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First community-owned solar garden resulting from the Colorado Community Solar Garden Act, the 500 kW Boulder Cowdery Meadows Solar Array will begin serving Xcel Energy customers by mid-April.
Submitted on 02/26/13, 08:11 AM
Boulder, Colo. (February 21, 2013) Pioneer solar garden developer Clean Energy Collective (CEC) announced today the groundbreaking for Colorado's newest community-owned solar garden, the Boulder Cowdery Meadows Solar Array, in Boulder County, Colo. This is the first community-owned project in Xcel Energy's Solar*Rewards program, created in response to the 2010 Colorado Community Solar Gardens Act (HB 10-1342) authorizing community solar projects, and is the state's first solar garden through an Investor Owned Utility (IOU).CEC's sixth community solar project operating in Colorado, the 500 kW Boulder Cowdery Meadows Solar Array in south Boulder County will deliver clean, locally-produced power to any participating commercial and residential ratepayer throughout Xcel Energy's Boulder County territory. CEC is also devoting 5% of the power produced at the array to low-income residents through a unique partnership with Boulder Housing Partners.
"We're excited to introduce community solar to Xcel Energy businesses and residents throughout Boulder and the Front Range," said Tom Sweeney, chief operating officer for CEC, which has recently relocated its headquarters to Boulder, Colo. "This new array will be particularly attractive to commercial customers who can reduce their monthly electricity expenses with a depreciable asset on their balance sheet."
CEC's community solar model—clean power generation through medium-scale, locally-sited facilities collectively owned by participating utility customers—was designed specifically for commercial and residential customers for whom on-site renewable energy systems are not an option. They may lease their space, live in multi-unit dwellings, have homes or businesses that aren't suitable for solar installations, or lack the financial capacity to install a system on-site.
All residential, commercial, public and non-profit Xcel Energy customers in Boulder County can purchase solar panels in the community array, from the minimum 1 kilowatt up to fully offsetting their electricity usage. All CEC customers will pay just $3.70/watt for their system, which includes all discounts and credits, as well as ongoing operation and maintenance. The average residential customer's 5 kW system costs $18,500, and upon activation immediately generates credits on their monthly Xcel Energy electricity bill for the power produced. Customers also receive quarterly Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) payments based on their panels' production. Low cost financing is available for all residential and commercial customers.
"The Cowdery Company is pleased to be a part of this project, and to be able to have our great grandfather's land provide such benefit to the Boulder community," said Ellen Cohig, president of Cowdery Company, the land owner.
CEC partnered with REC Solar and Flatirons, Inc. for the system design and engineering, and land surveying.
http://www.altenergymag.com/news/2013/02/26/clean-energy-collective-breaks-ground-on-first-community-solar-array-with-xcel-energy/28378
