Media and Santa Fe Public Schools Employees Invited to Launch of Solarize Santa Fe Pilot Program, September 27
The City of Santa Fe and partners will celebrate the launch of the Solarize Santa Fe program at the Nina Otero Community School on Monday, September 27.
Event: Solarize Santa Fe Launch
Where: Nina Otero Community School Parking Area (under solar carport), 5901 Herrera Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87507
When: Monday, September 27, 2021, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Who: Media and Santa Fe Public Schools Employees are invited to join Mayor Webber and representatives of relevant city departments, members of the city council, Santa Fe Public School Board of Education President Kate Noble, and other stakeholders.
Media: Will have opportunities to pose questions.
RSVP/Contact: Neal Denton, Sustainability Officer; nhdenton@santafenm.gov; (505) 955-2229.
Solarize Santa Fe is a solar energy bulk-purchasing program designed to help Santa Fe homeowners of all income levels overcome financial barriers to solar installation and to save money on their energy bills. Data from other Solarize initiatives nationwide show that adoption rates of solar energy double, or even triple, with a program that lowers the initial costs of solar installation. To create this pathway of low-cost entry into renewable energy, the City of Santa Fe worked with program partners The Sierra Club and The Coalition of Sustainable Communities New Mexico, to package low-cost solar installation with low-interest loans. They selected a featured solar installer through an RFP process that will offer discounted prices for this program. The team also encouraged local credit unions to create solar loans with lower interest rates, although applicants are free to utilize their lender of choice (loans are direct from institution to borrower). As a result, most participants in Solarize Santa Fe will see immediate energy savings with no up-front cost.
Solarize Santa Fe is designed for inclusivity of all income levels. The program is kicking off with a pilot that is only available to 50 homeowners within city limits on a first-come, first-served basis. While any homeowner within city limits can enroll, the Solarize team partnered with SFPS – whose workforce’s demographics reflect those of the city overall – to conduct an initial pilot outreach campaign and gauge the long-term interest and feasibility of the program. The SFPS Board of Education is enthusiastic about the partnership, as it aligns with their strong institutional sustainability programs and goals. The Solarize Santa Fe application period will last four months, and the solar energy installations will be completed by July 2022. If the pilot is successful, the team hopes to institute a larger program next year.
Solarize Santa Fe puts the City on a path to accelerate progress toward carbon neutrality in Santa Fe. The city and its partners will celebrate the launch of this program in the parking area of the Nina Otero Community School on Monday, September 27, 2021 from 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. The speakers will begin at 4:00 p.m. ESD and their partners will staff tables at the event to provide more information and answer questions. SFPS staff and the media are invited to attend.
For more information, visit https://www.santafenm.gov/gosolar