Solarize Charlotte-Mecklenburg Campaign Aims to Make Renewable Energy Affordable

A new community-based clean energy campaign called Solarize Charlotte-Mecklenburg is set to launch locally next week with a goal to make solar energy and battery power more affordable and accessible to Mecklenburg County residents.

Organizers will celebrate the launch of the time-limited campaign on June 25 with a free introductory event at the Innovation Barn in the Belmont neighborhood, according to a press release from the city of Charlotte on Tuesday. 

The campaign is one of dozens following the Solar CrowdSource model, a platform that facilitates community-based group-purchase programs for solar energy, battery storage and other clean energy technologies.

Group purchasing is a community-based approach driven by bulk buying among a number of local residents. The more participants who purchase solar energy systems or batteries, the greater the savings for all purchasers.

Solarize Char-Meck already has 38 participants signed up, according to its website, and is operating simultaneously to the Solarize Columbia campaign in South Carolina. Past campaigns in other areas have drawn hundreds of participants and campaigns in Atlanta and the Triangle have garnered more than 1,000. 

“Solarize Charlotte-Mecklenburg is a program that the City of Charlotte is excited to be involved in,” Mayor Vi Lyles stated in Tuesday’s release. “Removing barriers to entry for our community to practice sustainability is paramount, and this group-purchasing program makes solar energy more affordable and attainable.”

Next week’s launch event will present the region-wide program to local residents, businesses and nonprofit organizations to teach them how this campaign can make property owners more resilient, reduce energy expenses and increase savings on renewable energy system costs, according to the release.

The campaign’s enrollment period is scheduled to run from June through October, making solar energy more accessible by utilizing predetermined materials, pricing and contractors that have been thoroughly vetted through a highly competitive bidding process. 

Solarize is also working to build community engagement and solar-positive policies through awareness, education and outreach activities including community meetings, workshops, open-house gatherings and information dissemination.

“Recognizing that residents in our county have expressed interest in group solar purchasing, and seeing success in our sister counties, it was an easy decision to bring a Solarize campaign to Mecklenburg County,” stated Erin Stanforth, sustainability and resiliency manager for the county, in a release. “We encourage everyone to tell their friends and neighbors about the environmental benefits of bringing solar to your community. The more people who participate, the lower the cost will be.”

Solarize’s launch event will feature community leaders and representatives from the coalition that developed Solarize including staff with the city of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, the town of Davidson and the Centralina Regional Council.

The event will feature expert insight into the benefits of solar energy and battery storage; information on how discounted pricing works in a group-buying campaign and how local homeowners and businesses can enroll for a free, no-obligation assessment for their property; plus a Q&A session.

Solarize Char-Meck organizers will also introduce the locally chosen installer company selected through its vetting process to ensure best-in-class materials are installed for the lowest price, according to the release.

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Solarize Charlotte Mecklenburg will continue to accept applications for enrollment until Oct. 31. The deadline for residential contracts to be signed is Dec. 31 and commercial contract deadlines are March 31. The campaign hopes to have all installations completed by April 15, 2026. 

The program is available to any residents, nonprofits or companies located within Mecklenburg County. 

“Solarize Charlotte-Mecklenburg is bringing distinct value and savings on solar panels tocommunities in our region through its group purchasing program,” stated Centralina Regional

Planning Director Jason Wager in a separate release. “This opportunity will be invaluable to the home and business owners who participate, and we’re thrilled by the clean energy benefits andinvestments it will yield for our region as a whole.”

Solarize Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s launch event will be held June 25 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Innovation Barn, 932 Seigle Ave.