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Why now is the perfect time for Tampa Bay to go solar | Column
Two local solar co-ops recently opened.
 
Two solar co-ops recently opened, one in Pinellas and one in Hillsborough.
Two solar co-ops recently opened, one in Pinellas and one in Hillsborough.
Published Feb. 17, 2021

Super Bowl Sunday was nearly perfect. It was a beautiful day for football, with the sun shining on all of us. It was a perfect game, with the Buccaneers winning in a rout. The feeling was electric. That feeling was solar-powered. The Super Bowl host committee bought solar energy to offset the energy used during the big game.

Julia Herbst, gulf coast director at Solar United Neighbors. [ Solar United Neighbors ]

This shows how prevalent solar power is. Now, there’s a great opportunity for Bucs fans and other Tampa Bay residents to share in the team’s use of solar.

It’s called a “solar co-op” and it allows you to go solar with your neighbors for a great group rate. Imagine walking into a solar company’s office with 50 or 100 of your neighbors and saying, “We all want to get solar. What kind of deal can you give us?” That’s a solar co-op.

There are two solar co-ops that launched just in time for the Super Bowl: the Greater Tampa Solar Co-op and Greater St. Pete Solar Co-op. Residents and business owners in Hillsborough County are eligible to join the Greater Tampa Co-op, and those in Pinellas County are eligible to join the Greater St. Pete Co-op.

The groups are free to join and don’t require anyone to buy solar panels. Being in a co-op simply allows you to be in the group and have access to the information provided by the nonprofit Solar United Neighbors and the opportunity to go solar after installers in the region bid to offer the best rate and quality. It’s also a great way to meet your neighbors and go through the process of going solar together.

This opportunity couldn’t have come at a better time. Early this year, Congress passed COVID-19 relief legislation that extends the federal solar Investment Tax Credit. With the new legislation, you’ll be able to deduct 26% of the cost of installing a solar energy system from your federal taxes if you install a system this year or next.

Going solar through a co-op provides stability and savings on your electricity bills, particularly in the sunshine state, with great solar energy prices and policies, you’ll end up saving thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the solar panels. Florida has a policy called “net metering” where if your panels generate more electricity than you consume, the extra goes to your neighbors and you save money from credits on your electric bill.

These two co-ops will enable Tampa Bay homeowners and business owners to join the growing community of people saving money by harnessing solar power. Together, we’re building a movement to transform our electricity system into one that is cleaner, fairer and shares its benefits more broadly.

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To learn more:

Solar United Neighbors is hosting several free virtual information meetings: Thursday, Feb. 18 at 6 p.m., Tuesday, March 16 at 6 p.m. and Wednesday, April 7 at 6 p.m.

Julia Herbst is Gulf Coast director at Solar United Neighbors.