Sun Provides Electricity; Local Company Provides Financial Incentive
Energy Supplier Kicks Off Summer Season With Innovative Program,
Purchases Solar Power at a Premium
PHILADELPHIA, PA –
The Energy Cooperative
today announced the first purchase agreement under its residential solar
energy buy-back program. The Cooperative,
a Philadelphia-based competitive energy supplier, agreed to buy the
electricity produced by Andy Rudin’s residential solar energy
system in Melrose Park, PA. Under this landmark program, The Energy
Cooperative will pay its members who have a photovoltaic solar system
twenty cents per kilowatt hour for the output from their system. The
Energy Cooperative of Pennsylvania is the first non-utility competitive
supplier in the country to institute a residential solar energy purchase
program with its customers.
“Our goal is
to change the economics of solar power,” said Nadia Adawi, Director of
Operations for The Energy Cooperative and author of the program. “The
Cooperative’s financial support can reduce the payback for a typical
photovoltaic system by as much as 30%. We want all of our members to
consider putting a system on their roof.”
Glen Thomas, Chair of the Pennsylvania
Public Utility Commission, said "Pennsylvania has become a national leader
when it comes to renewable energy-- thanks to electric competition and to
the spirit of innovation we have fostered here. We applaud this kind of
market innovation.”
Solar power is widely recognized as one of
the cleanest ways to generate electricity. And contrary to popular
belief, solar power works quite well in the Philadelphia area, which gets
as much as 70% of the solar radiation as extremely sunny places like
Tucson (AZ). Also, solar works best just when electricity is in highest
demand – during hot, sunny weather.
“My rooftop system provides clean, local
electricity, and The Energy Cooperative’s program makes it more
affordable” said Andy Rudin. “I’m glad to be the Cooperative’s first solar
energy provider and I truly hope that others join me by putting solar
systems on their rooftops and taking advantage of the Cooperative’s
financial incentives.”
The Cooperative’s goal is to purchase 100,000
kilowatt-hours (kWh) of solar power by the end of this year. To take
advantage of the program, customers must be a member of The Energy
Cooperative and must purchase the Co-op’s “EcoChoice 100” 100% renewable
energy. Members must install a photovoltaic system that meets
specifications developed by the Sustainable Development Fund’s (SDF) solar
grant program. Members must install separate metering capability that
measures the output of the photovoltaic system. More information about
the program may be found on the Cooperative’s web site at
www.theenergyco-op.com, or by calling (215) 413-2122. More
information about the SDF solar grant program, which will provide grants
of up to $8,000 for PV systems, can be found at
www.trfund.com/sdf/solarpv.
- System Particulars for Andy Rudin’s rooftop PV system:
-
ü
Grid-tied 2.7 kilowatt photovoltaic array on the
south-facing roof
-
ü
Thirty-six 75-watt panels, manufactured by British
Petroleum with a synchronous inverter by Trace
-
ü
2800 kilowatt-hours (kWh) generated per year.
Attn: Photo editors – photograph available of the rooftop
photovoltaic system with family in foreground
Key Contact Information:
Nadia Adawi, Director of Operations, The Energy Cooperative:
(215) 413-2122,
nadawi@theenergy.co-op
Andy Rudin, homeowner and first participant in The Energy
Cooperative’s PV Pricing program: Can be reached through The Energy
Cooperative (215) 413-2122, or
andrewrudin@earthlink.net
Tom Charles, Manager of Communications, Pennsylvania Public
Utility Commission: 717-787-9504,
thcharles@state.pa.us
Ron Celentano, Sustainable Development Fund’s Solar PV Grant
Program administrator: (215) 635-0900,
solarpv@trfund.com
# # #
For more
information contact The Energy Cooperative,
(215) 413-2122 or ecapstaff@theenergy.coop |