Dividend Solar is partnering with SolarWorld and Enphase Energy to offer the Solar Freedom package to South Carolina residents, according to a recent press release. Dividend Solar is a major sponsor of the Solarize South Carolina movement, which seeks to educate homeowners about the benefits of solar power through outreach programs throughout the state.
Solar Freedom brings together a leading solar panel manufacurer and installer with a top maker of micro-inverters and a proven solar lending source. Together they can offer homeowners in South Carolina solar system ownership at leased system prices. The package also includes maintenance and system monitoring during the life of the 25-year warranty.
“We are proud to introduce the Solar Freedom package with SolarWorld and Enphase, combining our low-cost loan financing with leading system components to create a best-in-class option for homeowners,” says Steve Michella, CEO of Dividend Solar. “Together, we can offer a one-stop solution for homeowners in South Carolina who want the peace-of-mind of hassle-free financing combined with the highest-quality systems.”
Dividend Solar’s gives homeowners a zero down ownership option. Its EmpowerLoan™ includes the benefits of a solar lease or power purchase agreement – operations and maintenance, warranty management, performance guarantees and production monitoring – with the significant financial upside of solar ownership. With low-interest rates, no out-of-pocket expenses and a streamlined application process, the EmpowerLoan™ provides a simplified path to solar ownership and maximizes the economic benefits of going solar.
Utility companies in South Carolina are also supporting the Solarize South Carolina initiative. “The work that is being done by Solarize South Carolina will give [our] customers another clean energy option and help to advance solar across the state as intended by the Distributed Energy Resource Program Act that was signed into law last year,” said Danny Kassis, South Carolina Energy & Gas vice president for customer relations and renewables.
“SCE&G is already leading the country in reducing coal-fired generation in favor of clean energy. Our support and investment in solar is also an important part of this effort to create a balanced energy portfolio that will serve our customers for the future. We are excited to see this innovative and award-winning program come to South Carolina.”
Contrast that with what is happening just north of the border in neighboring North Carolina. There, Duke Energy is throwing money and lobbyists at state legislators to defeat the Energy Freedom Act, a bill similar to the one that South Carolina enacted in 2014. That legislation has the support of such major corporations as Walmart, Lowe’s, Target, and Volvo.
Across the country, utility companies are waking to the reality that solar power will disrupt traditional methods of making and distributing electrical energy. Some, like SCG&E and PG&E in California, are trying to get out ahead of the curve and manage the coming changes. Others, like Duke Energy and Arizona Public Service, are digging in their heels and trying to preserve their crumbling empires.
The tide of solar power is rising. Making electricity by burning fossil fuels is so last century. There are solar panels on the Vatican and the White House. The times, they are a-changin’ for sure.
