Solar United Neighbors Explained

Solar United Neighbors
Abbreviation:SUN
Formation:2007
Founder:Walter Schoolman, Diego Arene-Morley, Anya Schoolman
Founding Location:Mount Pleasant (Washington, D.C.)
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Solar United Neighbors (SUN) is an American nonprofit organization that arranges solar co-ops for group purchase of home solar panel installations.[1]

History

The organization had its beginnings in 2007 when Walter Schoolman and his friend Diego Arene-Morley, both aged 12, watched the film An Inconvenient Truth.[2] [3] Following this, they asked their respective parents to install solar panels on their homes.[4] [3] Walter's mother, Anya Schoolman helped the two boys to found the Mt. Pleasant Solar Cooperative after their request and after discovering the high cost of retail solar installations.[5] [4] [3] As a group, they convinced some of their neighbors to join together to increase their buying power for solar installations. The initial group had by 2009 installed solar panels for 45 homes in Washington D.C.’s Mt. Pleasant neighborhood.[5] [6]

In 2011 Anya Schoolman founded the national organization that would become Solar United Neighbors.[5]

In 2018, SUN partnered with the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) in support of the US National Solar Tour, a tour of operational solar systems.[7]

By March 2021, the effort had installed solar panels for 5,200 homes in the United States.[8]

Advocacy

Observers have noted that Solar United Neighbors seeks to influence government policy affecting solar panel installations and to install solar panels in ways that are socially just.[9] [10] [11]

In 2021 SUN joined with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance[12] and the Initiative for Energy Justice[13] in the 30 Million Solar Homes campaign.[14]

Locations

SUN is active throughout the United States, including locations in Florida,[15] [16] [17] Indiana,[18] Minnesota,[19] New Mexico,[20] Ohio,[21] [22] Pennsylvania,[23] [24] Texas,[25] [26] [27] Virginia,[28] Washington, D.C.[29] [30] and West Virginia.[31]

SUN has partnered with RMI in the United States.[32]

