Ampion Renewable Energy and Erie County, New York have enrolled more than
1,400 low-income residents in the Erie County Low-Income Program for Sustainable Energy
(ECLIPSE) during its first six months of operation. The program is delivering significant cost
savings while expanding renewable energy across Erie County.

Current enrollees are expected to save a combined $63,000 per year on electricity costs
through discounted solar credits applied to their electricity bills. The program offers qualifying residents savings of up to 10% on their electric bills, with no upfront investment or installation requirements. Beyond financial benefits, ECLIPSE is expected to help avoid an estimated3,600+ tons of CO₂ emissions annually, equivalent to removing over 8.3 million miles  of gasoline-powered vehicle travel.

“ECLIPSE seeks to lower the energy burden for households that need relief while expanding
access to renewable power,” said Sarah Sanford, Senior Energy Development Specialist and
ECLIPSE Coordinator. “Our early results show what’s possible when local government,
community organizations, and renewable energy providers work together. Ampion has been an
important partner in helping us scale quickly and ensure that community solar is accessible to
the people who need it most.”

The program’s success comes from a grassroots outreach strategy built by Erie County and
Ampion. The campaign helps reduce residents’ energy burdens through clear, direct
engagement. Efforts include community events, direct mail, text messages to eligible
households, and in-person events to ensure the message reaches low-income residents in
need. Ampion supported these efforts with educational materials, a streamlined online
enrollment system, and personalized enrollment assistance. The company’s track record of
managing over 1.5 GW of community solar projects ensures Erie County’s program is built for
scale.

“We meet residents where they are to ensure we reach as many energy-burdened households
as possible,” said Brian Buzby, Community Partnerships Executive at Ampion. “The enrollment
numbers reflect both the community&#39;s need for energy cost relief and the effectiveness of
working closely with local governments to build trust. Our ability to scale programs like ECLIPSE demonstrates that community solar can reach the families who need it while still delivering strong results for developers and communities alike.”

The program remains open to Erie County homeowners and renters who participate in federal
or state assistance programs, including the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) or
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Erie County and Ampion expect the program’s financial and environmental impacts to grow substantially over the coming year, offering a blueprint for other municipalities nationwide seeking to scale equitable access to clean energy. Residents can sign up for the program at [erie.gov/eclipse](https://www3.erie.gov/eclipse/).

Ampion and Erie County, NY to Deliver $63,000+ in Annual Electricity Savings to 1,400 Low-income Households

Every town has one—that municipal project that desperately needs to get done, but somehow never quite makes it to the top of the list. For [Brooksville](https://www.brooksvillemaine.org/), a small coastal town in Maine, it was their salt shed. If you've ever driven on Maine roads in February, you know that salt is a staple for winter road safety. And a salt shed is necessary to protect it all from the winter elements.

By [partnering with Ampion](https://ampion.net/community-solar/partners), the town of Brooksville discovered a way to help residents and businesses save money on their electric bills and fund the salt shed roof, a project that has been on the "someday" list for years. 

And the results were impressive!
* Over 100 Brooksville residents and businesses signed up for Community Solar. 
* These community members are saving up to 15% on electricity costs, **saving $28,500 collectively** per year.
* For each new sign-up, Ampion made a fixed donation for the salt shed roof project, amounting to **$5,400**.
* Solar panels installed on roofs: Zero.
* Costs for residents to join? Also zero.

John Gray, a Brooksville selectman, summed it up perfectly: "This partnership gave us a creative way to fund the long-awaited salt shed roof project while delivering direct savings to our residents. When Ampion approached us with this model, we saw an opportunity to accomplish two goals at once. The response from the community has been tremendous."

It was, in fact, tremendous. Even restaurant favorites [Bagaduce Lunch](https://www.facebook.com/bagaduce/) and Lucy Q's jumped on board. This partnership isn't just about one salt shed in one small Maine town. It's about finding creative solutions that work for real communities with real budgets. 

