By Renee Larr
The City of Carmel is partnering with Carmel Green Initiative to kick off the Solarize Hamilton County 2017 Campaign, which will begin with a free informational session on the uses and benefits of solar energy from 1 to 4 p.m. June 24 at City Hall.
Reggie Henderson, general manager of energy solutions at Telamon Corporation, will discuss how residents can utilize solar energy for their homes.
“Reggie will speak to the reasons for thinking about solar now and getting the best value that you can from solar investments. The legislators passed a bill that phases out net metering, so we’re trying to help people understand how that affects them. He’ll speak to that, and then we’ll get into the nuts and bolts of solar,” said Leslie Webb, president of the Carmel Green Initiative.
Net metering provides a credit at the full retail kilowatt price for unused energy. In April, Gov. Eric Holcomb signed Senate Bill 309 to phase out net metering. Solar installations completed in 2017 will qualify for the full rate until 2047, with installations in future years qualifying for a shorter period of time or no time at all.
“Our mission is to build a more sustainable community. We have been promoting and advocating for solar for years. It’s an important part of building a sustainable community,” Webb said. “We wanted to partner with the city to help get the message out to a wider group. I think if residents see the city supporting this, it helps to encourage more people to utilize solar energy.”
CGI will offer a $250 incentive rebate to the first 10 Carmel residents who install solar panels this year. For more, visit carmelgreen.org.
Solarize Hamilton County kickoff
When: 1 to 4 p.m. June 24
Where: Carmel City Hall, 1 Civic Square
Cost: Free
More info: Carmelgreen.org.
