BLOOMINGTON (25News Now) – A new partnership for the City of Bloomington aims to help residents save money on their utility bills.
The Community Solar Campaign brokered by The Stone River Group is a collaboration between the city and PowerMarket, bringing community solar to more people across Central Illinois.
“The Community Solar Program, it’s a statewide program that is specific in the Ameren territory. There are developers that have installed large solar installations that allow residential and small commercial customers to take advantage of these solar credits that are produced,” said Justin Cheger, vice president of operations for The Stone River Group.
“And the way that the program is set up, when you sign up for the program, your account gets enrolled and becomes part of that project,” Cheger said.
What is Community Solar?
According to Ameren Illinois, it is an easy way for people to help expand solar energy without having to install solar panels on their homes or businesses. All while helping consumers save money by working with community solar developers, ensuring that a portion of renewable energy is deducted from their monthly utility bill.
“Because of that enrollment, you can benefit from a 10% credit on your bill. So, the developer will apply those solar credits that they have generated to your bill. And when all of the line items on the bill come out, you’ll save 10% off of your delivery and your supply,” explained Cheger.
However, the 10% isn’t a set rate; a person can qualify for a higher percentage if they are a low-income household or individual. At that point, it could go up to 20%.
As for the cost of the program, according to city officials, it is free, and you can cancel your subscription at any time for free as well.
If you have more questions regarding the program or its enrollment process, call 1(800)253-4333 or email support@powermarket.io.
You can also visit the PowerMarket enrollment website, where you will find a tab to learn more about community solar and another section where you can contact them.
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