Gulfport’s Clean Energy Connection

By Laura Mulrooney

Thomas Lawery, manager of Wholesale and Renewable Energy, and Stacy Phillips, CEC Program Manger with Duke Energy, provided an overview of the Clean Energy Connection Program at the virtual Gulfport City Council meeting on Tuesday, July, 7.

The presentation provided a brief summary of Duke Energy’s community solar power program they expect to launch in 2022.

The idea is to eventually have the City of Gulfport running on clean, renewable energy, such as solar power, without the extra cost of solar panels for individual locations.

The program is not currently being offered to individual residents and businesses, but is estimated to be available in December 2021.

To implement the program, Duke Energy is looking for land to build community solar energy plants that will push out 750 kilowatts of energy from each solar station, explained Phillips.

For reference, “your house probably uses about five kilowatts,” stated Phillips.

Initially there will be a flat fee for the subscription, based on the expected energy use and agreed upon during sign up.

A few financial perks per the presentation include:

Payback within five to seven years; the program is expected to last 32 years.; no upfront costs of solar panels, whether leased or purchased; subscriptions move with the

customer unlike installed solar panels; subscriptions can be canceled after the first month with no cancellation fees.

US MILITARY/PUBLIC DOMAIN

According to Lawrey, the Clean Energy Connection Program is not meant to fulfill all energy needs, but to be more of a supplement to other city programs.

Local governments like Gulfport have until August 31, 2020 to enroll in the program. The full presentation can be seen at mygulfport.us.