EATONTON, Ga. — Solar panels just got cheaper in Central Georgia.
Tri-County EMC - a Jones County electric corporation - recently lowered their price to rent a block of solar panels from $25 to $20 per month. They say they did this to let customers feel more green and have a cheaper way to go solar.
"We are here to serve our membership, so when our member asked us to do something we look at it and see if we can do it, and if it is possible we will," Ray Grinberg said. "So we went ahead this and built this solar site. We also purchased solar from a couple of other solar sites around the state."
Grinberg is the CEO of Tri-County EMC. Grinberg said he arrived at the solar plant in June 2016, starting it with the goal of helping people become environmentally responsible.
"We did this because our members like many look at the chance to put solar on their roof at home, but say, 'Ooh that's very expensive I can't afford that,'" he said. "This gives you the opportunity to participate in green energy without having to make that investment yourself at home."
Grinberg says the solar farm has 800 solar blocks, and has sold around 350 of them.
Although Tri-County EMC sees the solar plants as a benefit, Georgia College business professor Nicholas Creel thinks they don't benefit people. Creel says making the investment at home is how to create more solar energy. He says you can create this difference by installing your own solar panels.
"At the end of the day that is extraordinary different than if you are using these types of systems which do not result in the creation of any new solar energy generation," he said.
Creel says he isn't sold on how the program helps people. He says he wishes he could see more solar farms started by Tri-County EMC.
"There's nothing about this program that I can see readily that shows that we actually do benefit in any compacity, outside of feeling a little better about ourselves," he said.
Tri-County EMC says the savings for the average home might range from $14 a month in the winter to up to $26 per month in the summer. They believe most people will likely break even on their $20 investment.