Fayetteville, North Carolina, may not be the first place folks think of when asked to identify where the state’s solar movement is growing.

But, thanks to a diverse set of voices both in the community and at the state level, Cumberland County is at the helm of a potential solar revolution in North Carolina. You have the opportunity to learn more and ask your own questions this Friday, August 21, at a free community forum focused all on solar in Cumberland County from 6 – 8pm.

Pro-Solar Force at the NC General Assembly

From House District 45, Representative John Szoka introduced a bill (House Bill 245 – “Energy Freedom Act”) that would legalize a type of electricity arrangement known as third-party sales. Instead of forcing consumers to purchase their electricity from a utility, consumers have the choice to buy electricity directly from a renewable energy company. For Rep. Szoka, he sees this is a major win for the free market and for energy consumers:

“I believe in free markets and I believe in property rights. This allows property owners to use their property as they see fit,” said Rep. Szoka to the News & Observer.

Right now, transitioning your residence to solar power is expensive. It requires major upfront costs to purchase the panels and other related equipment and then contract a knowledgeable installer. Because the consumer owns the panels, the consumer has to oversee maintenance. How many of you consider yourselves experts in solar panel + equipment operations? (No doubt there are YouTube videos available but still.)

Allowing third party sales would eliminate that responsibility. You lease the panels + equipment. The company then oversees the installation and keeps everything working. No more major upfront costs. And, this wouldn’t be something JUST for homeowners. The “Energy Freedom Act” would allow businesses, schools, churches, military bases, and other types of consumers tap into the renewable energy market.

If you want more information on third party sales and the details of why this bill is GREAT for North Carolina, check out our April 1 blog post. Need more? You can find another one to read and share here.

Pro-Solar Force in Schools, Community

Sustainable Sandhills, born from a stakeholder process convened by Fort Bragg and the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources, has been working for more than 10 years to ensure certain agreed-upon values remain intact in light of past, current, and future military installations.

This has expanded into multiple programs spread over eight counties. At Friday’s event, the folks from Sustainable Sandhills will touch on a couple. One current effort is to launch the first solar community buying in the region in partnership with Southeast Power. This collaboration, known as Solarize Sandhills, “aims to bring affordable and proven solar tech to communities.”

In order to develop the next generation of conservation-minded leaders, Sustainable Sandhills also oversees a Green Schools initiative. By educating students on their role in protecting our planet as well as working with schools to evaluate their environmental impacts, Sustainable Sandhills has helped Cumberland County schools conserve energy and reduce waste to the tune of more than $2 million in savings.

Building the momentum

As part of our vision to see North Carolina undergo a just transition to a clean energy economy, we are working with and in communities across the state to build stronger connections between residents and the environment. In Cumberland County, our field organizer Monique Jackson has been surveying, listening, and hosting feedback sessions for months on what areas of concern Fayetteville residents have. Friday’s event marks one of the major outcomes of all these conversations.

“People in the Fayetteville community want better jobs, more affordable housing, and lower energy bills. Expanding projects around renewable energy, especially solar, can help with all three of these areas. By moving away from fossil fuels, we’ll see our family and friends free from breathing in polluted air. Fewer health problems from asthma and other respiratory diseases means more kids in school, fewer folks having to take sick days, and a better quality of life for everyone,” Jackson said.

Event details

Friday, August 21, 2015

6 – 8pm

Event location: NCLCV Office

707 Murchison Rd.

Fayetteville, NC 28301

You can RSVP on our Facebook event page here. Please reach out to Monique Jackson with questions at monique@nclcv.org.