To support the initiative's success, Ampion provided outreach resources including a custom landing page for the campaign, direct mail materials, and social media content. Local Ampion staff were also available in person to help residents get started.

Nate Owen, Ampion's CEO & Founder (and a Mainer himself) said: "Ampion is proud to support local communities like Brooksville while providing meaningful electric bill savings to households," said Nate Owen, CEO & Founder of Ampion. "As energy prices fluctuate, community solar offers financial relief with no upfront costs or installation required. The fact that we can simultaneously help fund important municipal projects makes these partnerships especially rewarding."

Residents and businesses interested in learning more about the partnership can visit [ampion.net/brooksville](http://ampion.net/brooksville?utm_source=pr&utm_medium=release&utm_campaign=brooksville). 

**What Is Community Solar?**
It’s a Maine program that involves solar panels from local solar farms, but not on anyone's roof. Mainers subscribe to a share of a local solar farm's production based on their own electricity usage. That energy produced by your share of the solar farm appears on your electric bill in the form of solar credits. Subscribers are billed for their solar credits at a **fixed 15% discount**, saving them money. Think of it as a “thank you” for supporting local energy in Maine. 

Brooksville, Maine Raises Funds for Town Salt Shed Through Ampion Partnership

As the days get shorter and you're digging out your cozy sweaters, you might be wondering: "What happens to my Community Solar savings when there's less sunshine?" 

It's a fair question. After all, autumn brings shorter days, falling leaves, and daylight saving time. But here's the good news: your Community Solar subscription is designed to work year-round.

## How Community Solar Works Through the Seasons ##
Your Community Solar subscription takes the sum of all the electricity produced by your share, so you don’t have to worry about your panels getting consistent sunlight. Here's how it actually works:

**Your solar farm produces energy year-round.**
Even on cloudy days, those panels are generating clean electricity. Modern solar panels can capture [diffused light](https://www.ecoflow.com/us/blog/solar-panels-cloudy-days#:~:text=Diffuse%20radiation%20occurs%20when%20sunlight%20scatters%20through%20clouds%2C%20dust%2C%20or%20the%20atmosphere.%20While%20less%20powerful%20than%20direct%20sunlight%2C%20modern%20solar%20panels%20effectively%20capture%20this%20scattered%20light.), meaning they're working even when the sun isn't blazing.

**Credits roll over month to month.**
Many state Community Solar programs allow excess credits from those long summer days to be applied to your bills in months with shorter production. Think of it like rollover minutes from old cell phone plans (remember those?). The extra production from July helps balance out December. In many programs, the excess solar credits or “banked” credits are applied during winter months to make your solar credit distribution more even. 

**Your subscription is sized for annual production.**
When you signed up for Community Solar, your subscription size was calculated based on yearly averages, not daily sunshine. Our team has your kilowatt hour (kWh) usage history and energy production history of the solar farms, so we know how to accurately size your Community Solar subscription to maximize your savings. 

## The Hidden Advantages of Fall Solar Production
## 
![](https://www.datocms-assets.com/50319/1761231493-solar-panels-surrounded-by-vibrant-autumn-leaves-capture-essence-renewable-energy-sunset.jpg)

Here are some autumn solar perks you probably didn't know about:

Extreme heat can be harder on electrical equipment than cold weather. Those moderate fall temperatures mean all the solar farm components are running smoothly and efficiently.

Fall weather tends to be more stable and predictable than winter and spring's wild swings, making energy production more consistent.

## Your Savings Continue, No Matter the Season ##
Here's what really matters: your Community Solar subscription saves you money on your annual electricity costs. While the exact amount might fluctuate (just like your regular energy usage does), you're still:

* Supporting clean, renewable energy 
* Getting a fixed discount on electricity credits
* Helping solar energy sites get built in your state

Will your solar farm produce less energy in November than it did in July? Probably. But that's completely normal and expected. Ampion takes this into account. 

