Join together to go solar

By Eric Caplan, Manatee County Energy and Sustainability Division Manager

Have you ever thought about going solar? (We do live in Florida, after all!)

The Manasota Solar Co-op is looking to make that easier for Manatee and Sarasota County residents with their new program.

The co-op, which is free to join, is a great program that allows residents and local business owners to meet, collaborate, and join a cooperative to educate themselves on the benefits of solar energy. Members of the cooperative are able to work together to set their terms, pick a winning installer, and install solar on their home in a more affordable way than they would otherwise experience.

One of our primary goals in the Energy and Sustainability Division, and in Manatee County as a whole, is to improve energy use and encourage energy efficiency projects throughout the County and for our residents.

Our team is actively researching ways to make our County more energy efficient, including collaborative research focused on the development and expansion of solar energy. In addition to our internal research, we support our community partners who share these same goals and offer these opportunities to our residents.

We’re proud to partner with Solar United Neighbors, a national 501(c)3 nonprofit, to create and offer this round of the Manasota Solar Co-op, and I encourage residents to sign up for one of the webinars (currently scheduled for April 7 and May 13) to learn more. Visit the Manasota Solar Co-op website for more information.