Clean Energy Collective opens two new community solar facilities in Denver.

BOULDER, COLO. – (August 28, 2014) Access to renewable energy just got easier for individuals and business that use electricity in Denver. Officials from Xcel Energy, the EPA, and the Colorado State Land Board joined community solar developer Clean Energy Collective to officially open Denver County's newest community solar facilities — two state-of-the-art 500 kW solar arrays that make affordable, locally-made clean power available to all Xcel Energy customers, residential or commercial, in Denver County.

Developed on a 5-acre site at the Evie Garrett Dennis School campus in northeast Denver, the two medium-scale solar PV arrays, consisting of more than 4,000 panels, are the eighth and ninth arrays CEC has brought online as part of Xcel Energy's Solar*Rewards Communities program. Combined, CEC's power contribution to the Xcel Energy grid is over 4 megawatts. CEC now operates 16 community solar projects in Colo.

Through the community solar model, any Xcel Energy ratepayer in Denver County can purchase individual panels in the shared arrays, from one kilowatt up to enough panels to off-set all of their electricity needs. Customers receive the same rebates and incentives as if the system were located on their property, and credit for the energy produced comes directly on their monthly Xcel Energy bill.

"We're really excited to open these two new solar facilities in Denver," said Paul Spencer, founder and CEO of Clean Energy Collective. "Broad accessibility is vital for any clean energy plan, yet it must make sense financially to the average person or business. Community solar is a solution that combines both."

After available rebates and tax incentives, the cost is $3.70 per Watt, or $906.50 per solar panel. More information about community solar in Denver is available online at www.coloradocommunitysolar.com or by contacting CEC at info@coloradocommunitysolar.com or (800) 646-0323.

Xcel Energy's Craig Konz lauded the projects and the partnership with CEC. "It's a really cool opportunity for our customers to participate in solar," said Konz.

The combined facilities are expected to produce approximately 1,668,000 kilowatt-hours of clean energy per year, enough to power 150 homes annually. Over the 20-year Xcel Energy agreement, CO2 omissions will be reduced by over 54 million pounds.

About Clean Energy Collective

Clean Energy Collective (CEC) is the nation's leading developer of community solar solutions. CEC pioneered the model of delivering clean power-generation through large-scale facilities that are collectively owned by participating utility customers. Since establishing the first community-owned solar garden in the country in 2010 near El Jebel, Colorado, CEC has built or has under development more than 40 community solar projects with 18 utility partners across 8 states, representing 26 MW of community solar capacity. www.easycleanenergy.com