A Bright Future for Solar Power

If you’ve had the chance to familiarize yourself with the City’s Community Climate Action Plan, or you’ve done your own research, you’ve probably read about the environmental and financial advantages offered with solar power. It reduces your dependence on fossil fuels, and it’s effective in many applications. The City set ambitious goals to reduce carbon emissions by 45 percent by 2030 and be net-zero by 2050. A key component of becoming carbon free is increasing renewable energy production and usage community-wide. T he City has installed solar power panels at the northwest transit garage and the Chandler Street, Glass Road, and Oklahoma Avenue water booster stations. Those installed systems produce 250 kilowatts and produce $10,000 of electricity each year. Additionally, they were installed with no up-front costs through a Power Purchase Agreement. In 2022, the Ellis Golf Clubhouse opened and is outfitted with rooftop solar.

To help reach the City’s goals for solar energy, we partnered with Grow Solar, an initiative of the Midwest Renewable Energy Association. Starting in 2017, and offered again in 2019 and 2021, residents and businesses were able to purchase reduced-cost solar power solutions suitable for their situation and receive discounts on installation fees.

Solar power plays an important role in the City’s plans for sustainability and creating a legacy of clean, renewable energy use everywhere it’s feasible. Cedar Rapids Sustainability Manager Sara Maples said the group solar program and the City’s renewable energy initiatives provide a way for residents to learn about solar energy, save money, and invest in clean energy for decades to come.

“New federal funding opportunities make renewable energy and energy efficiency upgrades more affordable. Homeowners who install solar can deduct 30 percent of the cost from their federal income taxes. Other rebates and tax credits are available for purchases such as heat pumps, electric vehicles, and electric appliances.”

As encouragement for builders and property-owners to explore solar power options, Cedar Rapids streamlined the permitting process for solar installations alongside the group-purchase options. This resulted in Cedar Rapids being recognized as a Gold-rated SolSmart Community.

To learn how you can participate in a group solar program, visit: CityofCR.com/SolarGroupBuy.