Projects in some states, such as the Sunnyside Energy Community Solar project in Houston, offer resilience during extreme weather events.[33]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pierobon. Jim. October 24, 2017. Solar co-op innovator expanding nationwide, aims to empower homeowners. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210425201401/https://energynews.us/2017/10/24/solar-co-op-innovator-expanding-nationwide-aims-to-empower-homeowners/. April 25, 2021. April 25, 2021. ENERGY NEWS NETWORK.
  2. News: Jenkins . Mark . D.C. SUN is a group approach to renewable energy . Washington Post . 2014-04-02.
  3. Book: Flaccavento . Anthony . Building a Healthy Economy from the Bottom Up: Harnessing Real-World Experience for Transformative Change . 2016-06-10 . University Press of Kentucky . 978-0-8131-6735-0 . en.
  4. Book: Karelas . Andreas . Climate Courage: How Tackling Climate Change Can Build Community, Transform the Economy, and Bridge the Political Divide in America . 2020-09-29 . Beacon Press . 978-0-8070-8489-2 . en.
  5. Book: Fairchild . Denise . Weinrub . Al . Energy Democracy: Advancing Equity in Clean Energy Solutions . 2017-10-12 . Island Press . 978-1-61091-851-0 . en.
  6. Web site: See How One Family Found a Smarter Way to Go Solar . Martha Stewart . en.
  7. Web site: Sylvia. Tim. August 24, 2018. 2018 National Solar Tour of Homes largest in event's history. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210121234748/https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2018/08/24/2018-national-solar-tour-of-homes-largest-in-events-history/. January 21, 2021. April 25, 2021. pv magazine.
  8. Web site: Detailed history. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210122132758/https://www.solarunitedneighbors.org/about-us/our-history/detailed-history/. January 22, 2021. April 16, 2021. Solar United Neighbors.
  9. Web site: Andorka. Frank. October 4, 2017. Group recruits standing solar army. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210122101529/https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2017/10/04/group-recruits-standing-solar-army/. January 22, 2021. April 16, 2021. pv magazine.
  10. Web site: Hanley. Steve. September 12, 2017. Co-Ops In Florida Make Rooftop Solar Possible For More People. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210228175406/https://cleantechnica.com/2017/09/12/co-ops-florida-make-rooftop-solar-possible-people/. February 28, 2021. April 16, 2021. CleanTechnica.
  11. Book: Karelas, Andreas. Climate Courage. Beacon Press. 2020. 9780807084892. Boston. 141–142. Kindle locations 2544-2568.
  12. Web site: About ILSR. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210220112656/https://ilsr.org/about-the-institute-for-local-self-reliance/. February 20, 2021. April 17, 2021. Institute for Local Self-Reliance.
  13. Web site: About the Initiative for Energy Justice. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210216184816/https://iejusa.org/about/. February 16, 2021. April 17, 2021. initiative for energy justice.
  14. Web site: 30 Million Solar Homes Earth Wise . Earth Wise.
  15. Web site: Company . Tampa Publishing . Why now is the perfect time for Tampa Bay to go solar . Tampa Bay Times . en.
  16. Web site: 2020-08-11 . Hillsborough Co. Solar Co-op launches for residents to go solar together . WFLA.
  17. Web site: June 23, 2020 . Gulf Coast Community Foundation Grants $30,000 to Two New Solar Co-Ops . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210316103341/https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/news-and-profiles/2020/06/gulf-coast-community-foundation-grants-30-000-to-two-new-solar-co-ops . March 16, 2021 . April 25, 2021 . Sarasota Magazine.
  18. Web site: 2021-04-22 . Boone County Solar Co-Op Relaunching For A Second Year . Zionsville, IN Patch . en.
  19. News: Hassanzadeh . Erin . April 27, 2023 . Solar United Neighbors helps Minneapolis homeowners go solar on a budget . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230428225100/https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/solar-united-neighbors-helps-minneapolis-homeowners-go-solar-on-a-budget/ . April 28, 2023 . February 29, 2024 . CBS News.
  20. News: Albright . David . December 6, 2023 . Solar United Neighbors launches San Juan County buying co-op . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240417000000/https://www.tricityrecordnm.com/articles/solar-united-neighbors-launches-san-juan-county-buying-co-op/ . April 17, 2024 . April 17, 2024 . Tri-City Record.
  21. Web site: Ludt . Billy . April 29, 2020 . Solar United Neighbors starting 4 solar co-ops in Ohio . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200516010814/https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2020/04/solar-united-neighbors-starting-solar-co-ops-in-ohio/ . May 16, 2020 . April 25, 2021 . Solar Power World.
  22. News: Welter . Chris . July 10, 2023 . Solar co-op seeks business, non-profit members; to hold local information sessions . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230804193933/https://www.wyso.org/business-economy-news/2023-07-10/solar-co-op-seeks-business-non-profit-members-to-hold-local-information-sessions . August 4, 2023 . March 5, 2024 . 91.3 wyso . Miami Valley, Ohio.
  23. News: Deornellas . Elizabeth . January 13, 2024 . Solar United Neighbors brings co-op model to Lancaster County solar customers . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240113103756/https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/solar-united-neighbors-brings-co-op-model-to-lancaster-county-solar-customers/article_d7bb9b94-b186-11ee-9f65-8f1dfd8ee9a1.html . January 13, 2024 . February 28, 2024 . LancasterOnline.
  24. News: Phox . Jason . May 18, 2023 . Solar United Neighbors launches 2023 co-op program to bring more green energy to Allegheny County . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230521090324/https://nextpittsburgh.com/environment/solar-united-neighbors-launches-co-op-program-to-brings-more-green-energy-to-allegheny-county/ . May 21, 2023 . March 3, 2024 . NEXTpittsburgh . Pennsylvania.
  25. Web site: Gray . Lisa . Considering solar panels for your roof? Here's what Lisa Gray learned. . Houston Chronicle . 2021-06-16.
  26. News: February 27, 2024 . Plano Solar 101 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240228055347/https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Plano-City-News--Help-a-Neighborhood-through-Plano-CARES.html?soid=1112819780769&aid=t-R6oeKfyHo . February 28, 2024 . February 27, 2024 . Plano City News . Scroll down to Happenings.
  27. News: March 13, 2024 . Whole Home Dallas and Solar United Neighbors launch second round of Solar Switch Dallas to offer solar panel installation guidance to Dallas residents . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240422171117/https://www.dallascitynews.net/whole-home-dallas-and-solar-united-neighbors-launch-second-round-of-solar-switch-dallas-to-offer-solar-panel-installation-guidance-to-dallas-residents . April 22, 2024 . April 22, 2024 . City of Dallas.
  28. Web site: November 24 . How Virginians are going solar, powered by national program . The Henrico Citizen . 2019-11-24.
  29. News: Crane . Brianna . May 27, 2023 . What you need to know about solar panels in Washington . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230528000117/https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2023/05/27/solar-panels-washington-dc . May 28, 2023 . February 26, 2024 . Axios.
  30. News: PEPCO, SOLAR UNITED NEIGHBORS, RESPOND TO LATEST PROPOSAL IN D.C. COMMUNITY SOLAR VIOLATION CONTROVERSY . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231010113310/https://newprojectmedia.com/news/pepco-solar-united-neighbors-respond-to-latest-proposal-in-dc-community-solar-violation-controversy . October 10, 2023 . April 22, 2024 . New Project Media.
  31. News: Beard . David . January 19, 2024 . Solar United Neighbors survey shows statewide support for solar power and net metering . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240119202540/https://www.dominionpost.com/2024/01/19/solar-united-neighbors-survey-shows-statewide-support-for-solar-power-and-net-metering/ . January 19, 2024 . March 2, 2024 . . West Virginia.
  32. Web site: Stone . Laurie . May 9, 2023 . Bringing Solar Power to the People . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240221195624/https://rmi.org/bringing-solar-power-to-the-people/ . February 21, 2024 . April 22, 2024 . RMI.
  33. Web site: Brown. Alleen. March 1, 2021. AFTER TEXAS, GREEN NEW DEAL ADVOCATES PUSH ROOFTOP SOLAR. BUT WILL BIDEN FUND IT?. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210310102227if_/https://theintercept.com/2021/03/01/solar-electricity-green-new-deal-biden/. March 10, 2021. April 24, 2021. The Intercept_.

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