Wells Fargo Joins Community Solar Gardens Initiatives in Colorado – Solar Industry

Go to Source April 19, 2022

US Solar has added Wells Fargo‘s 8 MW Sunscription to five new US Solar Community Solar Gardens in Colorado. The solar gardens, located in Xcel Energy and Black Hills Energy territories, will serve commercial and residential customers, as well as low- to moderate-income service organizations in the greater Colorado area.

Wells Fargo’s Sunscription will provide utility-bill credits for nearly 100 of its retail and corporate locations across Colorado.

The program also provides the opportunity for Wells Fargo’s Colorado employees residing in the Xcel Energy and Black Hills Energy territories to enter into a Sunscription with US Solar and help drive the adoption of renewable energy on the local power grid, while also receiving bill credits that can lower their energy bills.

A Sunscription to a solar garden from US Solar allows companies and individuals to benefit from solar without any upfront costs or equipment on their property. Community solar helps increase access to solar energy even for businesses and homes that are not ideally situated for a rooftop solar installation. Subscribers receive savings through a bill credit on their electric bill based on the production of the solar garden, while supporting the development of local, clean energy.

“Wells Fargo’s renewable energy strategy is to leverage our annual energy spend to support the development of net-new renewable generation assets in locations where our energy needs are the greatest,” says Richard Henderson, head of Wells Fargo’s Corporate Properties Group and Denver resident. “In addition to the climate benefits, projects like US Solar’s community solar gardens provide a path for underserved communities to benefit from community solar and take advantage of lower energy bills and increased energy resilience.”

US Solar is currently developing 14 solar gardens in Colorado. US Solar will be planting pollinator-friendly native vegetation at each solar garden, which will decrease stormwater runoff, enhance soil regeneration and increase the air quality in the surrounding communities.

“We are proud to have Wells Fargo as a subscriber to our Solar Gardens and thrilled to offer this new program to their employees,” states Erica Forsman, vice president of origination at US Solar. “It is an exciting opportunity to support Wells Fargo’s corporate renewable energy goals while providing benefit to their employees and community. We’re focused on investing in energy production in Colorado while increasing access to renewable energy for residents throughout the state.”

For every Wells Fargo employee who completes their Sunscription account set-up, US Solar will make a donation to Energy Outreach Colorado to further Energy Outreach Colorado’s mission of providing more sustainable energy options for low to moderate-income Colorado residents.

“I really like the ability to shift my monthly energy costs to solar energy without the expense and equipment to install solar on my house,” comments Clayton Sampson, lead commercial loan closing specialist with Wells Fargo and chair of the bank’s Colorado “Green Team.” “Wells Fargo’s partnership with US Solar got me priority access to this popular program. And the fact that there’s a guaranteed discount makes it a pretty easy decision in my mind.”