I met Joy Hughes this morning and had the good fortune of hearing her explain this idea to Jaqueline from KHEN. It’s a very interesting idea, and the bill HB 1342 may just change the face of energy creation. It has been proposed that a solar farm could now be created just about anywhere. Attached is their press release. -bd
A New Model for Community Groups and Investors- Opening March 11
At this event we hope to show some exciting new solar technologies, introduce some of the Solar Panel Hosting team, and unveil our top ten Solar Gardens sites. Barring schedule conflicts, Sen. Gail Schwartz will be attending.
The First Working Solar Garden: A New Model for Community Groups and Investors- Opening March 11 Hosted by SolarPanelHosting.com and SolarGardens.or
SolarGardens.org and SolarPanelHosting.com will be unveiling a working Solar Garden in Westminster, Colorado March 11, 2010, the same day the Solar Gardens bill (HB 1342) will be introduced into the Colorado State Assembly. The bill, introduced by Claire-Levy (D-Boulder, Gilpin) will allow people to come together in groups from 10-1,500 to establish community-scale power plants. A Solar Garden can be located on multiple homes, large buildings, or integrated into working agricultural land.
The event, beginning at 11am at 4800 West 80th Ave, Westminster CO, will consist of a press conference and tours of the solar garden and will be free and open to the public. This will be the site of a future Solar Information Center open to the public. It will be followed by a lunch presentation at Los Arcos restaurant featuring several speakers, including Senator Gail Schwartz (D- Southern Colorado) and Joy Hughes, founder of SolarPanelHosting.com.
“The idea of Solar Gardens is beginning to capture the public’s attention and imagination. We are active in at least a dozen Colorado Counties and a dozen U.S. States. The interest is spreading around the globe through SolarGardens.org and the Solar Gardens Facebook group.” says Hughes.
“Imagine getting a check in the mail each month instead of an electric bill. SolarPanelHosting.com pays like a small oil well on your roof, but without the mess.” says Hughes. “Property owners and investors have been asking how they can make money from solar energy. We hope to show how investors can realize a rapid return.”
“Libraries, schools, and churches can benefit by hosting a solar garden on their property. Homeowners can donate roof space to support their favorite charity. Using rooftops instead of industrial solar farms helps protect important landscapes like Colorado’s San Luis Valley. We support independent solar professionals in each area.” The hosting revenue for at least 10% of the panels at the Solar Garden in Westminster, Colorado will be donated to a non-profit organization to be chosen by SolarGardens.org members.
At the Westminster model garden, ten subscribers each will purchase the rights to solar panels providing one kilowatt of solar energy. Some of the subscribers will be tenants in the building, demonstrating how a subscription to a solar garden on the same building can be part of a standard rental contract. Other subscribers will be located in the local neighborhood, around Colorado, and as far away as Seattle. According to Hughes, “Remote panel owners can gain more in sunshine than the cost of their subscription. Owning a share of a solar garden could very well be less expensive than going it alone. People will be able to go solar with just a click.”
Based in the rural community of Saguache, Colorado, SolarPanelHosting.com offers a way for everyone to own solar panels in their community, even if they have a shady roof, rent an apartment, or might move. As a pioneer Hosting Service Provider, SPH is bringing together solar subscribers, property owners, investors, and local solar professionals to build and manage distributed power plants throughout America. This independent company is dedicated to protecting critical landscapes through ten principles of responsible solar development. Website: http://www.solarpanelhosting.com
About Solar Gardens
SolarGardens.org is forming as a non-profit cooperative, organizing communities to pool their resources to go solar. Libraries and schools, churches and non-profit groups can benefit by hosting a distributed power plant where anyone can own solar panels. SolarGardens.org advocates for community based energy development through legislation such as Colorado’s “Solar Gardens” bill, introduced in 2010 (HR 1342). Solar Gardens are self-organizing everywhere, beginning to transform America through solar power and people power.
