A program offering solar panel leasing to low and moderate income homeowners across Georgia has expanded to include nonprofit organizations, and it’s also offering a holiday-season incentive to participate.
The Georgia BRIGHT program, first launched in September, offers rooftop solar leases through the Capital Good Fund, a nonprofit that is using federal funding, grants, and bulk purchase discounts to reduce the cost of installing solar on homeowners’ roofs.
Launched in collaboration with the City of Savannah, Georgia BRIGHT has signed seven leases so far, all of which have begun or obtained permitting, said Andy Posner, CEO of Capital Good Fund. With a goal of 200 leases statewide, the program is offering a gift card for signing up before year’s end. Capital Good Fund provided the funding for the gift cards.
“We want to make sure we keep momentum going through the end of the year,” said Alicia Brown, acting director of Savannah’s Sustainability Office. “So it’s $200 for any leases signed by December 31. And that’s for both the residential BRIGHT program and the nonprofit one.”
The nonprofit leasing program is available to any tax exempt organization that owns their own building. Three Savannah nonprofits ahave already inquired.
“So churches, synagogues, schools, local governments, shelters, food pantries, the whole nine yards,” Brown said.
For Georgia residents to qualify, they must own their home, have a roof in good condition, and have a gross annual household income of $100,000 or less. No minimum credit score is required.
The program eliminates the often insourmountable upfront cost of solar, which can run over $10,000 for an average rooftop array. Instead, participants pay a monthly lease fee that’s based on the size of the home, the current electric bill and other factors. Program organizers expect the average lease to cost about $47 a month but to save about $67 a month on the electric bill, netting the homeowner about $20 a month.
The program also offers a battery backup, which has proven popular so far, with four lessees opting also to lease a battery to provide emergency power.
“Particularly for folks on the coast, it’s more top of mind,” Posner said.
Georgia BRIGHT is a pilot program being run in anticipation of a much larger federal grant that’s expected to help fund 8,000 residential rooftop leases over a five-year period. If it’s successful, Georgia’s rooftop solar inventory would jump from about 12,000 to 20,000 residences.
Brown said the pilot is teaching the organizers what works in terms of outreach and what barriers remain.
“You have to explain the sun allows you to create your own energy,” she said. “So you buy less from Georgia Power. And that’s how you save money.”
She also counsels applicants on how to spot a solar scam.
“If they’re saying anyone’s giving you free solar, you need to verify what that organization is and ask a lot of questions. Because most of the time, it’s not free,” she said. “Another thing I said is to look for trusted organizations to endorse that solar installer. So if it’s a local government endorsing or your church endorsing, that’s usually a good sign.”
To learn more about how to become a Georgia BRIGHT home or nonprofit, visit bit.ly/GABRIGHT or call (866) 584-3651.
The Tide brings news and observations from The Current’s staff.
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