Residents and businesses in the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck have formed a solar co-op to make going solar easier and cheaper. Co-op members use their group buying power to get a discount and work with the support of the non-profit VA Solar United Neighbors (SUN) as they go solar. VA SUN brought the first Solarize program to Virginia and has helped hundreds of homeowners go solar in the Commonwealth.
By going solar together as a group, the co-op gets discounts through bulk purchasing power, saving an average of 20% compared to the cost of an individual installation. The group uses a competitive bidding process and selects a single company to install systems on all participating homes and businesses. Each participant signs his or her contract at the group discount. VA SUN educates participants about solar and acts as a consumer advocate throughout the process.
The co-op also connects participants to the greater movement of solar supporters working to protect the right of all Virginians to generate their own clean energy with solar.
