Green Mountain Energy™ Sun Club™ Now Accepting Applications for 2014 Solar Array Donations

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“Solar is an extremely versatile natural resource, and we encourage applicants to think outside the box so that we can work together toward advancing solar technology and its uses.” - Tony Napolillo, Sun Club Program Manager

Austin, TX (PRWEB) July 01, 2013

The Green Mountain Energy™ Sun Club™, a program that donates solar arrays to non-profits, is now accepting applicants for 2014 solar installations. Non-profit organizations that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and are able to educate their community on the benefits of solar energy are encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted through August 2, 2013.

The Sun Club provides solar donations on behalf of members, which include Green Mountain Energy Company residential customers and employees. Customers can become members of the Sun Club through voluntary contributions on their electricity bill or by powering their home with a Green Mountain electricity product that includes solar energy. Green Mountain employees become members through voluntary payroll deductions which the company matches. Since 2002, the Sun Club has funded more than 550 kilowatts of solar power for a variety of non-profit organizations, including eight schools, five museums, four zoos, and two community farms across Texas, New York, and Pennsylvania.

While many Sun Club donations turn into rooftop solar installations, applicants have also applied donations in other innovative ways. The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens was the first Sun Club recipient to use its $65,000 donation to purchase a mobile array, choosing to design six solar-powered trams for helping visitors with mobility challenges. The Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas, used part of its $50,000 donation to purchase three solar-powered trash compactors to help reach its goal of 75% waste reduction by 2015.

Each Sun Club donation recipient is unique in its mission and application of solar and has incorporated renewable energy into its initiatives on multiple levels. "The Dallas Arboretum is extremely thankful to Green Mountain and the Sun Club for its generous donation of these much needed solar trams and carts," said Mary Brinegar, president, Dallas Arboretum. "We are committed to educating our visitors on the need and benefits of green energy."

“We care more about the passion of the recipient than the data we can collect from their installation,” said Tony Napolillo, Sun Club Program Manager. “Solar is an extremely versatile natural resource, and we encourage applicants to think outside the box so that we can work together toward advancing solar technology and its uses.”

Pictures of past Sun Club donations can be found on Green Mountain Energy’s Flickr stream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenmtnenergy/

Criteria for awarding the solar donation:

•     Sun Club solar donation recipients are chosen based on their needs, mission, and ability to educate the communities they serve on the importance of solar energy
•     Organization must have interest in owning and maintaining a solar generation system on its property
•     Ongoing public exposure to solar energy and the Sun Club
•     The site of the installation is owned by the organization and located in the United States.
•     Non-profits in Texas, New York and Pennsylvania are particularly encouraged to apply

Four Steps to Apply:
1.    Visit the Sun Club website’s Donation Application page:
http://greenmountainenergysunclub.com/apply-for-a-donation/
2.    Review the recipient criteria
3.    Address all fields and complete 2 essay questions
4.    Submit for consideration

Qualified applicants will be contacted after August 2 for further review.

Green Mountain Energy™ Sun Club™

Green Mountain Energy™ Sun Club™ is a program where Green Mountain residential customers and employees have the opportunity to give back to deserving non-profit organizations through the promotion of solar power. Since the program’s founding in 2002, the Sun Club has helped install more than 550 kilowatts of solar power, preventing more than 850,000 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions each year. That’s like planting 100 trees every year. For more information, visit http://www.gmsunclub.com.

Green Mountain Energy Company

Green Mountain is the nation’s longest-serving renewable energy retailer and believes in using wind, sun and water for good. Founded in 1997, the company is a green power pioneer and celebrates more than 15 years delivering on the mission to “change the way power is made.” Green Mountain offers consumers and businesses the choice of cleaner electricity, as well as carbon offsets and sustainable solutions for businesses. One of Green Mountain’s largest customers is the “world’s most famous office building,” the Empire State Building in New York City. Green Mountain customers have collectively helped avoid more than 24.5 billion pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Visit us online at http://www.greenmountain.com.

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