information on solar power, energy savings, local economic benefits and greenhouse gas reductions.
https://www.energy.gov/topics/solar-energy
Green Mountain Energy — Sun Club
