SOLAR GARDENS DEVELOPMENT IN COLORADO AND

CALIFORNIA

Joy Hughes – Solar Gardens Institute

What is a Solar

Garden? Utility-tied shared solar photovoltaic (PV)

Local Subscriber Base - each owns or leases their own solar panels

Suitable for HOA’s, renters, affordable housing, shaded locations, and historic districts

Prevents cost shifting from wealthy to poor

Solar Gardens Legislation

Laws already in Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine and Washington

Colorado law signed June 5, 2010 – implementation underway

California SB843 in committee

Vote Solar coordinating legislative efforts - 50 state strategy

California/

Colorado Comparis

onColorado California

Maximum Size 2 Megawatts (20 acres) 20 Megawatts (200 acres)

Minimum Subscription 1 kilowatt (low income exempt) 1 kilowatt

Maximum Subscription 40% of capacitty 2 Megawatts

Low income requirement 5% of capacity None

Program Maximum 6 Megawatts per year for first three years

None

Subscriber may purchase capacity capacity or power

Utility must purchase? mandatory optional

Why Distributed Solar?

Make it a community

decision

Sprouting up Everywhere

Maps showing community solar interest

Ellensburg Community Renewable Park - Washington

State Owned by municipal utility,

subscribers lease panels

Conceived in 2003, first phase built 2006

Now on fourth phase, expanding to over 100 kilowatts

Expanding to include wind, Solar Stirling Engines

Model for Smaller Arrays: University Park, Maryland LLC

Legal documents available FREE

Limited to 35 members – no advertising

Good for churches, HOAs, neighborhood associations

Can be used to power common buildings or as a solar garden

Washington and Colorado Cooperative Subscriber Organizations

Small investors provide “sponsorship” for subscribers in any solar garden (including Clean Energy Collective and others)

Might be used as subscriber organization - third party finance needed ( C3PO ) for tax purposes

Broad securities exemption under Colorado law

Saguache Solar Garden – 200 kW

A private / public partnership with the Town of Saguache on a former dump site. Subscribers include town buildings, library district, low income.

Charles Tidd,Solar Gardener

Arvada Solar Garden – 500 kW

A privately owned former mine site, divided into parcels of approx. 1 acre. SPH is issuing a Solicitation of Interest for at least four solar gardens on the site.

Rachel Emmer,Solar Gardener

SGI’s Mission

To educate the public about community solar energy.

To promote community solar energy legislation at the federal level and in each state

To assist local organizations in organizing, developing, and managing community-owned solar energy projects everywhere.

To make affordable solar energy available for all humanity

Solar Gardener Program

A solar gardener is a grassroots community organizer and project manager

Receive training, tools, mutual aid

Participate in Governance

“Sweat Equity” – paid in panels

Original Gardener Gary Nystedt – Ellensburg Community Renewable Park

Thank you!

Contact Us

solargardens.org

Joy Hughes – founder – joy@solargardens.org

Robyn Lydick – Media Relations – robyn@solargardens.org

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