In 2011, Vermont released their goal to receive 90% of its energy from renewable sources by the year 2050. As of 2013, the state’s main energy sources came from nuclear, ethanol, and natural gas, none of which can be consumed at that quantity forever, sustainably. For years, scientists have recognized the potential that renewable energy has to become the leading source of energy for the world, it is just a matter of transition. SunCommon has allowed the citizens of Vermont to legitimately consider switching their home to solar power, many of whom may have been unable to afford the technology before the company simplified the process. Their innovative approach to residential solar sales has changed the minds of many energy users. Even those that do not consider themselves environmentally conscious are choosing to switch because producing solar energy on a home can actually be cheaper than buying energy from the grid. As residential solar energy becomes more common it will change how people think and consume their energy. Solar energy is the most abundant source of energy in the world. In 2012, SunCommon was founded with the mission to offer an affordable and easy way for people in Vermont to go solar in the hopes to shift the state off of fossil fuel consumption.

In many ways, the once and future republic of Vermont has separated itself from the rest of the country by prioritizing health, natural beauty, and sustainability while planning the future of our Green Mountain communities. There are many examples of how Vermont is different from other places, but one of the leading areas is in its energy sector. “Vermont already consistently leads the nation in energy efficiency investments,” according to Sustainable Business: VT Energy Plan. For decades, Vermont’s primary source of energy has been nuclear power, compared to other states, which are highly dependent on coal and natural gas. Although nuclear is not renewable, it has a lower (short term) impact on the environment than many other electricity choices. The size, population, and values of the state dictated that producing energy in state was not an ideal option, as, generally speaking, Vermont outsources most of its electricity. The energy that is produced in state is entirely nuclear, biofuel, or a tiny percentage of renewable (U.S. Energy Information Administration). The transportation and residential sectors are the two largest energy pulls for Vermont, with the leading source being nuclear and ethanol (gasoline). Of course, this is simplified, the grid system is immensely complicated and it can be very difficult to track a kWh back to their source once the energy has been mixed into the grid system.

Solar power has been around since 1839, when Alexandre Becquerel concluded that shining light on an electrode submerged in a conductive solution would create an electric current. Becquerel’s discovery was soon harnessed for a number of projects, and the science behind it led to many new technologies, but generally, solar power was not utilized for the making of daily electricity. This not-so-new technology has just recently come back into the picture as a potential replacement for our current power generation options. Although the process of making solar panels does require some finite minerals, the overall impact of using solar energy is far less than any sort of fossil fuel. There are many different kinds of solar panels that all produce different wattages and perform differently, depending on their location and their use. Solar can be produced on almost any scale, from industrial large farms to small residential projects.

Vermont’s holistic mentality has meant that as climate change continues to progress, the state is looking for ways to become more sustainable for long term success and to reduce the impact that the population has on the planet. The Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) has been tackling environmental problems in the state for decades, and about five years ago, they began a project on how they could affordably make renewable energy available for Vermonters. From their initial forays, SunCommon was born. The co-founders of SunCommon, Duan Peterson and James Moore, launched their new company with the intent to revolutionize the state’s energy system and bring it back to Vermont. “Our mission is to tear down the barriers to renewable energy,” they explain. “We do that by making it easy and affordable for all Vermonters to go solar.” By allowing residents to produce their own energy, Vermont is able to replace their dirty energy sources, like nuclear, with clean and renewable energy and localize our energy needs. This power would be created here in Vermont, it would be clean, and it would be affordable.

Win, win, win.

SunCommon made affordable residential solar possible by creating a process that had not existed before. The first thing they did was team up with Peck Electric for installation, and VSECU, a local credit union for financing, to build the best team possible. The most important part of making this work was to have no upfront cost, the initial cost of solar has always been too high for the average person to legitimately consider investing in the technology. To do this, they worked with VSECU to create a financing plan that allowed people to transfer their monthly electric costs into a monthly loan payment. By installing solar panels, a home no longer needs to pull all their electricity from the grid, as they will be producing enough energy to cover their needs. So, instead of paying their electric company for grid power they will pay VSECU a monthly payment for the cost of the solar panels, equivalent to their old electric bill, “The idea — for individual installations and for CSAs — is that the savings on a utility bill from generating solar power more than covers the monthly payment for the installation,” explains one Burlington Free Press article. The great part about this is that eventually, the loan from VSECU is paid off and now the home owns the panels, the electricity that they are producing, and can find themselves with no electricity costs anymore. This system that SunCommon created revolutionized this industry in Vermont.