Think of it like your favorite coffee shop's rewards program. Some months you visit more, some months less, but over time, those rewards add up consistently. Your Community Solar subscription works the same way.

The beauty of Community Solar is that you get all the benefits of solar energy without worrying about the technical details. No panels on your roof to maintain, no equipment to monitor, no weather patterns to track. Just consistent savings and the satisfaction of supporting renewable energy in your community.

Those solar panels don't take a vacation when the temperature drops or the days get shorter – they just keep quietly generating clean energy and savings for you.


Don't Fall for the Myths: Why Community Solar Keeps Working When the Leaves Drop

* This solution helps developers meet incentive requirements and fill projects faster, particularly in low-density or saturated markets
* Synthetic Community Solar enables low-income households to receive financial benefits from projects across state lines, eliminating geographic restrictions
* Low-to-moderate income utility customers gain access to community solar savings from out-of-state projects, often reducing wait times

[Ampion Renewable Energy](https://ampion.net), a leading provider of community solar management solutions, announces the launch of its innovative Synthetic Community Solar product. This initiative enables solar developers to optimize project economics by expanding access to financial credits for low-income utility customers across state lines, while providing additional savings for low-income households. With the Inflation Reduction Act’s major incentives for solar developers [expiring](https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/07/09/how-community-solar-is-impacted-by-the-one-big-beautiful-bill/#:~:text=The%20two%20foremost%20federal%20incentives%20that%20support%20community%20solar%2C%2045Y%20production%20tax%20credit%20and%2045E%20investment%20tax%20credit%20are%20going%20to%20be%20eliminated%20by%20projects%20not%20placed%20in%20service%20by%20the%20end%20of%202027.), Synthetic Community Solar offers developers an opportunity to meet the [Category 4](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/increased-energy-investment-credit-for-solar-and-wind-facilities-benefitting-low-income-communities) Investment Tax Credit (ITC) requirements more quickly.

"Our new product expands the reach of community solar by deploying it across state programs, and solves a geographic problem that has historically limited developers' ability to finance community solar assets in communities where low-income acquisition is challenging," said Nate Owen, CEO and Founder of Ampion. "We're grateful to offer a solution that helps developers navigate the complexities of community solar across different state programs while providing additional savings to low-income subscribers. This initiative directly supports our mission of making renewable energy accessible everywhere, for everyone."

Traditionally, the community solar subscriber's utility account needs to be located within the same utility territory and state as the solar farm. With Synthetic Community Solar, Ampion’s cross-state flexibility helps low-income utility customers get the financial benefits of a project located in a different state or utility territory.

The product is especially useful when a solar farm is located in an area where low-income subscriber acquisition is prohibitively expensive or difficult. Developers can leverage Synthetic Community Solar to easily earn the Category 4 ITC incentive. Ampion works with the utility to transfer funds, in the form of utility credits, to eligible, low-income households in another region. Synthetic Community Solar helps developers qualify for both federal and state incentives.

Synthetic Community Solar is already delivering results for developers and low-income utility customers. A 2.5 MW (dc) installation in Maine is providing low-income utility customers in Illinois with financial credits on their electricity bills, demonstrating how Synthetic Community Solar bridges geographic gaps. For this particular Maine project, Ampion transfers funds from the developer to income-qualified ratepayers in Illinois, providing them with savings on their electricity bills. Through Synthetic Community Solar, these beneficiaries receive a discount of up to 20% off the financial credits produced by the site.

Category 4 of the Inflation Reduction Act gives solar developers bonus tax credits for Qualified Low-Income Economic Benefit Projects, or solar and wind facilities that direct at least 50% of the financial benefits to low-income utility ratepayers. Synthetic Community Solar helps developers meet these incentive requirements faster while improving long-term site viability and returns through the Investment Tax Credits.

