The community purchase model was another first for Solera. Solera started the community solar movement in Ontario in 1999/2000 in partnership with Greenpeace. Modeled after “Project Solaris” in the Netherlands, our version of the community engagement and ‘bulk-buy’ concept, designed to stimulate and engage early adopters, was titled “Solar Pioneers”, the first initiative of its kind in North America. This program, acting as a catalyst for further regional efforts, ultimately spurred the inclusion of micro-scale PV into the FIT program (microFIT) that has led to the widespread adoption of community solar PV across the province.
