Sunnyside Community Solar program closed on Thursday, August 29 and received 525 total qualified applications. This new subscription program allows LPEA members to subscribe to locally generated solar energy without installing panels on their homes. Members can access clean energy from a shared solar array and receive credits on their electric bills. The program has two parts: one for income-qualified members and another open to all residential and commercial LPEA members. By subscribing, members contribute to community environmental goals while getting hassle-free access to sustainable energy.
“You never know what you’re going to get when you launch a new program and we’re so excited about Sunnyside’s success – it’s great to see the demand for clean, local utility-scale energy,” said Dan Harms, LPEA Executive VP of Grid Solutions. “Our members’ enthusiasm for sustainable solutions fuels our commitment to expanding these vital programs.”
The general membership program received 260 applications and is for any residential or commercial member not already utilizing solar power whether through their own panels or another preexisting community solar garden. All applicants will be placed in a lottery as the capacity demand exceeds the available supply.
The income-qualified program received 265 applications qualified through partner Four Corners Office for Resource Efficiency (4CORE). This free program is dedicated to members with annual household incomes under 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Additional capacity is available, and the application period has been extended until the program is full. Members can apply at 4CORE’s website.
“We estimate there are 40 more spaces for the income-qualified program, and we’d like to see residents take advantage of this program,” added Jenny Hill, Executive Director, 4CORE. Throughout the enrollment period in September, LPEA and 4CORE staff will contact all applicants whether they were selected or not. They will then work with all members who have been accepted to determine subscription size and sign subscription agreements. Subscriptions will officially start on October 1 and subscribers will see credits and subscription fees, if applicable, reflected on their November bill.
The subscription program, launched in partnership with 4CORE, allows LPEA members to access locally generated solar energy and receive credits on their electric bills, all without installing panels on their individual homes or businesses. The solar array includes 3,627 panels situated on 9 acres off Highway 550 near Sunnyside Elementary in Durango and constitutes LPEA’s first cooperative-owned community solar project. Subscriptions are for 5-year periods with this first period ending after about 4.5 years in March of 2029, at which point participating subscribers may renew or unenroll.
More information about the Sunnyside Community Solar Program may be found at lpea.coop/sunnyside.
Amanda Anderson is Strategic Communications Officer for La Plata Electric Association.