Synthetic Community Solar

Ampion Debuts New Product to Break Down State Barriers and Expand Community Solar Access

More and more cities are enacting laws requiring buildings to meet strict emission reductions standards in the coming decades. Many of our customers have asked about [Energize Denver](https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Climate-Action-Sustainability-and-Resiliency/Cutting-Denvers-Carbon-Pollution/Efficient-Commercial-Buildings/Denver-Building-Regulations/Energize-Denver-Building-Performance-Policy), [BERDO](https://www.boston.gov/departments/environment/berdo) in Boston, and [Local Law 97](https://accelerator.nyc/ll97) in New York. Here’s what you need to know about each of these compliance ordinances for buildings. [Reach out to Ampion](https://ampion.net/community-solar/enterprises/contact-us) to hear how we can help your organization comply with these laws. 

![Denver](https://www.datocms-assets.com/50319/1753297880-4.png)

## 1. Denver, CO – Energize Denver
Energize Denver requires buildings to meet a set of benchmarks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Certain benchmarks only apply to buildings with an area of 25,000 square feet or greater. These emission reduction benchmarks can be met in multiple ways, including electrifying appliances and sourcing renewable energy. These buildings are required to submit annual benchmark reports detailing their progress. 

Smaller buildings, those between 5,000 and 25,000 square feet in area, are also subject to restrictions. The law mandates that 90% of their lighting be LED, or that a certain percentage of their energy comes from renewable sources. Joining Community Solar is one way these smaller buildings can comply with this new law.

Certain benchmarks only apply to buildings with an area of 25,000 square feet or greater. However, if your facility is a part of a larger building (i.e. a mall or office building) and less than 25,000 square feet, you may have pass through charges that are pro-rated based on your lease terms.

![Boston](https://www.datocms-assets.com/50319/1753297880-3.png)

## 2. Boston, MA – Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) 
Under BERDO, Boston buildings over 25,000 square feet of floor area or residential buildings with 15 or more units are required to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Currently, these buildings are required to report their annual energy and water consumption to the City of Boston. Within the next 1-4 years, buildings will have to reach specific emissions reductions standards. BERDO is intended to help the City of Boston meet its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

![New York](https://www.datocms-assets.com/50319/1753297880-1.png)

## 3. New York, NY – Local Law 97
Local Law 97 is the most ambitious city-sanctioned emissions reduction legislation in the world. A whopping two-thirds of New York City’s greenhouse gas emissions originate from buildings. That’s why Local Law 97 was enacted in 2019 – to help the city reduce its environmental impact drastically by putting caps on buildings over 25,000 square feet. More than 50,000 buildings in NYC have over 25,000 square feet. Starting this year, these buildings have to reach initial Local Law 97 milestones. Under Local Law 97, new emissions reductions targets will be implemented periodically through 2050. 

## How Does Ampion Help Businesses Adhere to These Mandates?
Many of these environmental compliance ordinances have a renewable energy component requiring buildings of a certain size to source or support renewable energy. Community Solar and our Ampion+ program, Community Solar with Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), help businesses meet these requirements. Our expert team consults businesses, helping them to navigate local sustainability requirements and achieve their ESG goals. [Reach out to us today](https://ampion.net/community-solar/enterprises/contact-us) to see how Ampion can help you. 

Local compliance laws

3 Environmental Compliance Laws You Should Know

local compliance laws

*This piece was originally published in [Bangor Daily News](https://www.bangordailynews.com/2025/05/01/opinion/opinion-contributor/maines-energy-future-improved-net-energy-billing-joam40zk0w/).*

Starting in April, Versant customers, including me, experienced a [23 percent increase](https://www.bangordailynews.com/2025/03/11/business/business-energy/maine-versant-power-distribution-rate-increase-public-utilities-commission/) in their electricity distribution rate. Maine residential electricity rates were already the [sixth highest in the U.S. in January](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a).

