Thinking about solar? New co-op kicks off in Broward to provide info, get best group rate

Have you been thinking about getting a solar energy system to help reduce your energy bills but you’re not sure how to go about it?

The nonprofit Solar United Neighbors (SUN) has a solution. The group just opened a new co-operative in Broward County to educate residents and negotiate a group rate with an established solar provider.

There’s no cost to join and members are not obligated to buy anything. You can get more details at the co-op’s website — solarunitedneighbors.org — or during one of three informational meetings scheduled in September, October and November.

You will learn terms and concepts that will equip you to make informed decisions, including how much money you can save over time with solar, how your electrical usage dictates the size of the system you will want, how net metering works, various types of financing arrangements, how to redeem the 30% federal tax credit offered, and what size system will require you to purchase a $1 million insurance policy to protect Florida Power & Light technicians and equipment.

This year’s co-op is open to homeowners and business owners through Jan. 31, said Laura Tellez, SUN’s South Florida program associate.

Now is the time — with energy consumption at high levels and hurricanes brewing in the Atlantic Ocean — that the benefits of solar make most sense, Tellez said.

“As we’ve witnessed in recent storms, South Florida is more susceptible to power outages and fuel shortages than ever before,” Tellez said in a news release. “Summer is also when we have the highest electric bills.”

The co-op is supported by Broward County, the Broward Climate Alliance, and several cities, including Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pompano Beach and Sunrise.

Jennifer Jurado, chief resilience officer for Broward County, supports the co-op as well. “The SUN co-op is truly a valuable service for those eager to engage in solar solutions, but new to the technology and not sure where to start,” she said.

William F. Goetz says he became a co-op member in 2017. “I had no problems with the installations, and the system has reduced my FPL payments by 70%,” he said. He says he expects to break even on his investment in another two years.

SUN has organized co-ops in 11 states and Washington D.C. in recent years, its website shows. In Florida, more than 80 co-ops have been organized since 2015, said Seth Newmeyer, SUN’s communications director.

Inflation caused solar installation prices to increase last year, Tellez said. This year, system costs have stabilized and possibly even dropped but interest rates have increased, she said.

Yet, installing solar still makes financial sense because “utility bills have gone up significantly this year compared to last year,” she said.

Members of each co-op review proposals from local installation companies and select the winner.

Bids from area installers to set prices and terms for each co-op are solicited after each co-op attracts about 30 members, Tellez said. After the proposals are in, those members select an installer based on a range of criteria.

The winning company then contacts individual co-op members to customize installation jobs according to each member’s needs and budget.

Cutler Bay Solar Solutions, from southwestern Miami-Dade County, has been selected as the Broward co-op’s installer following competitive bidding processes in each of the four previous years.

Last year, members said they selected Cutler Bay because of its equipment offerings, system warranty and local experience, according to the SUN website. This year’s co-op members might select a different company for different reasons, Tellez said.

SUN has also organized solar co-ops in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties. Palm Beach County’s last co-op was launched in September 2022 while Miami-Dade’s most recent co-op began last March. Residents of those counties can sign up on SUN’s website to be notified when their next co-ops launch.

SUN’s website also offers information for people who don’t want to join the co-op but are interested in going solar on their own.

You can download a free Go Solar Guide with step-by-step directions and information on costs, pricing and financing. The organization will review publicly available information about your home to help determine whether your roof can support solar panels. It will even schedule 15-minute phone conversations to answer questions about going solar.

SUN will also review individual proposals from solar installers and fill in details that might not be immediately apparent, its website says.

The first two information meetings for the Broward solar co-op will be held online via Zoom on Sept. 14 and Oct. 24 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

A third meeting will be held in person on Nov. 8 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Everglades Room of the Broward County Southwest Regional Library, 16835 Sheridan St., Davie.

Sign up for any of the meetings by going to solarunitedneighbors.org/event/florida-solar-102/.

Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.