Solarize Plano Initiative Exceeds Expectations

By Michael G. Albrecht

According to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, “A study commissioned by the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) in the mid-1990s found that Texas has 250 “quads” of solar energy accessible per year. Given that one quad is one quadrillion British thermal units (Btus) of energy – enough to meet the annual needs of about 3 million people – Texas’ solar energy potential is enormous.”

Larry Howe and Bob Litwins, along with other members of Plano Solar Advocates, decided earlier this year to harness a fraction of that potential gold mine of incoming solar photons. They launched an effort to establish a local version of the ‘solarize’ process, promoted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative. A solarize program uses an innovative bulk purchase approach designed to remove barriers to solar adoption by reducing the initial up-front costs of installing solar systems on residences and businesses. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) Solarize Guidebook provided a comprehensive blueprint for the newly created Solarize Plano program.

With solar panel pricing at an all-time low, community response to the Plano Solar Advocates’ volume discount solar purchase program exceeded organizers’ expectations. “It’s been a great experience, very exciting,” states Howe. “A key part of our Plano Solar Advocates mission is to increase awareness of solar energy and help put it in people’s vocabulary. With 200+ enrolling in the project and 175 participants following through on the solar information sessions, we felt that the project has contributed greatly to our mission.”

Within months of initiating Solarize Plano, participants signed 120 kW of installation contracts at rates reduced some 20-percent below normal retail costs. Coupled with potential utility incentives from Oncor and CoServ, along with 30% federal tax credits and net metered compensation, this Texas version of bulk-purchase installations adds momentum to a promising new strategy for widespread adoption of distributed generation rooftop solar energy. Howe and Litwins collaborated with the Live Green in Plano city sustainability office in building awareness and legitimacy for the project, and the North Texas Renewable Energy Group (NTREG) also provided support.

Taking a lead from Seattle, Washington, and Summit County, Utah program formats, Plano Solar Advocates generated a spirited Request for Proposal (RFP) resulting in responses from seven solar installation contractors. Fifty site assessments were conducted at area homes resulting in twenty-five signed commitments capable of generating 160,000 annual kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity.
Implemented thus far in Portland, Oregon, Santa Barbara, California, Colorado, Washington State, Massachusetts, and Summit County, Utah, Plano, Texas, now joins the nationwide “solarize” movement by offering participating residents solar energy at well below the Texas median price of $3.90 per installed watt as referenced in the recent Tracking the Sun VI report.

Encouraged by the enthusiastic response to the group solar purchase project, Howe and Litwins will be working with the Texas Solar Energy Society, encouraging other neighborhoods and communities across the state to launch their own solarize projects.

Plano Solar Advocates outlined the following key considerations for potential homeowner participants in the program:
• Understand your annual electricity consumption in kWh and then decide how much you desire to offset with a PV solar system installation
• Determine the age and condition of your roof
• Prefer low to non-existent roof shading and south-facing orientation
• Clarify incentives and financing options available from the contractor and/or utility
• Understand the net metering compensation package, if any, from the utility/retail electric provider

Plano Solar Advocates ushered interested Plano residents and solar contractors through the following RFP process:
• Created publicity on the project through local media, Facebook & other social media, local city water utility bill insert, email lists, monthly meetings to “get the word out”
• Verified total kilowatts of installed solar in the pool of applicants (more is better)
• Verified number of structures/residences receiving panels
• Generated a Request for Proposal ( leveraging existing RPF templates from solarize projects in other states)
• Generated a list of contracting companies
• Distributed the RPF to contractors
• Organized the RPF Review Team/committee from project participants
• Assisted the RFP Team with evaluating RPF responses
• RFP Team selected Axium Solar of Plano, Texas to contract installations with participants

To get the best bulk rate on turnkey installations, according to Howe, “there is a tradeoff between total kilowatts desired and the number of sites being fitted with panels. However, ultimately, it is the total installed capacity that has the greatest impact on the volume discount.” Prices were arrived at through a “tiered” rate structure based on total installed capacity in kilowatts.

Plano Solar Advocates expects to run subsequent rounds of the solarize initiative, which they believe will further expand awareness and therefore increase the pool of interested parties and kilowatts on the table, resulting in further cost reductions.

As installations launch in the winter of 2013-14, interested parties can track progress of the Solarize Plano rollout as well learn more about PV solar installations all across the state and the US at the Open PV Project website.

Michael Albrecht is a former TXSES Board Member, a contributor to Renewable Energy World, often writes for the Solar Reflector, and has traveled internationally to encourage the adoption of solar.