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Thanks Bill. The concept of solar gardens is definitely an intriguing idea. We have been looking at the options for a few years now and actually have a couple in the works. It opens the door for anyone to participate in renewable energy regardless of the solar potential at their own house. As mentioned by Joy Hughes, public buildings are a great place to house these gardens as well as extra open space in large scale housing developments.
I do have a couple issues with the comments in the article….
“Imagine getting a check in the mail each month instead of an electric bill. SolarPanelHosting.com pays like a small oil well on your roof, but without the mess.”….Even if a homeowner buys into the solar garden, it does not mean they will never get an electric bill again. This comment can be very misleading and should not be taken lightly. My second question is what is the “mess” that Joy Hughes is referring to? Is she referring to Solar systems or Oil wells? We have installed over 60 systems here in the valley and I have never had anyone say their roof was a mess? Just curious, I may be interpreting it wrong.
A great idea. We built totally off the grid using solar with some wind in 1995. It works. Our system is not even hooked to the grid, with batteries used for storage of power. We run our home with all the comforts as well as a business off a properly sized system. Even though there were no credits or incentives when we built our place, since it is rural the pay back was also immediate.
I have one concern with the solar garden concept and that involves possible future shading of panels. The proposed concept for a “solar garden” or “solar farm” looks to be targeted for installation within a community or a new development. Is this correct?
Would there be a need for an ordinance within the town to prevent the construction of a taller building adjacent to a solar garden either through the demolition of an existing structure or on vacant lands? This would apply to a height restriction standard on the south or southeast-southwest sides of the solar garden. Communities change over time. That applies to not only homes but also trees. A new development in a rural area could put the needed restriction within a homeowners association covenants. Within the confines of a community or a tightly clustered development this could be a future problem if not addressed at the out set of the program.
Maybe Tim could address this point.
Ed Rogers
This is a great concept and It would work great on Schools, Libraries, and Churches, reducing their electric utility bills and allowing them to spend money elsewhere.
Solar Electric prices has come down recently, but then so have Xcel’s Solar* Rewards rebates.
And “rapid return” is certainly a mis-leading statement.
I’ll be anxious to see how the final House Bill 1342 looks.
Thanks for the comments Ed. I would hope that the shading potential for the solar gardens would be addressed up front. If they are on a large roof, then they will probably be high enough off the ground to begin with. If they are a ground mount then the long term look at the surrounds and shading should be considered.
The article also makes note of “Homeowners can donate roof space to support their favorite charity.” I don’t see this as being a reasonable approach. I for one would not want someone else “owning” my roof. The concept is just fine on a public building where it will probably still be a public building in 20 years. But what happens when the homeowner who…. donated roof space to support their favorite charity…. whats to sell the house? Is there a clause in the contract that says: Only the house is for sale, not the roof?
That being said, it is my belief that the Solar Garden concept is best suited for large roofs or tracts of land. Look for a few to pop up in Chaffee County later this year.
Shade is an issue durng the solar window from 9 am -3 pm.Perhaps Colorado should adapt something like the California which has a solar shade control act. Here are the highlights:
The CA. Solar Shade Control Act grants certain protections to owners of solar collectors. Solar collectors that are blocked by the shade of a neighbor’s tree or shrub may be protected under the Shade Act. The solar owner must be able to answer “Yes” to the following questions:
Does the neighboring tree or shrub shade more than 10% of the solar collector between 10 am and 2 pm local standard time?
Was the tree or shrub in question planted, or did the tree or shrub in question grow to shade the solar collector, after the solar collector’s installation?
Did the tree or shrub in question begin to cast a shadow on the solar collector one year after the solar collector’s installation?
Was the tree or shrub in question planted after January 1, 1979?
Was the solar collector installed pursuant to the Section 25982 setback requirements?
Does the solar collector meet the statutory definition of a “solar collector” provided in Section 25981?
