XCEL to Open Solar*Rewards Community Program

     XCEL Energy announced that its solar gardens program will be opening very soon!  It's been a long road for community organizers, two years of "green tape"as the PUC process has moved along. (Note to legislators - a two year wait really isn't good for business, or the planet - especially two years that include Irene, Joplin, and bubbling Siberian Methane.)

     The solar gardens folks at XCEL are pumped!  Here is the approximate sequence of events. The PUC will hold a hearing on XCEL's 2012 Compliance Plan on May 24. From May 23-31st, XCEL will be holding a series of trainings for on the Solar*Rewards Community program. As soon as possible after the PUC rules (perhaps 1-2 weeks) XCEL will open project selection - we at SGI call this G-Day.

     All indications are that the 6-Megawatt program will be massively oversubscribed. Because of the nature of the solar finance business, grassroots communities will find themselves competing with syndicates of high-credit, large volume subscribers. Colorado's solar gardens program risks becoming a program for the top 5% and the bottom 5%, with little in between.

     This is a call to communities to wake up and gather your subscribers!

- Joy