Mayor White proclaims January 19 “Solarize Greenville Day”
January 20, 2016
Mayor Knox White was joined by former U.S. Representative Bob Inglis and representatives of the Green Ribbon Advisory Committee, Upstate Forever and SmartPower to announce the City’s participation in Solarize South Carolina, a community outreach program designed to help make solar accessible and affordable for South Carolina residents. In honor of the event, Mayor White proclaimed January 19 “Solarize Greenville Day” and encouraged all business owners and residents in the city of Greenville to consider solar energy as a means to power their properties and contribute to a greener, more sustainable Greenville.
The City formed the Green Ribbon Advisory Committee in 2010 to advise City Council and recommend programs and initiatives to reduce the City’s environmental impact and distinguish Greenville as a leader in sustainability. The seven-member committee also provides oversight of three ad hoc committees: Mobility; Recycling & Waste Management and Energy & Buildings. Among the goals of the Energy & Buildings committee are to promote sustainable practices throughout the community’s built environment and to promote the use of renewable energy. Its strategies for achieving those goals include advocating for renewable energy solutions with local public utilities and encouraging residents to purchase and/or produce renewable energy.
“When we talk about sustainability, it’s not just about reducing energy use,” said Mayor Knox White. “In addition to protecting the environment and promoting a healthy community, supporting the adoption of solar energy also supports economic growth, and is part of the City’s ongoing commitment to making Greenville greener and more livable for our citizens.”
Based in Washington, DC, SmartPower is a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency. Solarize South Carolina is an initiative of SmartPower and solar financing company Dividend Solar that makes going solar easy for residents by offering financing and educating them about the benefits. Greenville homeowners can quickly find out if their home is suitable for solar and be connected to a pre-screened local installer by signing up at solarizesc.org.
Solarize South Carolina is working to get 2,000 homes across the state to go solar over the next year, and Greenville now joins Spartanburg, Cowpens, Travelers Rest, North Charleston, Beaufort and Columbia as a participating city in that effort. According to Ashley Edwards, Community Outreach Manager for Solarize South Carolina, the program’s goal is to more than double the amount of statewide residential solar, which will significantly impact regional investments and jobs, and generate more revenue in the state.
“The cost of solar has dropped considerably over the past several years, making going solar in the Upstate a no-brainer,” said Edwards. “Our program has been a real game changer in the region, and we have already had over 500 residents in and around Greenville request a free assessment for their home.”
In the coming weeks and months, Solarize Greenville will host a variety of educational events and opportunities for Greenville residents to sign up for the program. The first event is a Solar Info Session, which will be held today (January 19) at 5:30 p.m. at OpenWorks, located at 101 North Main Street, in room #302. For a full list of events, including the Winter Sun Solar Tour, which will take place January 23 from Noon to 4 p.m., visit www.solarizesc.org/events/.
