February 24, 2022
Solar United Neighbors (SUN) is a unique non-profit that helps individuals or neighborhoods go solar by forming local co-ops, which are free to join. SUN will be organizing the 2022 Houston Solar Co-op in collaboration with the Mayor's Office of Resilience and Sustainability (MORS). Participants who join a SUN co-op learn about solar technology and the process of going solar. These bulk purchasing groups then make it easy to save on having solar power installed on a home. The co-op will allow participants to purchase rooftop solar panels and battery storage systems. The City of Houston press release for the new Houston Solar Co-op can be found here:
The solar co-ops are free to join, and joining is not a commitment to purchase panels. The co-op is open to homeowners and business owners, as well as non-profit groups. Together, members will learn about going solar and leverage their numbers to purchase individual solar systems at a discounted group price. Participants can then decide if going solar is right for them. Members then have the option to individually purchase panels, batteries, and electric vehicle chargers based on the installer's group rate.
An initial online information session is scheduled for March, and future information sessions will be planned. The one-hour information session is scheduled for Thursday, March 10 at 7pm. For updated details and registration, go to:
The free session will teach more about solar energy, how SUN will help you through the process, and how you can save money by going solar. Additional information and links for the new Houston Solar Co-op is available here:
Video summary about the SUN Solar Co-op process:
Solar United Neighbors began its work a decade ago. Adding more solar power and storage will ease the strain on the electric grid that future storms like Winter Storm Uri could cause. Today, SUN helps thousands of homeowners across the country go solar each year.
SUN has hosted 10 other solar co-ops in Texas since 2018. According to the group’s estimates, the homes and businesses that now have solar panels because of co-ops represent: 1.35 MW of solar power, $1.7 million in local solar spending, and more than 40 million lbs. of lifetime carbon offsets.
Below is the link for those completed Texas co-ops:
Locally, SUN is partnering with non-profits including Greentown Labs, Houston Renewable Energy Group, South Union CDC, Houston Sierra Club, Citizens' Climate Lobby, TX Interfaith Power and Light, and the Houston Renewable Energy Group to spread word about this new Houston co-op.