Grow Solar

Powered by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association, Grow Solar is a coordinated effort among Midwest organizations and municipalities to build an open and advantageous solar market that provides long-term benefits to communities.

Led by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA), the Grow Solar Partnership began in 2012 with funding from the US Department of Energy SunShot Initiative. With an initial focus on reducing PV systems permitting and inspection costs and advancing model financing in three Wisconsin cities, the partnership expanded efforts to Illinois and Minnesota with the expansion of the Power Pack Program and the development of the Solar Powering the Midwest Conference Series.  With renewed support from SunShot as part of the Rooftop Solar Challenge, Grow Solar began working with a network of regional partners to leverage private, local, and state support to advance activities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Michigan that 1) facilitated the adoption of solar permitting, planning, and zoning best practices by municipalities, 2) developed model finance arrangements for solar installations, 3) built workforce capacity to properly design, sell, and interconnect code-compliant PV systems, and 4) improve rules, standards and policies to provide a framework for sustainable solar market growth.  As a result of this work, we have been able to help communities become more solar friendly through improvements to their policies and through community-facing programs like our Solar Group Buys.

SOLAR TOOLKITS

Grow Solar Toolkits are a set of resources to assist city, county, community and electric utility leaders in the implementation of solar program best practices. Gain access to permitting, planning, and zoning details for local governments. For an overview of Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin regulation, please see the Three State Regional Analysis: Creating “Solar Ready Communities” [PDF].

Solar PV Assistance for Institutions

With more than two decades of experience in solar energy projects, the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) is now offering technical assistance to help institutions develop highest value, lowest cost solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. Though the financial performance of a PV project may exceed return requirements, it can be challenging for institutions (e.g. municipalities, universities, schools, hospitals) to define projects that meet their needs and to engage the private market to procure the best services available. The MREA’s technical assistance is designed to help you define objectives, identify project opportunities, detail financing options, and procure services. As a non-profit organization with a mission to promote renewable energy, we will work on your behalf to help you go solar.

Solar PV Project Scoping

The MREA will help entities review the objectives, deliverables, timelines for completion, and procurement pathways for a single solar PV project or group of projects. The process includes a phone interview with vested community stakeholders, a project feasibility assessment, and a summary of findings report.

Solar PV Site Assessment

The MREA will assist entities in conducting solar PV site assessments. The process includes a pre-qualification call, a utility rate and consumption analysis (12 months), site modeling, an assumptions validation call, and a solar PV site assessment final report.

Competitive Procurement of Services

The MREA will assist entities with competitive PV project procurement selection, solicitation, and evaluation strategies including contractor services, renewable energy certificates (RECs), power purchase agreements (PPAs), or other financing options. After an initial consultation call to review project objectives and procurement strategies, the MREA will assist entities as they navigate the procurement process using site assessments and economic feasibility studies performed by the MREA.