When I heard the name, “One Block off the Grid,” I thought what a weird name. Is this like some trendy place like SOHO, which stands for south of Houston Street in NYC, or a some new band name which plays less than mainstream music?
So, what is One Block Off the Grid? Basically in a nutshell, 1BOG, as it is affectionately known as, organizes large groups of people who want solar power to obtain group discounts. There are active group programs is San Diego, Los Angles, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Launching soon is Denver, Washington DC, Sacramento, and Phoenix. Check out how your city is doing here. If it is not listed, you can go to the map and see how many people have signed up in your area. I was surprised how many people have signed up in New Jersey.
How does this group purchasing idea work? Watch the 30 second video and it will all become clear, grasshopper.
Now, you understand the concept, savings in numbers. But, what is up with the name? It sound like solar with batteries rather than using the grid. Right? Actually, Dave of 1Bog clarified the name (sort of) in one of his blog post:
“I thought I’d write a long overdue post to give some clarification on our name “One Block Off the Grid”
Our name is a metaphor: Our goal is to remove one average block’s worth of electrical usage each time we run a community solar purchase campaign in a city.
So we don’t actually take people off the grid, and we don’t do it one block at a time. 🙂“
With the economy in the crapper, you might be saying you can’t afford solar even with a discount. No fears. The Company has partnered with SunRun to offer financing to remove the out of pocket expense. At the moment, SunRun’s programs are only in California, Arizona, and Massachusetts. However, continue to check the SunRun’s site, since I think they will continue to expand into other states.
According to the website,
“SunRun has two options. Both include maintenance, repairs and insurance:
- SunRun Power Plan – Pay as low as a $1000 dollars upfront, and a low fixed rate every month for your electricity.
- SunRun Total Solar – Pay more upfront and eliminate your monthly electricity bill. It’s similar to a purchase, but you’ll get the full value of the Federal Tax Credit immediately.
See here for financing details.
So, where do you sign up for this great program? See here. Don’t just stop there. Help spread the word by emailing your friends or take it to the next level and become a a field organizer or a volunteer. (See the Company’s field kit.) Despite the odd name, this program is a winner and will help reduce the cost of solar in your neighborhood. In New Jersey, we deserve a break. How about you?
Sandra says
April 29, 2009 at 9:40 amI have not used this program, but after reading about it, I take it!