• Get Involved
    • Become an Installer
    • Become a Member
    • Become a Partner
    • Become a Volunteer
    • Contact Us
    • Donate
  • Group Buys & Events
    • Active Group Buys Map
    • Illinois
      • Grow Solar Chicagoland
      • Solar Urbana-Champaign
    • Iowa
      • Grow Solar Polk County
    • Michigan
      • Grow Solar Highland Park-Detroit
    • Minnesota
      • Grow Solar Twin Cities
    • Missouri
    • Wisconsin
      • Grow Solar Central Wisconsin
      • Grow Solar for Humanity
      • Grow Solar Jefferson + Waukesha Counties
      • Grow Solar Greater Milwaukee
      • Technical Assistance
        • Solar PV Assistance for Institutions
  • News
    • Requests for Proposals & Updates
    • Rise Up Midwest Podcast
  • Resources
    • Community Resources
    • Interconnection Processes
    • Permitting, Planning & Zoning
    • Rise Up Midwest!
    • Solar on Schools
    • Solar Project Builder
    • Solar Project Finance
    • Solar Training
    • Value of Solar
  • Solar Toolkits
  • What is a Group Buy?
Powered by MREA
Grow SolarGrow Solar
A Midwest Partnership to Move Markets.
  • Get Involved
    • Become an Installer
    • Become a Member
    • Become a Partner
    • Become a Volunteer
    • Contact Us
    • Donate
  • Group Buys & Events
    • Active Group Buys Map
    • Illinois
      • Grow Solar Chicagoland
      • Solar Urbana-Champaign
    • Iowa
      • Grow Solar Polk County
    • Michigan
      • Grow Solar Highland Park-Detroit
    • Minnesota
      • Grow Solar Twin Cities
    • Missouri
    • Wisconsin
      • Grow Solar Central Wisconsin
      • Grow Solar for Humanity
      • Grow Solar Jefferson + Waukesha Counties
      • Grow Solar Greater Milwaukee
      • Technical Assistance
        • Solar PV Assistance for Institutions
  • News
    • Requests for Proposals & Updates
    • Rise Up Midwest Podcast
  • Resources
    • Community Resources
    • Interconnection Processes
    • Permitting, Planning & Zoning
    • Rise Up Midwest!
    • Solar on Schools
    • Solar Project Builder
    • Solar Project Finance
    • Solar Training
    • Value of Solar
  • Solar Toolkits
  • What is a Group Buy?

Request for Proposals: Solar Urbana-Champaign, Illinois 2022 solar group buy

May 13, 2022 Request for Proposals - (RFPs)

The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) is seeking qualified firms to submit proposals for the design, procurement, and installation of new residential and commercial photovoltaic (PV) systems at a per-watt price lower than the prevailing single system market rate.

The “group buy” program is being led by Midwest Renewable Energy Association. The goal of the program is to increase consumer education and PV installations in Champaign, Piatt, and Vermilion Counties, IL, through a group purchase involving a competitive contractor selection process, an advantageous pricing and rebate structure, and free information sessions.

Between 2013 and 2020, the MREA facilitated 50 Solar Group Buy programs around the Midwest, reaching over 11,600 individuals with our Solar Power Hour information sessions, and leading to more than 17,400 kW on over 2,300 properties. Among those who attended our presentations, an average 20% purchased a PV system. To date, the average system size is 7.3 kW.  Since 2016, Solar Urbana-Champaign programs have resulted in 242 solar installations in Champaign, Piatt, and Vermilion Counties. 

The group buy program is offered with support from the MREA,  the City of Urbana, the Village of Savoy, Citizens Utility Board (CUB), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign County Sustainability Network (CCNet) and Common Ground Food Co-operative. The MREA will coordinate and deliver a minimum of 12 free, public Solar Power Hour information sessions and market them widely with physical posters, email blasts, paid social media promotion, in the press, and more. Depending on local public health conditions, presentations may be webinars or in-person.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE RFP

RFP Announced: May 13, 2022
RFP Questions Due/Posted: May 27, 2021
RFP Proposals: Due June 3, 2021
Firm Selected: June 17, 2021

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

1. With the program moving to in-person presentations, what is the estimated average attendance for these presentations? It will be interesting to see how in-person events will go this year, but people are ready to go back out in the world. So far in other programs that have launched, attendance has been good so far. If we look at the past, our average was 12 people per presentation. I think we can achieve those same numbers with proper planning. 
 
2. What were the final installation results (projects/KW’s) for 2021? For the 2021 program, we had 120.12 kW of solar on 16 properties installed. Additionally, we had 467.84 kWs on 52 properties worth of proposals. 
 
3. Besides in-person presentations, are there any new additions to the program’s outreach (i.e. new partners, new venues) in 2022? This is in flux as we are actively seeking new partners and venues as we return to more in-person programming. Additionally, we are working towards finding new ways/new venues to get more involved with Vermilion County this year. 
Share
1

You also might be interested in

Solar Power Hour coming to East Troy

Jul 1, 2015

On Thursday, July 2, East Troy area residents have the[...]

Request for Proposals – Eau Claire solar group buy 2019

Apr 11, 2019

Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) is seeking qualified firms to[...]

Solar Celebration

Sep 30, 2015

You’re invited to a Solar Celebration! We’re always looking for[...]

MREA
en English
ar Arabiczh-CN Chinese (Simplified)nl Dutchen Englishfr Frenchde Germanit Italianpt Portugueseru Russianes Spanish

Privacy Policy

An initiative of the Midwest Renewable Energy Association
Headquarters: 7558 Deer Road, Custer, WI 54423 | 715-900-2474 |

© 2023 · Grow Solar

Prev
7ads6x98y
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}