Renew Missouri is working to bring more solar energy to the region through a collaborative effort with StraightUp Solar and Washington University.
Renew STL Solar launched this month and aims to help St. Louis building owners install solar in order to lower energy costs and reduce emissions.
Andrew Linhares, the regional director and senior counsel for Renew Missouri St. Louis, said the program is beneficial for companies that have sustainability objectives of reducing emissions.
“We want to help people track progress to those sustainability objectives,” Linhares said. “So we got a carbon equivalency calculator that we can help you determine how much emissions you are avoiding, including water consumption.”
Renew STL Solar is a “group buy” program, which means several businesses can participate together in order to get better prices on solar equipment. Installing solar can be a lot of work, Linhares said, and the goal of Renew STL Solar is to make it easier.
“We’re aiming here to just streamline all of that for you,” Linhares said. “We want to be able to help you apply for and secure all the rebates and incentives that are available. There are utility rebates to help you get the installation done cheaper.”
Electric vehicle charging stations and battery storage systems are also offered as an option. Both will include tax benefits and utility rebates. By the end of the year, Linhares said, Renew STL Solar hopes to bring two megawatts of new solar to St. Louis. That equals the annual electricity needs of more than 300 homes in St. Louis.
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