Clean Energy Collective (CEC) is a clean energy company that is based in Carbondale, Colorado. Founded in 2010, the Clean Energy Collective builds, operates and maintains community-based clean energy facilities. Its goal is to deliver clean power-generation through facilities that are collectively owned by participating utility customers. The CEC provides its cooperatives with "RemoteMeter" software that calculates production and monthly credits for participants (and includes a smartphone app).
Under the CEC community solar plan, an individual or entity can buy one or more solar panels, thereby becoming the owner of the solar panel(s). The solar panels need not be physically located on the owner's property but can be installed somewhere else. The electricity each panel generates is fed into the electric grid, and then sold to utility customers. Panel owners are paid in electricity credits for the value of the electricity their panels generate. Under the agreement, maintenance is included, so the CEC (not the individual) is responsible for the repair, cleaning, or replacement of the panels.
One of the CEC's goals is to allow individuals or entities who "...lack an appropriate, sunny space for a solar array (75% of people rent or have a roof that is unsuitable for solar) [to] still get their share of the electricity as though it were on their own rooftop."
The Clean Energy Collective promotes its community-based model as cost effective in part because the CEC is able to leverage its "collective purchasing power" through economies of scale to obtain bulk prices.
The Clean Energy Collective has partnered with local utilities, including: Holy Cross Energy, Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA), and the Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association
The US Department of Energy has recognized the Clean Energy Collective "...for expanding the market for electricity produced from renewable energy sources during the 11th annual Green Power Leadership Awards in San Francisco, California."
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Funding
In 2012, Sooper Credit Union of Arvada, Colorado Colorado agreed to offer long-term loans to consumers and businesses that buy into CEC community-owned solar gardens.
Clean Energy Collective Video
Partnership
In 2014, solar developer, First Solar, took a minority equity position in Clean Energy Collective, announcing a "strategic partnership to develop and market" community solar gardens for utilities.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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