Solar Group Buy - Midwest Renewable Energy Association

What is a Solar Group Buy?

MREA has been hosting Solar Group Buy programs throughout the midwest since 2013, connecting communities with resources to use their collective buying power to save on the total cost of going solar. The purpose of a Group Buy program (also known as a Solarize program) is to increase education of local residents about solar photovoltaics (PV), and increase market penetration of residential and small commercial solar PV through a group purchasing program.

Between 2013 and 2020, the MREA facilitated forty-two Solar Group Buy programs around the Midwest, educating over 10,000 individuals with our Solar Power Hour information sessions, and leading to more than 14,000 kW on over 1,900 properties.

Due to COVID-19 all Solar Power Hour information sessions will be held digitally via ZOOM.

How It Works

Group Buys are important tools for increasing solar deployment in a market in a short period of time. When done correctly, they can be beneficial to everyone involved, including residents, businesses, local organizations, and jurisdictions. They work by aggregating demand for solar, usually in a small geographic area, achieving economies of scale. They lower the solar installers’ “soft costs” further by providing up-front customer education en masse, leading to a higher-than-average conversion rate for solar leads. Home and business owners see lower prices for their solar array, and communities move toward achieving their sustainability goals.

How it works

A solar installer is selected through a competitive Request for Proposals process involving an advisory committee of community stakeholders.
Free, public information sessions (we call them “Solar Power Hours”) are hosted throughout the community over a period of several months.
Local jurisdictions, organizations, volunteers, and MREA help spread the word to the community to invite as many people as possible to learn about and potentially invest in solar.
As more people decide to go solar, the price comes down for everyone.
Participants have a deadline to make a solar “go” or “no-go” decision. After that, the group buy pricing goes away.
Solar installations happen throughout the program timeline.

Why Group Buy?

In a solar group buy, people learn about solar together with neighbors, local business owners, and community leaders. Working in partnership, we provide high value education that informs people about the technology and the investment potential. Solar is contagious: a short burst of market activity can lead to an increase in solar deployment for years to come. And, because the more people who go solar, the lower the price for everyone, Solar Group Buys inspire many people to go solar who otherwise wouldn’t.

Who Benefits?

PROPERTY OWNERS: Property owners get access to lower prices for high quality solar arrays that save them money on their electric bill for decades and increase their energy independence.

COMMUNITIES: Communities reach their climate goals faster through the education and investment of their residents in solar photovoltaics.

THE ENVIRONMENT: Emissions from hundreds of thousands of pounds of fossil fuels are avoided thanks to dozens of property owners producing their own clean electricity.

For a more detailed overview of the group buy program design, timelines, and roles, download the Group Buy Overview.

Download the Group Buy Overview

Questions / Contact

If you have questions about MREA’s Solar Group Buy Program please contact:

Peter Murphy
MREA Solar Program Director
peterm@midwestrenew.org

Active Group Buys

MREA is proud to work in partnership with trusted local jurisdictions and organizations to bring solar to communities.

To view current Group Buy programs, please visit: GrowSolar.org

Would you like to bring a Solar Group Buy to your community?

We are accepting applications from communities wishing to host Solar Group Buy programs and have begun planning for 2022.

Solar Group Buys cost nothing to the organizations and jurisdictions we partner with except for staff time. Funding for our work comes from grants and from a small administrative fee charged to the selected solar installer.

Community Application

MREA has facilitated 42 programs, reaching over 10,000 individuals and resulting in over 14 megawatts of solar on more than 1,900 properties. We will continue to consider applications on an ongoing basis.

MREA staff will review all applications. Once selections are made, all applicants will be made aware of the outcome. If your application is selected, we will begin the process of developing your local group buy program, including establishing a timeline for the Solar Group Buy in your community, formation of an advisory committee, publication of a competitive request for proposals, development of program brand identity and website, and scheduling of Solar Power Hour presentations. For more information about MREA’s solar group buys or this application please email peterm@midwestrenew.org.

Please submit your application through the application form linked below. For your convenience and ease of preparation, the application guide makes all the questions available in a Word doc. For more details about program design, timelines, and partner roles, please download the Group Buy Overview. The printable one-page flyer is a brief overview for potential partners.

Application (Google Form)
Download the Application Guide (Word Doc.)
Group Buy Overview
Group Buy Flyer

Thank you to the following foundations and programs for supporting our Solar Power Hour and Group Buy programs:

The Brookby Foundation

Carolyn Foundation

Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) Seed Grant

Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin

Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot Program

Learn More About our Grow Solar Initiative