AMPION
Ampion Partners with Erie County, NY to Bring Community Solar Savings to Low-Income Residents

Ampion Renewable Energy was selected as the community solar administrator for the Erie County Low Income Program for Sustainable Energy (ECLIPSE), a new program that provides electricity savings to Erie County residents in need. Together with Erie County, Ampion will provide qualifying residents with electricity savings of up to 10% through community solar. Eligible residents can enroll in the program through Ampion and receive discounted solar credits applied to their electric utility bills.

"Currently there are over 80,000 low-to-moderate income households in Erie County who can benefit from this program. We encourage residents to take advantage of this opportunity," said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. "ECLIPSE Community Solar can be coupled with other programs like Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) and Empower+ to ensure households can afford their energy bills."

Community solar is a state program that enables residents to subscribe to shares of energy from local solar farms, supporting clean energy while reducing their annual electricity spend. The program is available to all Erie County homeowners and renters who are benefiting from federal or state aid programs, including the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

"Community solar makes renewable energy and savings available to electric utility customers without installations or upfront costs," said Brian Buzby, Community Partnerships Executive at Ampion. "Through ECLIPSE, Erie County and Ampion are making it easier for low-income residents to support solar energy while saving money. Our goal is to make the enrollment process as simple as possible. All you need is a copy of your current electric bill and proof that you're benefitting from a government assistance program."

In addition to providing meaningful cost savings to disadvantaged households, this partnership will expand the amount of renewable energy available throughout upstate New York in the National Grid and New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) service territories as more solar energy capacity is built. Erie County will host in-person events and notify residents about ECLIPSE to help households enroll in the cost-saving program. Residents can sign up for the program at erie.gov/eclipse.

Ampion recently announced it has saved subscribers over $42 million in electricity costs through community solar. These savings were enabled by the production of over 2.2 billion kWh of clean energy from community solar projects Ampion manages. Despite uncertainty in the clean energy industry, Ampion is growing its portfolio of over 1.5 GW under management, leading to more opportunities for low-to-moderate income households to reduce their utility bills with community solar.

About Ampion:

Ampion offers the easiest way to join the clean energy movement while saving money through Community Solar. As a Public Benefit Corporation, Ampion believes in giving people the power to make homes, businesses and communities more sustainable and prosperous. By connecting residents and businesses to local solar farms, Ampion boosts sustainability in communities and supports local economies. Learn more at ampion.net.

About ECLIPSE:

Erie County launched the Erie County Low-Income Program for Sustainable Energy (ECLIPSE) to expand access to renewable energy and to lower the energy burden for low- to moderate income households. The County will provide low- and moderate-income households with guaranteed savings on their monthly electricity bills as a result of this program. Visit erie.gov/eclipse to learn more.