Written by What does it take to get more than 85 homes in one neighborhood to convert to solar power in a short Alaska summer? A motivated community and a solar contractor that’s ready to rock.
Arctic Solar Ventures was thrilled to be selected by Turnagain as its contractor for the neighborhood’s Solarize Anchorage program.
Organized by the Alaska Center and the Alaska Center for Energy and Power, Solarize Anchorage’s mission is to make residential and small commercial solar energy systems affordable and accessible for the average home or property owner.
It works by helping neighbors team up to collectively purchase the materials needed for a solar installation in bulk, at significantly discounted rates, and tacking on any available state and federal incentives as well. The cost of installation is further driven down thanks to customers living in the same general area, which allows the contractor to complete multiple installations far more efficiently.
This summer, ASV installed solar on more than 85 homes in the Turnagain neighborhood, and homeowners are already seeing the payoff. The cost savings from a solar installation pay for the project in as little as seven years.
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If the homeowner decides to sell before they reach that payoff, solar increases the appraised value of a home by about 4%.
Other neighborhoods participating in the Solarize Anchorage program this year were Spenard, Rogers Park and South Addition. Several more neighborhoods are considering registering for Solarize 2020.
Interested in solar for your own neighborhood? Find out more at https://akcenter.org/climate-clean-energy/solarize-anchorage/.
