Solar United Neighbors

Solar United Neighbors (SUN) is an American nonprofit organization that arranges solar co-ops for group purchase of home solar panel installations.^[1]

Solar United Neighbors

Abbreviation	SUN
Formation	2007
Founder	Walter Schoolman, Diego Arene-Morley, Anya Schoolman
Founded at	Mount Pleasant (Washington, D.C.)
Website	solarunitedneighbors.org

History

The organization had its beginnings in 2007 when Walter Schoolman and his friend Diego Arene-Morley, both aged 12, watched the film An Inconvenient Truth.^[2][3][4] Following this, they asked their respective parents to install solar panels on their homes.^[5][3][4] Walter's mother, Anya Schoolman helped the two boys to found the Mt. Pleasant Solar Cooperative after their request and after discovering the high cost of retail solar installations.^[5][3][4] As a group, they convinced some of their neighbors to join together to increase their buying power for solar installations. The initial group had by 2009 installed solar panels for 45 homes in Washington D.C.’s Mt. Pleasant neighborhood.^[5][6]

In 2011 Anya Schoolman founded the national organization that would become Solar United Neighbors.^[5]

In 2018, SUN partnered with the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) in support of the US National Solar Tour, a tour of operational solar systems.^[7]

By March 2021, the effort had installed solar panels for 5,200 homes in the United States.^[8]

Advocacy

Observers have noted that Solar United Neighbors seeks to influence government policy affecting solar panel installations and to install solar panels in ways that are socially just.^[9][10][11]

In 2021 SUN joined with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance^[12] and the Initiative for Energy Justice^[13] in the 30 Million Solar Homes campaign.^[14]

Locations

SUN is active throughout the United States, including locations in Colorado,^[15] Florida,^[16][17][18] Indiana,^[19] Minnesota,^[20] Ohio,^[21][22] Pennsylvania,^[23][24] Texas,^[25][26] Virginia,^[27] Washington, D.C.^[28] and West Virginia.^[29]

Projects in some states, such as the Sunnyside Energy Community Solar project in Houston, offer resilience during extreme weather events.^[30]

References

1. Pierobon, Jim (October 24, 2017). "Solar co-op innovator expanding nationwide, aims to empower homeowners". ENERGY NEWS NETWORK. from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
2. Jenkins, Mark (2014-04-02). "D.C. SUN is a group approach to renewable energy". Washington Post.
3. Karelas, Andreas (2020-09-29). Climate Courage: How Tackling Climate Change Can Build Community, Transform the Economy, and Bridge the Political Divide in America. Beacon Press. ISBN 978-0-8070-8489-2.
4. Flaccavento, Anthony (2016-06-10). Building a Healthy Economy from the Bottom Up: Harnessing Real-World Experience for Transformative Change. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0-8131-6735-0.
5. Fairchild, Denise; Weinrub, Al (2017-10-12). Energy Democracy: Advancing Equity in Clean Energy Solutions. Island Press. ISBN 978-1-61091-851-0.
6. "See How One Family Found a Smarter Way to Go Solar". Martha Stewart.
7. Sylvia, Tim (August 24, 2018). "2018 National Solar Tour of Homes largest in event's history". pv magazine. from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
8. "Detailed history". Solar United Neighbors. from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
9. Andorka, Frank (October 4, 2017). "Group recruits standing solar army". pv magazine. from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
10. Hanley, Steve (September 12, 2017). "Co-Ops In Florida Make Rooftop Solar Possible For More People". CleanTechnica. from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
11. Karelas, Andreas (2020). Climate Courage. Boston: Beacon Press. pp. 141–142. ISBN 9780807084892. Kindle locations 2544-2568.
12. "About ILSR". Institute for Local Self-Reliance. from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
13. "About the Initiative for Energy Justice". initiative for energy justice. from the original on February 16, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
14. "30 Million Solar Homes | Earth Wise". Earth Wise.
15. "Solar United Neighbors Brings Co-Op To Denver". denver.cbslocal.com.
16. Company, Tampa Publishing. "Why now is the perfect time for Tampa Bay to go solar | Column". Tampa Bay Times.
17. "Hillsborough Co. Solar Co-op launches for residents to go solar together". WFLA. 2020-08-11.
18. "Gulf Coast Community Foundation Grants $30,000 to Two New Solar Co-Ops". Sarasota Magazine. June 23, 2020. from the original on March 16, 2021. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
19. "Boone County Solar Co-Op Relaunching For A Second Year". Zionsville, IN Patch. 2021-04-22.
20. Hassanzadeh, Erin (April 27, 2023). "Solar United Neighbors helps Minneapolis homeowners go solar on a budget". CBS News. from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
21. Ludt, Billy (April 29, 2020). "Solar United Neighbors starting 4 solar co-ops in Ohio". Solar Power World. from the original on May 16, 2020. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
22. Welter, Chris (July 10, 2023). "Solar co-op seeks business, non-profit members; to hold local information sessions". 91.3 wyso. Miami Valley, Ohio. from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
23. Deornellas, Elizabeth (January 13, 2024). "Solar United Neighbors brings co-op model to Lancaster County solar customers". LancasterOnline. from the original on January 13, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
24. Phox, Jason (May 18, 2023). "Solar United Neighbors launches 2023 co-op program to bring more green energy to Allegheny County". NEXTpittsburgh. Pennsylvania. from the original on May 21, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
25. Gray, Lisa (2021-06-16). "Considering solar panels for your roof? Here's what Lisa Gray learned". Houston Chronicle.
26. "Plano Solar 101". Plano City News. February 27, 2024. Scroll down to Happenings. from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
27. November 24 (2019-11-24). "How Virginians are going solar, powered by national program". The Henrico Citizen.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
28. Crane, Brianna (May 27, 2023). "What you need to know about solar panels in Washington". Axios. from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
29. Beard, David (January 19, 2024). "Solar United Neighbors survey shows statewide support for solar power and net metering". Dominion Post. West Virginia. from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
30. Brown, Alleen (March 1, 2021). "AFTER TEXAS, GREEN NEW DEAL ADVOCATES PUSH ROOFTOP SOLAR. BUT WILL BIDEN FUND IT?". The Intercept_. from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved April 24, 2021.