Rays the Valley is a local, community-based program that aims to expand solar access to all, including homeowners, renters, people with limited resources, businesses, municipalities, and non-profits in Western Massachusetts. The program provides affordable options to own or purchase a share of the output from community solar energy systems.

Many residents cannot afford solar, don’t have space, or don’t want the hassle of installing solar on their property. Rays the Valley provides options so that all can ‘go solar’ regardless of income, property type, or solar expertise. Residents in Western Massachusetts ‘Going Solar’ with Rays the Valley can save money, contribute to local job creation, and support a cleaner community.

Only for-profit businesses can take advantage of the commercial solar tax credits, so Rays the Valley is helping non-profits go solar too.

Currently Rays the Valley has built 44.54 kW-DC of solar projects on non-profit rooftops, 23.36 kW-DC on rooftops of low-income households, and signed up customers for 2.3MW of community solar, including 136 households, 26 nonprofits, and 14 businesses. Our goal by the end of 2019 is to build an additional 2 MW of newly constructed solar that includes nonprofits and families with limited resources.

Contact Mark for more information, 877-266-7543 or solar@cooppower.coop.

What are Your Options for Going Solar?

In Western Massachusetts, if you get your electricity from Eversource or National Grid, we have options for everyone. You can:

1. Own your Own Solar array on your property

2. Own Panels in a Shared Array at another site

3. Subscribe to a Community Solar Array located at another site

4. Host a Community Solar Array on your land, rooftop or parking lot

5. And, if you're a non-profit, cooperative, or municipality, you can sign a Power Purchase Agreement, purchase the power from an array on your property and own it after 5-7 years at a fraction of the original price

If you are served by a Municipal Utility, please call us for more information 877-266-7543. 

What's the best solar option for you?

Owning your own array is always the best option if you own a good solar site and can afford to pay cash or take out a loan. You can save 35-50% off your electricity costs over 25 years.

Owning panels in a shared array at another site is the next best option, if you can afford to pay cash or take out a loan and you just don't have a great site for solar.

Hosting a solar array is a good way to generate income from a rooftop, parking lot, or large tract of marginal land if you can't use all of the power generated from an array.

If you can't (or don't want to) install a solar array on your property and you don't want to make a long-term commitment, Subscription Solar is the easiest way to go solar. You just sign up for a portion of the power produced by a Community Solar array and you can cancel anytime with six month's notice. You'll save 15% off the price of the electricity you're offsetting with your subscription.

About Us

Rays the Valley is a collaboration between Co-op Power, Community Action, Climate Action Now and Mothers Out Front, to provide more residents in Western Massachusetts  the opportunity to go solar. Co-op Power is drawing on its extensive experience developing and operating  solar energy projects. Community Action, Climate Action Now, and Mothers Out Front are leading the community outreach, organizing, and sign ups. The team is currently participating in a Department of Energy challenge called ‘Solar in Your Community’ to help develop solar programs and projects for individuals, non-profits, municipalities, and businesses that otherwise wouldn’t have access.