AIRE is currently identifying and moving forward with community-owned renewable energy projects in parts of North Carolina and West Virginia. It is our intent to adapt and expand our project development process for other states across Appalachia, the Southeast, and beyond.

For more information about how we can help you with a renewable energy system, click HERE.

AIRE Demonstration Project: First Congregational United Church of Christ, Asheville, NC

This historic church, located in downtown Asheville, North Carolina, was the first group to utilize our Innovative Social Finance model and engage in our Project Development process. Their 10kW system (42 panels) was installed by Sundance Power Systems and is situated above their Fellowship Hall.

Nine individuals raised the capital investment for the project, all but one of which are a member at First Congregation United Church of Christ. “First Church Solar, LLC”, the company AIRE helped members organize, envisions donating the system to the church in about six years, at which point many of the investors will have made their money back, and some a little extra. Return on Investment (ROI) depends on the tax appetite and financial portfolio of each individual investor.

First Church Solar, LLC was able to raise more money than needed for the First Congregational project. Hence, they are planning to organize and capitalize another project on a different church in their community.

What these folks have done at First Congregational suggests that there is a great desire among communities of faith to make our society more sustainable. They are trailblazers, and there are now others traveling along that path. As Reverend Joe Hoffman’s liturgy at the solar dedication said, “We know that human life on Earth, especially in the United States, has not been kind to Earth. We confess that we have used more that our share of Earth’s resources and seek to live more in harmony with Earth’s ways and with respect for all Earth’s creatures and life systems.”

View the slideshow for the project HERE

Boone Community Solar- 1st Pilot Project to Develop Community Finance Process

Boone Community Solar
Solar Electric Performance

Community volunteers and member-owners
installing a 2.4 kW solar electric/photovoltaic
system on the roof of The Greenhouse in
Boone, NC

The Boone Community Solar pilot project’s goal was to explore the question of “why is there so little renewable energy here, in a place like Boone?” The rooftops and parking lots of Boone had excellent solar resource, which, if developed would create jobs here, raise locally owned investment opportunities, and forge community owned civic infrastructure, improve the economy and natural environment of all those living in Boone.

In 2009, North Carolina spent over $2.5 billion to import electricity. We could keep a large portion of that money in our economy by developing renewable energy systems here in North Carolina. By developing the solar and wind energy resources available in our state, we could provide about 40% of the energy North Carolina uses.

The goals of the Boone Community Solar pilot project were to:

• Make solar energy accessible and affordable for local people
• Increase public participation in energy and economic decision-making
• Demonstrate how tax-equity finance can work for community-scale projects.

Boone Community Solar was featured in a national report by John Farrell of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. The report entitled “Community Solar- A New Model For Local Ownership” can be viewed HERE.

Through these demonstration projects, AIRE has worked with community members, and professionals in the legal, finance, and accounting fields to develop innovative financial models which allow community members to access tax credits and financial incentives currently restricted to businesses and high-wealth individuals. AIRE has created an online solar electric system pro-forma calculator which estimates and explains the tax incentives and electricity production monies now available to businesses which elect to install solar electric systems. You may CLICK HERE to access this online calculator/estimator.