MACON —  Solarize Middle Georgia (SMG) is holding its third and final “solar tour,” including workshops and information sessions throughout Middle Georgia beginning June 20. The Middle Georgia Solar Tour will travel from Americus to Gray. The Solar Tour brings awareness to Middle Georgia residents of new options in solar to power their homes, businesses and nonprofits.  Middle Georgia residents have until June 30 to sign up for a free, no obligation, solar assessment on their home or business. Following the free assessment, residents will have until July 31, and businesses until Oct. 31 to decide to “go solar.

The local schedule is as follows:

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. June 20 — Lunch and Learn at Café Campesino, downtown Americus

6:30-8:30 p.m. June 20 — Solar Workshop at Wolf Creek Plantation Winery, 207 Wolf Creek Drive

Ray Clark, senior advisor to the elected officials of the Middle Georgia Clean Air Coalition (MGCAC) adds, “Solarize Middle Georgia is an important partner to MGCAC. While counties and municipalities in the coalition make significant contributions to improving air quality in the region, Solarize Middle Georgia is unique in that it offers every single household, business, and nonprofit in Middle Georgia an opportunity to play a role in reducing air pollution.”

Solarize Middle Georgia is a six-month, community-based initiative, designed to educate the public about the benefits of solar energy and battery storage along with reducing costs. This includes an opportunity for a free, no-obligation, solar assessment on your home, business, or non-profit. Participants will learn how clean, renewable energy can increase property values and save money on your utility bills for decades.  Should a family or business decide to go solar, Solarize Middle Georgia offers bulk-purchasing power to reduce the cost of materials and installation, in addition to the 30% federal tax credit, that will begin to phase out after 2019.  The bulk-purchase model offers additional savings over those who install outside of the solarize program.

Solarize Middle Georgia is the ninth Solarize program in Georgia, and the first Solarize campaign to span an entire region, including eleven counties, and 31 municipalities surrounding Macon and Warner Robins. Prior campaigns have reached out to one city and/or one city and county. Community partners includes the Middle Georgia Clean Air Coalition (MGCAC), Jones County, Georgia, Environment Georgia, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light, U.S. Green Building Council and Solar Crowdsource.

The State of Georgia ranks 11^th in the nation for installed solar capacity but most of the energy we use in our homes still comes from coal, gas and nuclear power plants. Community Solarize programs are working to change that. Prior Solarize programs include Tybee Island, Savannah, Athens, Decatur/DeKalb, Dunwoody, Atlanta, Carroll-Carrollton, and Newton-Morgan. Over half of the rooftop solar capacity in Georgia has been generated through Solarize programs. Solarize campaigns are supported by the U. S. Department of Energy.

Solarize Middle Georgia: solarizemidga.com