There may be no violation of the Shade Act on the part of the tree or shrub owner if any of the following questions can be answered “No”:
Does the tree or shrub shade more than 10% of the solar collector between 10 am and 2pm local standard time?
Do you own or lease the property on which the tree or shrub is located?
Was the tree or shrub in question was planted after January 1, 1979?
In addition to the questions above, the tree owner may not be in violation of the Shade act if any of the following questions can be answered “Yes”:
During the 12 months following installation of the solar collector, did the tree or shrub in question cast a shadow on the solar collector?
Is the tree or shrub in question owned by a municipality that has passed an ordinance exempting itself from the Act?
Is the tree or shrub in question growing on land designated as timberland or agricultural land?
Are the trees or shrubs in question part of a passive cooling and heating strategy in which net energy savings from the passive solar system are demonstrably greater than those of the shaded solar collector?
There is a huge hole in HB1342 as written as Solar Panel Gardens will not apply to Cooperative Electrical Associations or Municipally owned utilities.
Basically, what this means is if your utility is not Xcel or Black Hills this concept wont apply to you or your community.
Tim- The person with a big roof who hosts solar panels might be able to earn enough to receive a check. Subscribers whose panels produce more than they use will receive a check by net metering.
(Someone will argue with me, but I still think solar panels are less messy than oil wells ;-)
Ed- You don’t actually donate the roof space, just some portion of the income from panels hosted on your roof. This is included in a contract with the subscriber. Under certain kinds of financing, the panels go with the building if sold.
Michael- The quick payoff will be to an investor who then resells the panels to subscribers. For subscribers, payoff time will be similar to that for panels on their own roofs.
Solar panel hosting is a way to mitigate the effects of shade and to protect trees. If you are putting up solar panels to lower carbon emissions, cutting down trees would negate this.
There are plans afoot to do community owned projects on REA’s that for poetic license are called “solar gardens” but not covered under the bill (luckily, as they will not count towards the bill’s cap of 6 Megawatts). For instance, Holy Cross up in Carbondale is doing a solar garden, and the SLV Development Resources Group is doing a feasibility study for community owned energy through our Rural Electric Cooperative.
Hope this clears things up! Thanks for helping me get the message out in an ever more clear way.
-Joy
Wow, what great dialog! Let’s all get together and do a special panel on the best ways to implement solar in Chaffee County! Mike, Tim, Joy are you game for a Wednesday 9-10am?
Jacqueline
City Squawk
KHEN LP 106.9
I will need a few days notice, if it is nice outside we are installing.
Emails started flying around last night pointing out more issues around HB 1342 as written. Quoted from COSEIA’s director Niel Lurie: “The Community Solar Gardens bill, HB-1342, would divert funding for up to 10,000 solar installations into a handful of large projects (up to 2 MW), putting the rooftop solar PV market at risk.” ….”The Solar Gardens concept, if done correctly, has many benefits and could help grow the industry. But HB-1342 does not increase the amount of solar, it simply slices the pie into a few large projects, putting too many jobs at risk.”
There is no silver bullet with how renewable energy is implemented, but one thing that needs to be recognized is the amount of jobs that have been created in the industry, jobs that are needed more than ever in this economy.
I’m not sure if a “diversion” of project funds really impacts the industry, I’d like to know more about that. I really just want to see the opportunity for renters, low income homeowners, and groups of people without adequate rooftops or land to be able to catch the sun. I hope the bill will make it through so that we can accomplish at least that…..
Jacqueline
” see the opportunity for renters, low income homeowners, and groups of people without adequate rooftops or land to be ableto catch the sun. ”
I’d like to see how the pro forma on how this is to be financed. How does the ROI work ? It sounds great……..
This from CoSEIA
900+ Solar Jobs and 10,000 Solar Roofs at Risk
Action Alert: Vote No on HB-1342
The Solar Gardens concept, if done correctly, has many benefits and could help grow the industry but there are so many poison pills in this
legislation that there is little choice but to start over.
