CHICAGO, July 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Consumer watchdog Citizens Utility Board (CUB) is partnering with 5 Chicagoland counties, renewable power advocates and photo voltaic professionals to supply a program to assist householders set up photo voltaic panels. photo voltaic panels at an enormous low cost and scale back their electrical energy payments by tons of of {dollars}, CUB introduced on Thursday.
The Solar Switch program is a partnership prepare dinner, DuPage, Kane, shallow pool and Carry On Counties, together with nonprofits CUB and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA). The program is managed by iChoosr, an organization that manages related photo voltaic applications around the globe.
Solar Switch is a “group shopping for” program, which suggests it secures quantity reductions for high quality photo voltaic installations, based mostly on what number of residents are within the 5 counties, together with resident of Kendall and McHenry provinces, incl. The program selects installers by means of a aggressive vetting course of after which runs a reverse-auction to acquire a low value.
“As a client advocate, CUB desires to teach shoppers and empower them to chop their utility payments, and the Solar Switch program does the identical,” he mentioned. Marina Minic, Solar Programs Coordinator at CUB. “The program offers shoppers an introduction to the advantages of solar energy, and it connects contributors to certified, vetted and inexpensive photo voltaic installers.”
Minic mentioned regulation, like Illinois’ The 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) and the federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, provide a number of incentives that may cowl practically 60 % of set up prices. That’s on high of the quantity reductions supplied by the Solar Switch program.
Once put in, photo voltaic panels have the potential to avoid wasting clients tons of of {dollars} annually on their electrical energy payments.
Here’s how the Solar Switch program works:
- Chicagoland residents are invited to register for this system at solarswitch.com/Chicagoland. There, residents can fill out a questionnaire to find out if their roof is appropriate for photo voltaic. Registrants even have entry to free, academic webinars.
- In June, iChoosr organized a reverse public sale–a course of the place the normal public sale roles of purchaser and vendor are reversed. That implies that in each public sale there’s a purchaser (a family or small enterprise) and iChoosr invitations certified, pre-vetted photo voltaic suppliers to compete to supply the bottom bid and win the participant’s enterprise.
- Registrants will obtain a personalised suggestion, after which certified installers will conduct distant and onsite inspections of the roof of those that settle for a proposal. The deadline for approval of private suggestions is August 21, 2024.
- Participants who overview and approve their closing quote will then schedule the set up. All installations might be accomplished in March 21, 2025.
CUB, MREA and the counties have been concerned in an analogous group buying program since 2019, serving to greater than 600 properties go photo voltaic, and educating greater than 3,000 shoppers in regards to the science and advantages. in photo voltaic.
Residents who take part are anticipated to avoid wasting on common $4,600 on a typical dimension photo voltaic set up, not counting the extra advantages of federal and state tax credit. The Solar Switch program supplies a superb alternative for Chicagoland residents to reap the benefits of these financial savings and make the transition to renewable power. Register without cost, academic webinars with no obligation to solarswitch.com/Chicagoland. Consumers with questions ought to e-mail [email protected].
Solar Switch Chicagoland a photo voltaic group buy program supplied to residential and small enterprise clients by means of the nonprofits MREA and CUB, and in partnership with prepare dinner, DuPage, Kane, shallow pool and Carry On provinces. The program is managed by iChoosr, an unbiased photo voltaic group-buying specialist. Founded in 2008, iChoosr is energetic in 5 international locations around the globe and its collective power and photo voltaic panel applications have helped greater than 2.2 million individuals save greater than $760 million.
The MREA integrated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit shortly after the primary Energy Fair in 1990. MREA’s mission is to advertise renewable power, power effectivity, and sustainable residing by means of schooling and demonstration. To study extra, name 715-592-6595 or go to www.midwestrenew.org.
The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) celebrated its fortieth anniversary as Illinois’ main nonprofit utility watchdog group. Created by the Illinois Legislature, CUB opened its doorways in 1984 to symbolize the pursuits of residential and small enterprise clients. Since then, CUB has saved shoppers greater than $20 billion by serving to to dam fee hikes and securing refunds. For extra info, name CUB’s Consumer Hotline at 1-800-669-5556 or go to CUB’s award-winning web site, www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.
SOURCE Citizens Utility Board
