The Gazette: More Solar Gardens Sprouting Up in Colorado Springs

Published in The Gazette | August 7, 2012 | Written by Andrew Wineke

MARK REIS, THE GAZETTE

In this Nov. 29, 2011 file photo, 
Sarah Rice, foreground, 

and Garrett Jacobs with SunShare help 
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, 

right, place a solar panel at the 
solar garden at Venetucci Farm.

It’s been almost a year since the Colorado Springs City Council approved community solar gardens, allowing anyone in the city to buy or lease solar panels in a central installation and receive a credit on their home electric bill.

The program has hit some potholes along the way, but the first, 500-kilowatt solar array, built by local company SunShare at Venetucci Farm, is sold out and more projects are in the works.

Councilwoman Brandy Williams said she thinks the program has been a tremendous success.

“I think it helped the utility to see that it really can be done and it helped the public see that government can partner with the private sector,” Williams said. “It’s been exciting. It’s brought the community together and people are now getting solar who never dreamed of getting solar.”

SunShare is planning to begin construction this month on a second solar garden a few miles from Venetucci at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church and already has commitments for most of the panels there.

A second company, Carbondale-based Clean Energy Collective, plans to begin a project in September on land it’s leasing around a Colorado Springs Utilities substation near I-25 and South Academy Boulevard. If the first project goes well, CEC plans to build a second solar garden on the same site.

Read more: http://www.gazette.com/articles/projects-142842-solar-works.html#ixzz22z0FJ0It