Portland Chosen as Pilot Town for Solar Program

Portland is one of four towns chosen to participate in Solarize Connecticut, a pilot residential solar program designed to encourage residents to purchase or lease solar panels by providing discounts.

The program was launched earlier this year by the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA), with assistance from The John Merck Fund and SmartPower.

“We are extremely excited to be chosen as one of the pilot communities,” Portland First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield said. “This is exactly the kind of program that will help us expand solar in our community and offer an excellent investment opportunity for our residents.”

Said Durham First Selectwoman Laura Francis: “It’s gratifying and exciting to be selected to participate in the pilot effort and to see how well we can advance solar technology in Durham and the State of Connecticut. We are ready."

Fairfield, Durham and Westport were also selected for the first phase of the Solarize Connecticut Program based on an ability to execute an effective outreach and community based campaign.

The initial pilot phase will run from mid-July through the end of 2012. The best practices and lessons learned from these four towns will then be applied to a second opt-in phase of the Connecticut pilot in early 2013. 

Similarly modeled programs in Oregon and Massachusetts have successfully delivered a lower cost to consumers.

“This program builds on our efforts to drive down costs in the residential PV market here in Connecticut," said Bryan Garcia, president and CEO of CEFIA, in a press release.

CEFIA was established by Connecticut’s General Assembly on July 1, 2011, as a part of Public Act 11-80. This new quasi-public agency supersedes the former Connecticut Clean Energy Fund.

For additional information please visit www.ctcleanenergy.com/solarizect.