Austin Utilities is looking to the future and sees the long term benefits of producing electricity directly from the sun. Every unit of electricity produced by solar is a unit that does not need to be produced by burning fossil fuels.  Surveys have shown that most people prefer solar electricity over other forms of energy production and want to see solar energy used on a greater scale. Unfortunately, wide-spread adoption of this technology has been hampered because photovoltaic (PV) systems are extremely expensive.

For example, a system that is capable of meeting one half of a typical home's electricity needs may cost a homeowner more than $20,000 to install. While there are state and federal programs that help buy down this initial cost, they are not enough to make a system pay for itself through energy savings over the 30+ year life of the equipment.  However, we must find a way to take advantage of all the benefits of solar electricity – they are too great to ignore. Just consider these facts:

- Each day more solar energy falls to the earth than the total amount of energy the planet's six billion inhabitants would consume in 27 years. Currently, we harness only about 1% of this energy.

- Enough sunlight reaches the earth's surface each year to produce approximately 1,000 times the same amount of energy produced by burning all fossil fuels mined and extracted during the same time period.

- PV systems convert sunlight directly to electricity. PV modules covering 0.3% of the land in the U.S., equivalent to one-fourth of the area currently occupied by railroads, could provide all of the U.S.'s electricity needs.

- Working PV systems have no moving parts, are relatively simple in design, need very little maintenance and are environmentally benign. They simply and silently produce electricity whenever they are exposed to light.

SOLARCHOICE makes solar electricity affordable today by connecting customers that want to produce solar electricity with other customers that want to support the development of renewable energy by paying a small premium on their utility bill.  Customers can actively promote the development of local renewable energy in their communities by becoming either SOLARCHOICE producers or SOLARCHOICE purchasers.

SOLARCHOICE is unique in that it encourages the installation of local, clean, renewable energy by relying on free-market supply and demand principles rather than rebates, tax incentives, or other government subsidies.  This allows our customers to choose whether or not they want to support renewable energy development in their community.  Your support of SOLARCHOICE is essentially a vote for renewable energy.

Any Austin Utilities electric customer can become a SOLARCHOICE producer by installing a photovoltaic (PV) system and signing an agreement with the utility.  The incentive payment a producer receives is dependent upon how much renewable energy they produce.  For example, if a producer generated 5% of the renewable energy generated by all of the producers, they would receive 5% of the incentive payments. Call (507) 433-8886 to learn more about becoming a SOLARCHOICE producer.  In addition to information about SOLARCHOICE, we can also provide information about state and federal programs that are available to assist you. 

Purchasers voluntarily pay a little extra on their utility bill each month.  This additional money is kept in the SOLAR CHOICE Fund, and then passed on to the producers once a year according to the SOLAR CHOICE payment formula.  Purchasers do not physically receive green electricity produced, but they are guaranteed that 100% of their contributions will be used to make incentive payments to SOLAR CHOICE producers.  When you become a SOLAR CHOICE purchaser you will also receive a certificate and SOLAR CHOICE decal that you can display to let others know that you support local, renewable energy.

Becoming a SOLAR CHOICE purchaser is easy.  Simply fill in the information below and click Submit.  You can also contact the Energy Services Department at 507-433-8886.  They will be happy to assist you.

 “Producing electricity from the sun has benefits in three areas:
1) The environment benefits because our house, in one year,
has avoided burning 3.3 tons of coal and prevented 8.3 tons
of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere.
2) Our personal finances have benefited because the PV
system “pays” for over 80% of our electricity costs. As energy
costs go up, our savings and payback will only increase.
There are no moving parts and it will never wear out, so this
system will pay for itself well beyond our lifetimes.
3) The community benefits by using the excess electricity we produce during the day, when it is most
needed. This keeps costs down for our neighbors and helps avoid the potential for brownouts.
The SOLARCHOICE program is just one more way in which RPU serves our community with responsible
and effective utility services.”
– Ray Bills & Coralee Grebe
Owners of the first co-generating solar home in Rochester

“I am so proud and happy to
be the first commercial solar
project in Austin. We are
falling behind as Americans
and must move forward on
our own with our energy
production. We each can not
only conserve, but produce
energy for ourselves from
renewable sources.”
– Caron Jagodzinski
Owner of Good Earth
Natural Foods in Austin