What we do Together
Community Awareness and Education
ARE supports and works in partnership with Wyoming Solar Energy Association. To find an installer in your area, visit their website at wyseassociation.com
- Laramie’s primary utility, Rocky Mountain Power offers Blue Sky Grants for non-residential, non-profit community services. Learn more about Blue Sky Grants here.
- The federal Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) offers grants and loans for solar for agricultural producers and small businesses. Learn more at about REAP Programs here.
- Solar Investment offers a 26% tax credit for 2020 and 22% tax credit for 2021. Learn more here.
“Plug-in solar, also known as plug-in photovoltaics (PIPV), refers to solar systems that are designed to be plugged into a wall outlet without an interconnection agreement with the utility. Their output is anywhere from a couple hundred watts to 1.2 kilowatts – this is much smaller than a typical rooftop system, which usually has an output of a few kilowatts. Plug-in solar enables renters those who live in manufactured homes, and those who have primarily have gas-powered appliances to benefit from solar energy, save on their electricity bills, and have a small stake in fighting climate change. In Wyoming, annual savings from a plug-in solar system are estimated to be around $250-$300 each year for most people, and the average payback time for a plug-in solar system is estimated to be around five years. However, this could change for the better as these systems proliferate and costs drop.
Solutions for reducing Laramie’s carbon emissions have been produced through a joint community-university partnership. ARE has helped to advance and support a 3 year partnership between the City of Laramie and the University of Wyoming’s Spring Campus Sustainability course students led by Professor Rachael Budowle.
Legislative & Regulatory Advocacy
Wyoming continues to consider changes to our net metering policy which is what governs the ability for rooftop solar owners to hook their system up to the grid and receive a fair payback for excess energy produced. ARE will continue to track attempts at legislation to hurt current or future solar owners, and ARE supports policy that encourages the growth of the Wyoming solar industry. Learn more here.
ARE continues to advocate for updating and modernizing Wyoming’s solar laws to allow for programs like Community Solar which allow community members to purchase a share of a installation to apply to their electricity bill.
As ratepayers of Rocky Mountain Power, a subsidiary of Pacificorp, we support our utility’s decision to transition some of it’s electricity producing fleet to renewable energy to provide the lowest cost energy to Wyoming people. To learn more about Pacificorp’s 20 year Integrated Resource Plan, view it here.
Our Partners
Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources
University of Wyoming's Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources has worked hand in hand with the City of Laramie and Alliance for Renewable Energy to create both Laramie's Municipal and Community-Wide baseline inventory through the Spring Sustainability Course.
City of Laramie Wyoming
Laramie's City Manger's Office, City Council, and the Environmental Advisory Committee have committed much time, work and expertise in leading Laramie on a path of sustainability. We thank them for their partnership, collaboration and being a leader in the state of Wyoming.
Other Community Partners
- ICLEI- International Governments for Sustainability
- Albany County Clean Water Advocates
- Wyoming Climate Activists
- Wyoming Solar Energy Association
- University of Wyoming Sustainability Club
- Wyoming Public Radio
Alliance for Renewable Energy in Laramie is fully affiliated with Powder River Basin Resource Council and operates under the organization's 501c3 non-profit tax exempt status. All donations for ARE are submitted through Powder River Basin Resource Council and earmarked for ARE.