Solar Nonprofit Brings more ‘Green’ to the Region

Manatee and Sarasota Counties are about to get a bit greener!

Gulf Coast Community Foundation has teamed up with Solar United Neighbors (SUN) again for another area solar co-op that launched March 11. The new Manasota Solar Co-op is open to residents in Manatee and Sarasota County—and like the previous area co-ops, it’ll provide the support and resources for homeowners and small business owners to go solar.

The co-op offers homeowners bulk-purchasing power to get discounted pricing and quality installation on solar energy systems, as well as expert guidance each step of the way. “The co-op will enable homeowners and business owners to join the growing community of people saving money by harnessing solar power,” said Julia Herbst, Gulf Coast co-op coordinator for SUN.

There are currently three other co-ops in Sarasota County that are projected to offer a combined $5.4 million savings over 25 years.

“We love the way Solar United Neighbors has scaled its co-op model across our state,” said Mark Pritchett, President|CEO for Gulf Coast. “We’re so pleased to partner with an organization like SUN which prioritizes our environment, and that is empowering residents to get involved at the individual and community levels.”
Together, co-op members will learn about solar energy and leverage their numbers to get competitive pricing and quality solar installations. After a competitive bidding process facilitated by SUN, a group of volunteers from the co-op will select a solar company to complete the co-op's installations. 

Curious residents can learn more here.