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Educating Communities Since 2013.
  • Get Involved
    • Become an Installer
    • Become a Member
    • Become a Partner
    • Become a Volunteer
    • Contact Us
    • Donate
  • Group Buys
    • Find a Group Buy
    • Illinois
      • Solar Switch Chicagoland
    • Iowa
      • Grow Solar Jasper + Poweshiek
    • Wisconsin
      • Grow Solar Central Wisconsin
      • Grow Solar Door Co.
      • Grow Solar Green Bay – Fox Valley
      • Grow Solar La Crosse
      • Grow Solar Milwaukee + Waukesha
  • News
    • Requests for Proposals Announcements
    • Rise Up Midwest Podcast
  • Community Resources
  • MREA Resources
    • Business Member Directory
    • Industry Demo Day / The Energy Fair
    • Rise Up Midwest!
    • Solar on Schools
    • Solar Project Builder
    • Solar Project Finance
    • Solar Training

Grow Solar Metro East 2023 has come to a close

The Grow Solar Metro East group buy period has closed. Through this program, home and business owners throughout the Gateway region were able to learn about solar and pool their buying power to secure significant discounts that made installing solar more affordable.

If you signed up or had a site assessment and have questions or concerns, please contact Nelnet at solarsales@nelnet.net or call 312-859-3417.

Offered by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association ( MREA), Piasa Palisades Group of Sierra Club and other local partners.

Thank you to all of our partners who supported this program.

Live across the river? Check out Grow Solar St. Louis!

How to Participate

Tell us how we did!

Start by attending a Solar Power Hour. Our free virtual information session teaches you the basics of solar, its financial implications for your property, and how the program works.

Then, get a free, no obligation consultation from our competitively-selected installer, Nelnet Renewable Energy (formerly GRNE Solar)

Have questions about your solar consultation? Reach out to Nelnet at solarsales@nelnet.net or at 312-859-3417 and don’t forget to mention the program.

Whether you’ve harnessed the power of the sun, decided to wait a little longer, or played a crucial role in our program, we want to hear from you!

Click the button below to take our short end of program survey.

Sign Up
Take the Survey

Have questions about going solar?

Knowledge is power and education is the first and most important step when beginning your solar journey. With the tools below, you can ensure the quality and protection of your investment.

Grow Solar’s Consumer Guide breaks down the process in a simple guide. Where as MREA’s Community Resources allows you to dive deeper to understand the technology, provides step-by-step of going solar, FAQs and more!

Grow Solar's Consumer GuideMREA's Community Resources

Grow Solar Metro East Events

Grow Solar events are free and open to the public. All times listed are Central Time.

Remaining Solar Power Hour: 

Final In-Person Solar Power Hour: Monday, November 6, 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Edwardsville Public Library

Grow Solar Gateway

Help spread the word! The only way this program is successful is through community- led outreach. Please considering sharing with your networks because the more people who go solar through the program, the lower the price for all.

Media Kit

Can’t make a Solar Power Hour?

You can still watch this recorded version to learn the basics of solar, its financial implications for your property, and how the Grow Solar Metro East program works. Then, get a free, no obligation site assessment from our competitively-selected installer, Nelnet Renewable Energy, by filling out this short form. The deadline to participate in this program is November 18, so don’t delay.  Your solar journey awaits!

Grow Solar Metro East: By the numbers

Properties added solar

Kilowatts of Solar Installed

People attended Power Hours

Every year, that’s like avoiding:

miles driven by the average passenger vehicle

Pounds of coal burned

phones being charged

One Program, Big Impact since 2016

1,193 people attended Solar Power Hours

234 properties added solar

2,266 kilowatts of solar have been installed

Every year, that’s like avoiding:

4,843,056 miles driven by the average passenger vehicle

2,129,936 lbs. of coal burned

OR like 81,995 trash bags recycled rather than landfilled

Grow Solar Metro East Participant Testimonial

SINCE 2019, GROW SOLAR METRO EAST HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY

Follow us on Facebook!

2021 marks the fifth year for the Grow Solar Metro East program. Since 2017, the environmental impact has been huge. Each year, the PV systems installed through this program will singlehandedly avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 3,955,075 lbs. of CO2. So, thank you to you for making this program successful year after year and for helping to keep our part of the state beautiful, clean, and healthy.

Since 2017:

Still on the fence about solar?

Got some burning questions you’re just not quite sure about?

Join us for a special event on Wednesday, September 16th from 6:00-7:00 p.m.: “Everything you want to know about solar but are too afraid to ask!” We will celebrate the program’s successes, talk about why now is a great time to go solar, and hear from solar owners and experts alike!

REGISTER NOW

Ready to schedule a site assessment or wanting to receive important program updates? Fill out this short form to either request a free, no obligation site assessment with StraighUp Solar, receive important program updates directly to your inbox, or both.

SCHEDULE/RECEIVE UPDATES

Need more information about this program? Learn about the MREA’s history of facilitating these programs, the success this program has previously experienced, and a biography for this program’s installer, StraightUp Solar, on our About page.

LEARN MORE

Want to see more solar in the Metro East area? Help us get the word out about the Grow Solar Metro East program! Check out our media kit for easily shareable social media and email language and graphics. Thanks for helping grow solar!

SPREAD THE WORD

Organizations and jurisdictions listed above are supportive of the Grow Solar Metro East Program’s efforts to educate consumers about solar. The Program follows a standard competitive public RFP process coordinated by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) to select a solar provider. The final decision whether to contract a solar installation is that of the home or commercial property owner. The organizations and jurisdictions listed above have no legal responsibility or hold any liability for the performance of any contract between the solar installer and residents or businesses in Madison County, Monroe County, or St. Clair County.

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