Step #2? SunCommon created a program called Community Solar Array (CSA). One of the biggest problems with the expansion of solar energy is that for it to be fully successful, there are many factors that play a role in determining whether or not an array can be installed. Many homes are shaded by trees, have inadequate roofing material or not enough land, or are located in a region whose utility company does not net meter. If just one of these factors is not right, the solar project can not be carried out. As a Plan B alternative, SunCommon created the CSA program, which allows people that do not qualify for residential solar to join a community solar project. The company builds one acre solar projects on donated land, and then sells shares of the energy to anyone who would like to be a part of it. Instead of panels being on individual homes, they are located somewhere else, and CSA members pay a monthly rental fee to earn a percentage of the energy credits, called group net metering, which counterbalance their grid energy. Using the new CSA model, SunCommon has found a way to reach nearly any person who would want to go solar in the state of Vermont. By removing the barriers to entry and shifting the attitude about the potential for renewable energy, SunCommon has turned solar into the fastest growing industry in the state!

In just under two years, SunCommon has installed over 1,000 residential solar systems – more than previously existed in the entire state before SunCommon joined the industry. SunCommon has done a great job of community outreach, they do not pay for advertising at all, and instead, they talk with people in local Vermont communities, their customers share their excitement of experience, and the results are speaking for themselves with endless news mentions. They are showing people how switching to solar can save people money, create local jobs, and relocate our energy production to Vermont. With more people talking about the option of switching to solar, more companies are joining in on the profit to be made with this sustainable home improvement option. For one of the smallest states in the U.S., Vermont ranks 18th in the nation for solar energy production, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. By making solar accessible for all people, SunCommon has sparked a new interest in this industry. In 2014, $76 million was invested on solar installations in Vermont. This represents a 63% increase over the previous year, and is expected to continue growing rapidly.

Until recently, renewable energy has only accounted for 3-4% of Vermont’s energy sources. However, with the solar industry quickly expanding, it is not a stretch to assume that soon that number will be much higher. Unfortunately, there is no information within 2015 and 2016 that shows how solar has impacted Vermont’s energy demands, but there is a report due to release soon that should give an indication of the tremendous growth within the industry. “Each solar panel in use increases the overall supply of renewable energy to our region,” explains VTDigger. “And with rapidly encroaching climate disasters, we can’t get to more renewable energy — everywhere — fast enough.” By looking at the statistics that are out there on the growth rate of the industry it is clear that SunCommon’s ground-breaking work has generated excitement around solar that will help Vermont to reach its ambitious goal of 90% renewable by the year 2050.

SunCommon has been an undeniable leader in this growing solar-powered sustainable movement spreading across Vermont that is leaving a lasting positive impact on the environment and shifting the social stigmas around renewable energy and energy use. Solar prices in the U.S. have dropped steadily from 4% from last year and 49% from 2010. If this continues, solar energy might someday be able to completely replace our need for fossil fuels. As Vermont-based alt weekly Seven Days explains, it is “suddenly hip to draw energy from the sun in one of the coldest and cloudiest states in the country” SunCommon is reconstructing the energy system here in the once and future Vermont republic, and illuminating the way for other states to do the same.

References:

Solar Energy Industries Association

https://www.seia.org/state-solar-policy/vermont

Green Mountain Daily. Vermont’s long, careful path to renewable energy, pt. 1: the legislative record. 2013 http://www.greenmountaindaily.com/2013/03/18/vermonts-long-careful-path-to-renewable-energy-pt-1-the-legislative-record/

SunCommon home website: http://suncommon.com/

Burlington Free Press. SunCommon ramps up solar power in Vermont. 2014

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/tech/2014/12/24/suncommon-ramps-solar-power-vermont/20774245/

VPR Story. Neighbors Rally To Oppose Proposed VEC Solar Project In Hinesburg. 2016

http://digital.vpr.net/post/neighbors-rally-oppose-proposed-vec-solar-project-hinesburg#stream/0

VTDigger. Sandra Levine- Local action, global impact. 2016

From https://vtdigger.org/2016/02/03/sandra-levine-local-action-global-impact/

National Geographic. Why Solar and Wind Are Thriving Despite Cheap Fossil Fuels. 2016

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/energy/2016/01/160122-why-solar-and-wind-thrive-despite-cheap-oil-and-ga/

Energy Information: Ten Benefits of Going Solar:

http://energyinformative.org/benefits-of-solar-panels/

Seven Days. Here Comes the Sun: Solar is Hot in Chilly Vermont. 2014.

http://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/here-comes-the-sun-solar-is-hot-in-chilly-vermont/Content?oid=2472187

Sustainable Business. Vermont Energy Plan. 2012

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/23007

U.S. Energy Information Administration

http://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=VT

Lauren Knopp is a student at the University of Vermont.