We are excited to announce the launch of The Duluth Solar RREAL Deal 2019, a Duluth-centered solar “group buy” to promote residential solar locally through providing savings to a local installer in our Just Solar Coalition. The group savings are passed along to the residential clients, hence lowering the cost for solar and supporting the resource locally. MNIPL will work with RREAL and its electrical contractor subsidiary, REAL Solar, as the only regionally local residential installer currently within the Just Solar Coalition to schedule and host house parties in November and January, with the intent of signing up 5-10 residences to take part in the group buy initiative named the “RREAL Deal”.  Ecolibrium3 will provide clients home energy audit services so that they can both save energy and qualify for utility solar rebates.

Savings are expected from cost reductions in client acquisition, permitting and utility administration, similar install process and components, and flexible scheduling savings to RREAL, then passed onto clients. MNIPL to retain MOU compensation for client acquisition of $500/residence. Target client savings are $.50/watt, with reasonable expectations of a range of $.25-50/watt. For a typical 5 kW residential system, that would equate to approximately savings of $1250-2500 per customer.

Parameters of participation

1) Residential only, with potential exceptions granted to similar small commercial sites.

2) Pitched roofs only (no flat roofs).

3) Installation site is suitable per assessment by RREAL.

4) Geographically limited to Duluth city limits at this time to best realize the administrative savings of all applications subject to the same permitting authorities.

5) Deadline for client participation is to be under solar contract with RREAL by March 1, 2019

6) Installer will use similar solar components (modules, inverters, racking) and design to reduce costs.  These choices are at the discretion of the installer with the approval of the residential client(s)..

7) Scheduling of house visits and installation will also be at the discretion of the installer, again with the approval of the residential owner, in order to achieve reductions in travel costs. Participants will be informed of tentative install schedules by mid-July, 2019, and solar installs would occur after August 1, 2019.

Join us! Our first MNIPL house party in support of the “RREAL Deal” will be Nov. 28th from 7-8:30pm, hosted by Matt and Kaye Doyle, 2232 Vermilion Road, Duluth.  

RREAL is a nonprofit solar-design build company based in northern Minnesota since 2000. REAL Solar is a licensed electrical contractor and residential building and a subsidiary of RREAL. For more information, please contact Jason Edens, RREAL, at 218-209-5584 Jason@rreal.org, Bret Pence, MNIPL, at 218-343-2527; bretpence@mnipl.org, or Tristen Eberling, Ecolibrum3, at 218-336-1038, mailto:tristen@ecolibrium3.org