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About Co-op Power
Co-op Power is a regional network of local communities creating a multi-class, multi-racial movement for a sustainable and just energy future. We are a consumer-owned energy cooperative serving New England and New York. Co-op Power's Local Organizing Councils include Co-op Power Metro East (greater Boston), Co-op Power Franklin County, Co-op Power Hampshire County, Co-op Power Hampden County, and Co-op Power of Southern VT.
We have 325 members and 5,000 supporters in New England and New York who are committed to a sustainable energy future. We have engaged in dialog over the past five years to build consensus about how to best support our transition to a sustainable energy future. As a result, we have raised more than $225,000 in Member Equity to support the development of community-scale clean energy projects and to build Co-op Power.
We have installed 30 solar hot water systems and another 25 renewable energy systems generating more than 90 kilowatts of electricity. Co-op Power Members have received $4,000 in rebates on bioheat, $23,703 in rebates on clean energy systems, and $319,236 in incentives for clean energy systems.
Co-op Power's Innovative Structure
Co-op Power has created an Innovative Structure after researching a wide variety of corporate structures. Co-op Power's innovative structure enables communities to partner with investors to create community-owned green jobs and green energy. We have built a team of engineers, financial experts, green building specialists, community economic developers, lawyers and business planners who can help groups of people in a community research, design, capitalize, and launch their community owned sustainable energy businesses. Communities can access these resources on a consulting basis or they can join Co-op Power participate in all our member programs.
Co-op Power is working with groups of people across the region to create community-owned green jobs and green energy - including community scale solar, wind, biofuel, and biomass projects as well as a variety of small "green job" business development projects.
Co-op Power Creates Community-Owned Energy Resources
Co-op Power's members in the Pioneer Valley (Mass.) are building a sustainable Biodiesel Plant as one of Co-op Power's first community-scale, community-owned sustainable energy resource. The plant will make 10 million gallons a year of sustainable biodiesel from recycled vegetable oil (a waste product). We've raised $2.35 million in Co-op Power member equity, grants and loans to build the plant. We purchased 26.5 acres in the Greenfield Industrial Park for the plant.
Co-op Power has worked on, supported, and assisting with:
- the installation of a 30 kilowatt solar electric system on the roof of River Valley Market, a new food cooperative in Northampton MA.
- municipalities in upstate NY research the feasibility of purchasing several
- Alternatives for Community and Environment to build community-owned green jobs in limited resource communities in the Greater Boston area including Roxbury, Dorchester, Chelsea, Cambridge and Boston. Groups are interested in building a solar installation cooperative, a thermal window covering manufacturing and installation cooperative, and a green builders cooperative.
- ICA Group to provide support for worker-owned green job development in the Northeast region.
- with forest owners, foresters, loggers, businesses, institutions, and consumers in Franklin County to create a sustainable biomass infrastructure that will give a fair price to forest owners and a fair price to consumers while protecting our forest resources and our local air quality. The group is researching small biomass plant options, a chipping operation, a change out program for old stoves, and bulk purchasing programs for pellets and cord wood.
Members and supporters of Co-op Power are supporting a large number of additional efforts in the region to build community owned green jobs and green energy resources. Joining Co-op Power and making a member loan provide the resources to support these important initiatives.
Co-op Power Governance
Volunteer!
Co-op Power runs on volunteer energy. Our joint purchasing opportunities are offered with great discounts for members because of the great work volunteers do. In the "Volunteer Work Room" you can let us know what you can do to help!
The "Co-op Power Energy Resource Center" is where we collect information to share with each other about how to stop losing energy dollars, how to use more renewable energy, and how we can build more renewable energy resources in our region. It uses special software (called a "wiki") so that we can edit the information together. Please put up your questions and share information you have with others.
Thanks for visiting our website and please consider joining (if you haven't already) to help us build a sustainable energy future for our region!!!
Co-op Power logo download page
Click here to access different versions of our logo at different resolutions.
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