SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah is partnering with a nonprofit organization to get more homes solar-powered. 

The program with Utah Clean Energy is called U Community Solar. 

Kate Bowman, solar project coordinator at Utah Clean Energy, says university faculty, students, staff and others with university connections can benefit. 

“So the installers are offering a discounted price for solar,” she explains. “It amounts to approximately 25 percent for a typical installation. 

“And then we’re also offering people a simple and streamlined process to make it really easy to decide to go solar.”

Bowman points out the savings work out to about $3,000 on the average solar purchase of around $10,000. 

She adds that some homeowners eligible for tax credits could save additional 50 percent. 

She says that a $10,000 rooftop solar package will likely save homeowners on average 50 percent or more on their monthly energy costs.

Utah Clean Energy has partnered with Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County in recent years for similar projects. Bowman says at least 120 homes are now solar-powered because of the program.

“The increased visibility of solar is helping to kind of spur the market,” she says. “And we know that there are installations taking place outside the program as well, but it’s a little harder for us to quantify that, or track it.”

The U Community Solar program requires that participants live in Salt Lake, Summit and Davis counties. 

More information at <a href=”http://mycommunitysolar.org/” target=”parent”>MyCommunitySolar.org</a>.