SUBJECT: July 12 - Solarize Plano Project Communications Update
The last day to enroll is coming fast. Only 3 DAYS REMAINING! So tell everyone in Plano that you know that it is great time to learn more about local solar energy and to enroll in the Solarize Plano Project!.
**** To review this and prior Project Communications, go to the URL below ***** http://www.solarizeplano.org/p/communications.html
This project status email is being sent to 2014 Solarize Plano Project participants that have enrolled, interested volunteers, the selected solar installation company, and related city & utility staff contacts . This communications update includes:
1. Key Next Steps between now and end of July!
2. Overall enrollment project statistics
3. Correction for July 1 Communications Update
4. Project Questions
1. Key Next Steps between now and end of July!
For persons that have enrolled, here is a summarized quick checklist of the key next steps. Some of you that plan to proceed have already completed some, or all of the steps. However, for those that have not and are still planning or proceed further, these steps need to be completed on or before July 23 and July 31.
1. Do a little homework on your annual electricity consumption. See Homework Assignment for a simple exercise to calculate example solar PV system sizes based on your annual electricity consumption.
2. Download this presentation file - 2014 Solarize Plano Information Session presentation (pdf).
The first slide contains some updated timeline information related to the phase 2 extension that is currently open and described in the May 16 blog posting at www.solarizeplano.org
3. Invest about 30-45 minutes watching the project online video Information Session meeting which presents the slide presentation you have downloaded in step 2 above.
4. If after completing steps 1-3 above, you believe that you are ready for a home site assessment, complete this online form - 2014 Decision Point 2 Form Questionnaire . The last day to complete this form is July 23. However, the sooner we have your DP2 response, the sooner your site assessment can be scheduled and a proposal can be prepared by the selected solar company for your consideration. The available Oncor incentive funds are continuing to be used up, so the sooner you make a decision, the better your chances that Oncor incentive funding will still be available.
5. If your decision is to sign a contract with the solar company, the last day to sign is July 31. Again, as stated in step 4, the available Oncor incentive funds are continuing to be used up, so the sooner you make a decision, the better your chances that Oncor incentive funding will still be available.
2. Overall enrollment project statistics (as of July 11)
Phase 1 | Total (including Phase 2) | |
# of Plano enrollees | 132 | 188 |
# of DP2 yes/maybe | 35 | 51 |
# of site assessments completed | 32 | 43 |
# of proposals submitted to enrollees | 32 | 42 |
# of contracts committed by enrollees | 15 (83.3 kW) | 17 (94.4 kW) |
# of Phase 1 installations started (planned June 25) | 4 | |
# of Phase 1 installations completed (expected late August) | 2 | |
# of Phase 2 installations started (planned early Sept) | tbd | |
# of Phase 2 installations completed | tbd |
3. Correction for July 1 Communications Update
In our July 1 project communications update there was an error regarding the amount of Plano surface area that would be required to provide 40% of our annual electricity demand. We had indicated that it could be met with “less than one percent” of the city’s surface area. However, due to a panel multiplier error in our calculation, this was incorrect. Correcting the panel multiplier indicates that It would take about three percent. The corrected statements are given below. Again - think residential and business rooftops!
Plano consumes over 4 Billion (with a capital B) kilowatt-hours of electricity every year. With today’s available solar photovoltaic technology, about 40% of this demand could be met with about three percent of the city’s 72 square miles of surface area. Think residential and business rooftops! Local CLEAN energy, that uses no water for generation, and is generated where it is consumed so no energy waste in transmission.
4. Project Questions
If you have any questions, please reach out to us by email so that we can setup a call or meeting to address them.
Thanks again for your interest in the Solarize Plano Project and tapping the local solar energy that we have here in Plano!
Shine On!
Larry Howe (rlhowejr@gmail.com) , Bob Litwins (rlitwins@gmail.com), and all the volunteers with Plano Solar Advocates, a 100% grassroots volunteer group
**** To review this and prior Project Communications, go to the URL below ***** http://www.solarizeplano.org/p/communications.html