HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-02-2023; 12-5 - Information Item - Memorandum - Orange County Participation Results of the Solarize the Triangle Program 1
INFORMATION ITEM
ORANGE COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF ASSET MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Memorandum
To: Board of County Commissioners
Bonnie Hammersley, County Manager
From: Amy Eckberg, Sustainability Programs Manager
Date: May 2, 2023
Subject: Orange County Participation Results of the Solarize the
Triangle Program
Orange County is a participant in the Triangle Sustainable Partnership
(TSP), a partnership facilitated by Triangle J Council of Governments
(TJCOG) to elevate climate work through regional collaborations like the
Solarize the Triangle program. The TSP consists of eleven other local
jurisdictions across our region including: City of Durham, Durham County,
Chatham County, Town of Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, Carrboro, City of
Raleigh, Town of Morrisville, Cary, Holly Springs and Apex.
What is Solarize the Triangle?
Solarize the Triangle is a public-private community program that provides
participating communities with accessible and affordable clean energy
technologies through community engagement and collaboration. This two-
year program organized by TJCOG will expand residential, non-profit, and
small business solar installations through group purchasing and installation.
The program addresses market and policy barriers by reducing costs, vetting
materials, approving contractors, and securing pricing. Solarize campaigns
allow jurisdictions to educate residents on solar and to promote solar
installations in their communities in a timely and cost-efficient manner.
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The first year of the Solarize the Triangle program ended on March 31 , 2023
setting a national record as the largest solarize program in the Country! With
1 ,500 assessments made and 181 contracts signed, the program achieved
Tier 8 pricing, the lowest priced tier. The graphic below demonstrates the
impacts of the program on energy savings, carbon emissions averted and
renewable energy capacity achieved.
2022 CAMPAIGN MILESTONES
SOLARIZE THE
TRIANGLE �- 181
— contracts signedsolar power and
battery storage at 19731 kW`
crewdsourced prices � of new clean
energy capacity
1614 kWh
produced annually
— 00950
in annual utility
bill savings
$5.98M
° Irl new clear? energy
Join the movement development
to . cleaner and more
resilient ' # a 02��62 3• M lbs
cif avoided
SolarizetheTrian le. .. annually
Interest in the Solarize the Triangle program in Orange County was very
high. Orange County was second, only behind Wake County in terms of
overall assessments, contracts signed, kW hours, and first in terms of the
amount of battery storage purchased.
TJCOG will continue administering the Solarize the Triangle Partnership with
Solar Crowdsource and is gearing up to launch the second year of the
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program this spring. A soft launch occurred on Earth Day (April 22, 2023) to
be followed by a community wide campaign launch event on May 15, 2023
in Durham which will provide details on pricing and equipment options. The
enrollment deadline for this round is September 30, 2023 and residential
contracts will need to be finalized by December 31 , 2023. A variety of
eductaion and outreach opportunities will continue throughout the program
period and will include workshops, on-line informational webinars, solar tours
and outreach through local community groups and "solarize social" events.
Orange County has taken advantage of the option to provide subsidies for
low-income households who do not have disposable income to be able to
benefit from solar installed on their home which can considerably lower their
energy bills. Orange County has set aside $50,000 and will work with TJCOG
and our community partners to identify qualified households for solar
installations.
What does it cost for Orange County to participate?
Each local government contributes to the administration costs of running the
program, but program participants pay the full cost of installing the solar on
their homes, non-profits, or businesses. Orange County's portion is $1 ,495
for program administration to cover the two-year program.
Some of the benefits of a solarize program are summarized below, however
the community-based public, private partnership that was formed to make
this program such a success should be recognized and is a model we are
currently exploring for future community-wide electrification programs.
Solarize Benefits
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* Vetted cQntractors Rechirecl customer 1!�nomic
ar+d materials acisition c st elopn�ent
■ Free evaluations and ; lrt�proved permit Job creation
strearnIine process process • Fleet clears energy
■ 'trusted community-. • Limited geographic .goals
basest prograrn area a Reduced electricity
■ Discount pricing * Lasting community costs and added
relationship resilience
■ Sol5mart or other
green certifications
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