Solar Austin Happy Hour: Austin Local Solar Update

From Solar Austin –

This month we have a special solar-powered sponsor: Texas Beer Company! The first 33 ticketed happy hour attendees will get a free Texas Beer Company Pecos Amber beer.

What is Austin Energy doing locally when it comes to solar? Our city-owned utility has existing goals to reach 110 MW of local solar by 2020 and 200 MW by 2025. Austin Energy has several programs to meet these goals. Recently, Austin Energy made exciting announcements, including the completion of the new 2.5 MW La Loma community solar project, a new low-income solar program powered by La Loma, and the pilot for solar available to multifamily dwellings and affordable housing, called Shared Solar. Significant changes are also being made to the residential solar incentive program.

With the completion of La Loma, Austin Energy has expanded its community solar program to 400 more residential customers. Although there is only room left on the waitlist at the regular rate, the half set aside for the Customer Assistance Program (CAP) participants (low-income customers) is still open. CAP customers can now reduce their bill by signing up for the community solar program. (Sign up here:https://austinenergy.com/ae/green-power/solar-solutions/for-your-home/community-solar) Shared Solar will allow residents in a multifamily dwelling to receive a prorated portion of the value of solar credit from a single installation.

Solar Austin is excited to announce Danielle Murray, Austin Energy’s Solar Program Manager, as our March Happy Hour speaker! She will provide an update on all things local solar at Austin Energy: on the La Loma Community Solar project, the low-income solar program, Shared Solar, the upcoming changes to the residential solar incentive program, and progress toward Austin’s local solar and other renewable energy goals.

Danielle Murray is Austin Energy’s Manager of Solar Energy Services, overseeing the utility’s renewable energy offerings and local solar programs. These include the wind-based GreenChoice program, Community Solar program, residential and commercial solar incentive programs, solar inspections, and the Value of Solar rates. Previously, Danielle was the Renewable Program Manager for the City and County of San Francisco, where she led efforts to develop the local solar market, reduce soft costs, and implement innovative financing mechanisms; coordinated wind, wave, and district energy research and development; and served as chair of the Mayor’s Renewable Energy Task Force. Prior to that, she worked for the City of Toronto’s Energy Office, where she designed and implemented the Toronto Neighborhoods Initiative which provided grants and low-interest loans to homeowners to install solar water heating systems and other energy efficiency improvements.

We hope you will join us Tuesday, March 27th for this update on Austin Energy’s solar programs. There’s lots of change happening right now, and this will be a great chance to ask your questions.