CHENANGO COUNTY – This spring, Southern Tier Solar Works – a program of the Binghamton Regional Substantiality Coalition – is launching Solarize Southern Tier East (SSTE), a volunteer-led community initiative dedicated to bringing solar energy to residents and small businesses throughout the region.

SSTE provides homeowners and small businesses a path to energy savings that are fixed, predictable, and long-term, as well as counsel about options that call for zero upfront costs. The SSTE program will serve Broome, Tioga, Chenango, Delaware, and Otsego Counties. The Solarize program will partner with three competitively-selected, qualified solar installers – Astrum Solar, ETM Solar/Taitem Engineering, and Renovus Energy. The goal of the initiative is to double the existing residential solar in the five counties.

The 2015 SSTE program is configured to provide incentives for participants to “go solar.” This will be achieved through a streamlined site-assessment process and group discounts. Online enrollment for SSTE will begin on March 21 and will run through June 10 of 2015. Higher state incentives and earlier installations will be available for those who get on board early.