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About Solarize Greater Media

 

Program Description

Solarize Greater Media—the new solar program initiative—offers discounted pricing for group purchase of solar panel systems to residents located within a five-mile radius of the Media Courthouse, specifically Aston, Brookhaven, Edgemont, Marple, Media, Middletown, Nether Providence, Newtown, Ridley, Rose Valley, Rutledge, Springfield, Swarthmore, and Upper Providence. Solarize Greater Media builds upon the efforts of successful solar campaigns across the nation.

Transition Town Media, the sponsor of Solarize Greater Media, is providing free informational Solar Community Meetings during the months of January-April 2016 in collaboration with Solar States, the selected installer, and the Delaware Valley Region Planning Commission (DVRPC) and Delaware County Planning Department (DCPD). Residents can learn how the Solarize program works, get all their questions answered, and sign up for a free solar assessment to see if solar panels will work for their home.

Why Solarize Greater Media?

Solarize Greater Media makes buying solar panels:

  • Affordable. By combining their purchasing power, program participants are eligible for a special low rate for solar electricity systems. The more residents sign up, the more the cost will go down. We are also working with local lending institutions to provide lower rates and easy financing. Participants are also eligible for a 30% federal tax credit on the cost of their installation.

  • Easy. Solarize Greater Media has screened several eligible installers, and we have selected Solar States as the exclusive installer for our Solarize program. Solar States is well regarded as an outstanding installer in our region, and they have experience working with the Solarize program in Northwest Philadelphia. We've also done the research on some of the local financing options available so you can have the information you need upfront to make the best decision for you and your home.

  • Less hassle. We’re working with local governments to ease the permitting process to reduce the amount of time it will take for you to get your panels installed.

Every step of the way, we’re working with you to get you the best deal, the best installer, and the best solar system so you can save the environment and save on your electric bills!

 

How It Works

  1. Sign up for a free and no-commitment solar assessment. Any information you provide will be kept confidential and only the Solarize Greater Media program administrators and our installer Solar States will have access to it.
  2. Solar States will contact you to ask you some questions about you and your home and answer any of your questions. If solar might be a good option for you and you want to move forward, the Solar States will schedule a no-cost, no-commitment home solar assessment.
  3. Solar States will conduct an on-site solar assessment at your home. A Solar Consultant from Solar States will then walk you through the proposed system design and financial proposal and answer any other questions you have.
  4. You and other community members will go solar together and enjoy all of the benefits of generating your own clean, affordable energy. The more community members who go solar, the more the base price will go down. Check out the FAQs for more information on pricing.

Questions? Check out our FAQs or get in touch with the Solarize Greater Media program coordinator at

About the Solarize Greater Media Program Partners

Transition Town Media is a community-based initiative focused on building community resilience in the face of global economic and environmental challenges that are impacting many in the Media area. We have been in existence for six years.

By adopting the international Transition Movement and becoming Pennsylvania’s first Transition Town, we are helping the Media area change, at the community level, to a more local and resilient future. Transition efforts are designed to result in a life that is more fulfilling, more socially connected and more equitable than the one we have today. The model is based on a loose set of real world principles and practices that reduce carbon emissions and build community resilience.

Solar States was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. In the past 8 years, we have completed over 200 projects for residential and commercial clients in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts. Our team collectively has over 25 years of experience in solar array design, engineering and installation. Outside of solar installations, we focus on education and are the founders of the Philadelphia Solar Schools Initiative (PSSI), which began in 2013. We have provided practical career development and work experience for hundreds of students through our close partnership with YouthBuild Philly Charter School. During 2015, we were chosen to serve the Solarize Philly program.

Solar States measures its success using the principles of social entrepreneurship and the triple bottom line. The triple bottom line (or “TBL”, “3BL”, or “People, Planet, Profit”) expresses the goal of expanding the spectrum of values and criteria for measuring organizational (and societal) success: economic, environmental and social. In 2013, Solar States became a Certified B Corporation. Solar States supports several local organizations including the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) of Greater Philadelphia, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), the Energy Co-Op, The Philadelphia Clean Air Council, and PennFuture. We also work closely with the Philadelphia Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Office of Licenses and Inspections to streamline and update city code to cut through red tape and make it easier for homeowners and businesses to go solar.

TTM has partnered with Delaware Valley Reginal Planning Commission (DVRPC) and the Delaware County Planning Department (DCPD). Both organizations are working under a Department of Energy funded project called Solar Ready II through which they provide technical assistance and training to municipalities and stakeholders on best management practices that reduce soft costs of solar PV adoption.

DVRPC and DCPD provide training and technical assistance to municipalities on developing supportive zoning and a standardized permitting process. DVRPC and DCPD will conduct outreach, and potentially training, to each of the municipalities targeted in Solarize Greater Media.

Solarize Greater Media Program Affiliates

Solarize Greater Media receives support from numerous affiliate partners, including Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union and the U.S. Department of Energy's SunShot Solar Ready II.