This article was originally published on Solar Builder: Electriq launches solar + storage program in New England (3,000 eligible homes in Derby, Conn.) | Solar Builder (solarbuildermag.com)

The City of Derby, Conn., is teaming with Electriq to launch the PoweredUp Derby program. The program will provide Derby homeowners – regardless of socioeconomic status – access to home solar + battery storage solutions to lower electricity costs and provide reliable backup power during power outages.

“The new partnership with Electriq Power will help our residents lower electricity costs and strengthen their financial position,” said Roger Salway, Economic Director, City of Derby. “This is a program that can help residents improve their life, and for us, that’s a win-win.”

PoweredUp Derby, a city-supported program, is the first of Electriq’s Sustainable Community Networks (SCNs) in the New England region. Nearly 3,000 single family homeowners in Derby qualify for the program, which provides for installation of a complete turnkey solar + battery storage system for zero up-front cost – with no income verification, credit score, or property lien requirements to participate.

Electriq has a number of established SCN partnerships in California. The company continues to focus on growth in areas where high electricity costs are a concern for residents, and where municipalities and community-based organizations are looking for innovative solutions to achieve sustainability goals.

The retail price of electricity in Connecticut is nearly 10 cents per kilowatt-hour higher than the national average, rising more than 17% between 2015 and 2022, according to the EIA. With these systems, homeowners can save up to 20% on electricity costs a year.

“We’re proud to continue the growth and success of our Sustainable Community Networks by expanding into New England,” said Frank Magnotti, CEO of Electriq Power. “Thanks to the City of Derby, we have the opportunity to extend the benefits of clean energy to low- and moderate-income (LMI) homeowners there who are burdened by some of the country’s highest electricity rates.”

Additionally, stored energy via the battery storage system can be used during peak demand periods, when utility rates are high, or to keep the lights on during power outages.