Vent: I was wrong about the local solar co-op program

I thought those neighborhood solar co-ops were just a marketing gimmick to push expensive panels on people. But my neighbor signed up last year and I watched her electric bill drop from $120 a month to about $30. She paid $8,000 after the 30% tax credit for a 6 kilowatt system on her roof. I finally joined the co-op in March and my panels went live two weeks ago. The installer used American-made panels and the whole process took just 4 days. Has anyone else had a good experience with these group buying programs?

2 comments

2 Comments

fisher.reese15d ago

The thing that people miss with these co-ops is that they force the installer to compete on price by bundling like 50 homes together. My cousin joined one in Phoenix and paid $7,200 for a 5.8 kW system - same gear would've been $9,500 if he went solo. Also, the co-op negotiates a flat labor rate so no shady upcharges. Your neighbor's drop from $120 to $30 is solid proof these programs aren't just talk.

jordanm1915d agoMost Upvoted

Heard a similar story from my buddy in Tucson. @fisher.reese basically nailed it with the bundling thing, because my friend said his co-op got something like 60 homes signed up and the price per watt was way lower than anything he found on his own. He had a similar setup I think around 6 kW and now his electric bill is basically just the base connection fee. I was kinda skeptical at first too, but seeing how fast his install went and the quality of the panels they used made me change my mind.