5/23/2012

The Sierra Club, the nation’s largest environmental organization, today announced that it is partnering with Sungevity, one of the country’s leading residential solar providers, to help families go solar easily and affordably. The new partnership will help consumers save money on electricity bills, reduce pollution and support the Sierra Club’s overall mission to explore, enjoy and protect the planet. Through the partnership, each time someone goes solar with Sungevity and the Sierra Club, that person will receive a $750 cash gift card and Sungevity will contribute $750 to the Sierra Club. The partnership is available to new residential solar customers who visit www.sierraclub.org/gosolar in the states Sungevity services - Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York.

With many Americans still struggling in today’s tough economy, it has become harder for consumers to prioritize efforts like reducing pollution and supporting their favorite non-profits, while simultaneously saving money. Through the Solar Homes partnership, Sierra Club and Sungevity allow Sierra Club supporters to accomplish all three by adding residential solar panels to their homes.

Going solar can help consumers save money on their electricity bills. For example, Sungevity found that on average, customers can save up to 15% on electricity costs from day one when they go solar. Under the solar leasing plan, homeowners can “rent their rooftop,” allowing them to save money on their electric bills by paying Sungevity directly, without any upfront costs, financing, installation, and maintenance.

Rooftop solar also helps people protect the planet by reducing pollution: every kilowatt hour of solar generated replaces electricity that might come from dirty fossil fuels like coal.

“We are proud to be working with Sungevity to help families across the country save money and support the Sierra Club by going solar,” said Michael Brune, Executive Director of the Sierra Club. “With today’s partnership, we are helping Sierra Club’s 1.4 million members walk the walk in helping to address climate change, by making it easier and more affordable to add solar panels to their homes. A recent poll found that 76% of Americans believe the country should move to a sustainable energy future by 2050 through renewable energy, showing that there is widespread support for residential solar across the country.”

”We are honored and excited to be working with The Sierra Club on the organization’s solar partnership,” said Danny Kennedy, Sungevity’s founder and president. “This partnership makes so much sense, especially as the economy continues its slow recovery.” Kennedy continued, “Now, homeowners who want to save money on their electricity rates and support The Sierra Club, can do so simultaneously at no cost to themselves. Shine on.”

For more information about the partnership please visit: www.sierraclub.org/gosolar

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About The Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization with more than 1.4 million members and supporters nationwide. In addition to creating opportunities for people of all ages, levels and locations to have meaningful outdoor experiences, the Sierra Club works to safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying and litigation. For more information, visit http://www.sierraclub.org.