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BAH: Clean Energy Collective held at Splitsville
You are invited to attend the March Business After Hours Hosted by Clean Energy Collective the event will be held at Splitsville / Howl at the Moon at Patriot Place in Foxborough
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The Chamber's Business After Hour networking events are a great way to meet fellow Chamber members, to distribute your business cards and/or brochures, and to make meaningful connections in a comfortable atmosphere. If you have never been to an after hours let us know and we will make sure an Ambassador welcomes you!
About our After Hours Host: Clean Energy Collective
CLEAN ENERGY COLLECTIVE
Opening the Commonwealth to the Benefits of Solar
Launched as a solar tech start-up in 2009, Clean Energy Collective (CEC) company founder Paul Spencer conceived the community-owned solar model while looking for a way to power a newly designed net-zero neighborhood in Carbondale, Colorado. Mr. Spencer conceptualized a medium-scale solar PV array connected directly to the local utility grid, with the value of the power generated shared by the residents. He quickly realized the concept could not only be scaled to serve the neighborhood and surrounding community, but any community and any utility in the country.
Since establishing the country’s first community-owned solar array near El Jebel, Colorado in 2010, CEC has grown to be the nation’s largest community solar developer, having built or under development more than 100 RooflessSolar™ projects with 27 utility partners across 12 states, serving thousands of customers, and representing more than 177 MW of community solar capacity. CEC is also the leading provider of community solar software and services to the utility, development and financial industries through its Community Solar Platform.
With its east coast operations anchored in Worcester, CEC is developing the largest portfolio of community solar projects in Massachusetts, including 31 community-shared solar facilities located throughout Eversource and National Grid territories, representing 43 MW of clean power capacity. This reflects a market investment of more than $120 million, with more than $15 million in directly-funded grid upgrades that benefit all electricity users.
CEC’s Worcester team consists of local professionals in land procurement, land planning, project development, business development, marketing and sales, and regulatory functions. Their mission is to make access to affordable, local clean power generation available to all Massachusetts electricity customers through community solar. Through each phase of project development, this team places a high priority on its local partnerships. “Knowing the community and the markets we serve is paramount. We strive to ensure the projects we develop and the way we conduct ourselves is a harmonious fit,” said Jeff Lord, SVP of project development.
CEC is a member/partner of many industry organizations, including Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), and the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA). CEC has earned national recognition from National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the U.S. Department of Energy, the Institute for Local Self Reliance, and others as the best “widely-replicable” community solar solution in the country.
About Community Solar
Community-shared solar is the fastest-growing segment of the solar industry, and Massachusetts leads the country in new clean energy generation delivered through community solar.
Through its RooflessSolar™ program, CEC delivers a comprehensive and adaptable renewable energy solution that meets the needs of electricity customers of every type and size. Eversource and National Grid customers can easily lower their electricity costs and support local clean power generation without the need for a solar-suitable roof or a large upfront payment. This opportunity is especially attractive for renters, those with tree-shaded roofs, commercial customers with multiple locations, and non-profits.
Residential and business customers simply subscribe to a portion of power generated by one of CEC’s utility-scale solar array that is optimally designed and sited for maximum power production, and receive a corresponding credit directly on their monthly utility bills. There is no upfront cost, nothing to install, zero maintenance, and never any additional fees. For some, the savings generated through participation means a few extra dollars a month, and for others the monthly savings can be in the thousands.
A CEC project that recently went online is located in Westport, Mass. Officially designated “The Cuff Slocum Community Solar Farm” in honor of a freed slave who owned a home and farmland on the property, the 3.4 megawatt (MW) facility will generate more than $1.7 million in savings for Eversource residential and business customers, and will generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in property tax revenue for the town of Westport.
CEC has new community solar projects located across service territories and load zones, including facilities in Swansea, Sutton, Grafton, Holliston, Marion, Fairhaven, Uxbridge, Williamsburg, Orange, North Adams, Goshen, Phillipston, West Bridgewater, Clarksburg, and Haverhill.
My Own Clean Energy: A Solar Dashboard
A key feature of the RooflessSolar™ program is CEC’s proprietary software that seamlessly integrates with utility billing systems and automates on-bill credits to panel owners/subscribers. This system also is the foundation of a vibrant consumer-facing online portal—called “My Own Clean Energy”—that allows community solar customers to monitor their clean energy data online anytime and across all devices. Participants can view and share their energy production, bill savings, environmental benefits, and receive valuable updates and account messaging. It’s a direct connection to their solar PV system.
Community Solar for Small Businesses
For small and medium size businesses, utility costs are one of the most difficult expenses to reduce without impacting operations. More and more businesses are turning to solar to help reduce costs and achieve their own goals and standards for sustainable business practices. For most businesses, though, putting a solar system on their roofs or properties doesn’t make financial sense or just isn’t possible.
Businesses across the Commonwealth are turning to CEC’s RooflessSolar™ program as a flexible, cost-effective way to reduce their utility expenses, hedge against rising electricity costs, and satisfy environmental initiatives without a large capital investment or costly modification to a building or property. Touting their sustainability efforts through community solar also enhances their brand image and can be a differentiating factor to current and potential customers.
Date and Time
Tuesday Mar 21, 2017
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM EDTTuesday, March 21
5:00 - 7:00pmLocation
Splitsville / Howl at the Moon at Patriot Place
220 Patriot Place
Foxborough, MA 02035Fees/Admission
Free to Chamber Members
$10 Non MembersContact Information
Ruthie Briggs
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