The Linn County Sustainability Department, in partnership with the Linn County GIS team, has created the Linn County Solar Dashboard.
The dashboard, created in response to the economic challenges faced by residents, small businesses, and nonprofits in Linn County, aims to help Linn County residents access available funding to put solar on their homes, small businesses, or nonprofits.
The dashboard provides information related to local solar installers, outlines the process for going solar, and maps the existing solar systems installed in Linn County.
The dashboard will be officially released during a webinar event Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. The webinar will be hosted by the Linn County Sustainability & Resiliency Committee.
The “Linn County Inflation Reduction Act Webinar: Empowering Homes, Businesses, and Nonprofits with Solar Opportunities” webinar will show community members how to access funding through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and to use the power of solar energy to mitigate inflation-related challenges related to energy and utility bills.
“This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about how you can reduce the economic burden of rising energy costs for homes, small businesses, and nonprofits,” Linn County Sustainability Director Tamara Marcus said in a release. “We have increased access to renewable energy for homes through past programs such as the Grow Solar program and future programs such as the Rental Improvement Program. This webinar opportunity offers another option for Linn County residents to become more environmentally and economically resilient by providing education about the process of ‘going solar.’ And our new solar dashboard will provide a longer-term resource that residents can access after the webinar.”
The meeting’s agenda will include:
An introduction to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
- Understanding the purpose and scope of the IRA
- How the act addresses inflation-related challenges for homes, small businesses, and nonprofits
- Unveiling of the Linn County Solar Dashboard
Eligibility criteria and application process
- Who qualifies for funding under the IRA
- Step-by-step guide to the application process
Residential home funding opportunities
- Overview of available resources and support
- Navigating IRA assistance for homeowners
- Introducing tailored solutions for mitigating inflation impact through solar initiatives
- Small Business and Nonprofit Funding Opportunities:
- IRA support for small businesses
- Tailored solutions for mitigating inflation impact on local enterprises
Q&A session
- Engage with expert speakers to get your specific questions answered
- Gain valuable insights into maximizing IRA benefits and solar opportunities
Attendees will learn how to leverage IRA funding to safeguard their home, small business, or nonprofit from the impacts of inflation with renewable energy; connect with fellow Linn County residents facing similar challenges and share experiences; and benefit from the expertise of solar installers and community leaders who will be present to provide valuable insights.
“Homeowners and renters are eligible for 30% tax credits on the total cost of a solar system, while businesses and nonprofits (tax-exempt entities) are eligible for investment tax credits with bonus credits that can be as high as 70% of the total cost of a solar system,” said John Zakrasek, the Linn County Sustainability and Resiliency Committee co-chair.