Why are utilities lobbying so hard for HB-1342, the Community Solar
Gardens bill?
It turns out that HB-1342 would roll back the need to add solar roofs and it reduces the total amount of solar to be installed.
Here’s what this bill means to you:
- Reduces solar by 25% in Colorado: this bill reduces the amount of
megawatts of solar PV that utilities are required to install this decade
by adopting a special multiplier for “community-based projects”.
- Pulls the plug on solar roofs: if utilities choose, they could build a
handful of large solar projects in a quiet corner of the state and never
worry about solar rooftops again, leading to 10,000+ fewer solar roofs in Colorado.
- 900 fewer jobs in Colorado: at a time when Colorado needs to get its
economy back on track, fewer solar roofs equal a far fewer local jobs for you, your family, friends and neighbors.
- Weakens oversight of monopolies: this bill actually includes language
that says ‘community solar gardens are not subject to regulation’, a
dangerous step that erodes the checks and balances needed for fair
practices of utilities.
Despite the tremendous potential of community solar, HB-1342 is full of
trap doors and hidden passageways that poison the promise of this
legislation.
HB-1342 already passed the House Transportation & Energy Committee by 9-2vote so we urgently need your help before it’s too late. HB-1342 is about to head to the House, and if passed, would quickly head to the Senate.
TAKE ACTION – TIGHT DEADLINE: Please contact your State Representative & Senator today to ask him/her to vote NO on HB-1342 Community Solar Gardens.
You can reach the Capitol switchboard for the State House at: 303.866.2904 or Senate at: 303.866.2316.
Key Messages (important to be respectful):
*I live in your district & urge you to vote NO on HB-1342 Community Solar Gardens *HB-1342 will cost 900 + jobs, hurt small businesses and is bad for the economy.
And please spread the word to colleagues and friends.
This legislation has reached a critical juncture. Don’t let utility
lobbyists rewrite the future of solar. Please take action today. Thanks!
Best regards,
Neal Lurie
Executive Director, CoSEIA
Footnotes:
- Under this bill there is a 1.5x multiplier so 6 MW of solar PV under
this bill would count as 9 MW, reducing Xcel’s requirement to add 3 MW of solar per year or some 27 MW this decade.
- According to a new report: “Investing in the Sun” released 2/2010, 1000 MW equals approximately 33,500 jobs.
- Note that there is no cap on the number of MW of community solar that Xcel can purchase.
- Community solar gardens not subject to regulation referenced in pg 6-7 of HB-1342
Solar industry associations should be focused on increasing the distributed energy requirement and protecting the San Luis Valley, this would free up a Gigawatt (one Billion watts, the equivalent of 200,000+ homes) for traditional rooftop solar, solar gardens, and wholesale distributed energy.
see http://www.saveslv.org/2010/03/power-at-grass-roots-distributed-energy.html to see how this all ties together.
Joy, I hate to be the one one to break it to you, but your numbers have no basis in reality.
Where are you getting your numbers ?
Michael,
I have attempted to explain the model to you several times, and you still do not understand it. You level the same criticism at me now in public.
As Bob Dylan says “don’t criticize what you can’t understand”
I have spent enough time now trying to explain it to you.
Joy,
When I asked for details this is what you said:
” I would need to be under NDA with you in order to share that level of detail.”
“Well then you’ll just have to wait for our public announcements, stay
tuned.”
“I’ll forward on a link about solar garden financials”
This never showed up in my inbox.
You have attempted to explain nothing.Nada.Zip.
I feel as though I’m trying to work with a Wall street banker in a pyramid game.
The risk of sharing strategic information without a nondisclosure agreement is highlighted by incidents such as the reposting of private emails on a public forum.
Looking to try it out but is it really easy to set it up? And yes I agree with you we should always try everything to save our lovely environment.