About Solar Urbana-Champaign

What makes our group buys so successful?

COMPETITIVE PRICING

CONTRACTING SIMPLICITY

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Competitive Pricing: The MREA’s competitive request for proposals process ensures you a competitive price and the simplicity of working with a single installer. Most individuals receive a price per watt lower than what is otherwise available from this solar installer. The more people that buy in, the more benchmarks are surpassed, the lower the price becomes. We do recommend that individuals consider all their options before signing a contract to ensure that they are receiving the best value and quality available for their proposed system.

Community Support & Outreach: Our programs are supported by both the leaders and community members of Champaign, Piatt, and Vermilion Counties, and they’re excited and active about spreading the word! Through the help of your jurisdiction leaders and community members, the MREA facilitates a number of one-hour Solar Power Hours for your community. These educational events cover the basics of solar, financials, your property’s solar readiness, and how to participate in Solar Urbana-Champaign.

Limited-time Offering: This deal is only available for a short time! Including deadlines allows the program to offer reduced prices.

2021 Program Installer: New Prairie Solar

Originally owned and operated by Illinois’ natives Jill Mulder and Julie Birdwell, New Prairie Construction was founded in Champaign-Urbana in 1988. Long committed to green building and renewable energy, New Prairie Construction expanded into the design and installation of solar systems in 2015 to answer the call for a reliable and local solar provider to service Central Illinois. Our solid construction background and building science knowledge brings a unique skill set and perspective to each solar PV project.

After over thirty years of success, retirement for Jill and Julie was on the horizon. Rather than sell the company to outside investors, New Prairie was converted to an employee-owned cooperative in 2018 and was sold in equal shares to the long-term employees. Now, each employee has the potential opportunity to become an owner of New Prairie after completing a tenure requirement.