Cologne’s City Council unanimously agreed to source 100% of the city’s electricity needs from community solar. Located 30 miles west of Minneapolis in Carver County, this city of 1,519 will become the first local government in Minnesota to be powered completely by solar energy.
The city will subscribe to a community solar garden at the nearby Bongards cheese plant. SunShare, a community solar company from Colorado with a new office in Minneapolis, is organizing the garden.
Xcel Energy’s Solar*Rewards Community program allows customers to subscribe to gardens and sell the output back to Xcel Energy, mitigating monthly bills. The 25-year deal will save Cologne $1.1 million, or $44,000 per year.
Because the community solar subscription will only cover energy used in city operations, businesses and residents of Cologne will not receive the energy, but will benefit from increased spending on parks and roads. City administrator Jesse Dickson hopes that this move will enhance the community: “Being part of this whole progressive green energy movement, I definitely think will be attractive for people that are considering moving out here.”
Watch a story about the announcement from WCCO TV:
Learn more in an in-depth story from Star Tribune reporter David Shaffer >>
Community Solar Gardens are centrally-located solar photovoltaic (PV) systems that provide electricity to participating subscribers. Could it work for you?Are you interested in going solar but unable to do so on your own? Perhaps you live in an apartment, have a shaded roof at home, or don’t have space at your organization.
Where do you want to start?
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About the Local Government Energy Action Series:
This effort tells the stories of Minnesota municipalities, counties, and schools and the tangible results of their energy-saving efforts to inspire others to take their own actions.
