Solar Urbana-Champaign bulk solar purchase program returns and expands in 2018
 
The successful Solar Urbana-Champaign group purchasing program is available again in 2018. Since 2016, the program led to the installation of over 1 megawatt of solar on 138 properties across Champaign County. The program educated hundreds of individuals about solar and helped people save on solar through volume purchasing.
 
In 2018 the program expands eligibility to Piatt County residents as well. And, thanks to new state legislation, even more people can get access to solar. To increase awareness across Champaign and Piatt Counties, Midwest Renewable Energy Association partnered with Champaign-based Prairie Rivers Network, which champions clean, healthy rivers and lakes and safe drinking water to benefit the people and wildlife of Illinois.
 
“The electricity that has been produced by the 1,050 kW of solar the program contracted in 2016 and 2017 offset around 1.5 million lbs of CO2 being released into atmosphere in those systems’ first years,” said Scott Tess, Environmental Sustainability Manager at the City of Urbana. “That amount of solar energy will also save almost 20 million gallons of water from use in thermoelectric power plants that run on coal or natural gas.” The program is administered by the MREA at no cost to the cities or the counties. MREA has successfully implemented similar programs in other jurisdictions in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Bloomington-Normal, and elsewhere. 
 
Solar Power Hours are free and open to the public. For the month of June, the following Solar Power Hours will be held:

• June 3 at 5:30 p.m. at Riggs Beer Company, 1901 S. High Cross Road, Urbana
• June 7 at 6 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 214 South Charter St., Monticello
• June 12 at 6:30 p.m, Lions Club, 117 South Macon St., Bement
• June 20 at 6:30 p.m., Monarch Brewery, 212 South Independence St., Monticello
• June 27 at 6:30 p.m., Common Ground Food Co-op, 300 South Broadway, Suite 166, Urbana
• June 28 at 12 p.m. at UI Facilities and Services, 1501 South Oak St., Champaign

Additional Solar Power Hours are posted on the website.