With all due respect to the hardworking people of Versant, this increase is pushing the envelope. I’m someone who grew up in Maine and remembers the old days when Bangor Hydro provided plenty of cheap power. When I pay my Versant invoice these days, I wonder how we got here.

Here’s what happened. Twenty years of deregulation with not a power plant built, and significantly more dependence on imported power and fossil fuels. Fortunately, legislators with great foresight enabled Maine to hedge its bets in 2019 with the [expansion of net energy billing](https://www.maine.gov/mpuc/regulated-utilities/electricity/neb) (NEB), a mechanism to expand the development of electricity generation in the state.

I am an active participant in Maine community solar, and I founded a company that believes strongly that community solar is a vital cost-saving option in today’s expensive electricity landscape. Community solar is available to just about anyone who owes Versant or Central Maine Power (CMP) a monthly payment, and it’s already a vital source of power for Maine’s grid. These solar farms are [providing power](https://www.bangordailynews.com/2024/12/19/mainefocus/mainefocus-environment/5-new-community-solar-farms-maine/) to local communities all over the state.

It’s about more than that, though. Private capital has [invested](https://www.pv-tech.org/financing-round-up-us-community-solar-attracts-billions-in-private-equity-funding/) hundreds of millions of dollars into these energy generators. Those dollars have been meaningful to Maine’s economy, paying the salaries of a broad array of Mainers across the entire state, from engineers and construction workers to lawyers, marketing firms, call centers, and Mainers on our staff.

Unfortunately, there have been numerous [attempts to repeal](https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/politics/maine-politics/maine-multiple-energy-proposals/97-bccddafb-dcf1-47b1-8861-0257b91e2fc6) the net energy billing program in Maine. Now, it appears likely that significant, if not fatal, [limitations](https://themainemonitor.org/energy-bills-132nd-legislature/) would be imposed unless supporters pick up the phone. The NEB program has been [accused of](https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/02/24/net-metering-under-fire-in-maine/) costing too much, not providing sufficient benefit, and forcing non-participants to [shoulder the costs](https://mainemorningstar.com/2024/07/01/the-cost-of-solar-rate-increases-political-feuds-and-the-long-term-outlook/) of the program. In reality, it has helped result in [over a gigawatt](https://www.maine.gov/energy/initiatives/renewable-energy/solar-distributed-generation) of clean, locally distributed generation that has provided [millions of dollars](https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/02/24/net-metering-under-fire-in-maine/#:~:text=reportedly%20saving%20Maine%20subscribers%20more%20than%20$5%20million%20in%20utility%20charges%20since%20the%20beginning%20of%20the%20net%20energy%20billing%20program) in bill savings for those who do participate.

Maine has [nationally high electricity rates](https://www.eia.gov/state/analysis.php?sid=ME), mostly due to [out-ofstate generation](https://www.eia.gov/state/analysis.php?sid=ME#:~:text=Because%20Maine%20does%20not%20generate,from%20other%20states%20and%20Canada.) — not because of Maine’s renewable energy initiatives. Maine’s position only reinforces the need for alternative energy sources like solar, small hydro, batteries, fuel cells, and wind, all of which can be installed in-state and don’t rely on fuels with volatile prices. 

Handicapping the net energy billing program now would drastically reduce these options at a time when they are needed the most. One must mention that reneging on promises made to incentivize development risks positioning Maine as anti-business and not a reliable investment partner.

Our company, with a growing Maine staff, was founded in Bar Harbor. We now operate in a dozen states across the country. We see a consistent battle between older sources of electricity and renewables, with the same old tired arguments. But one thing is clear: Community distributed renewable energy is the future, wherever you look. It’s ubiquitous, inexpensive, reliable, clean and in demand. It’s also easier to build than [large and risky utility-scale projects](https://us.hep.global/solar-parks-in-the-usa-from-local-community-projects-to-large-scale-grid-operated-plants/#:~:text=Community%20solar,%20on,the%20federal%20programs.). If you want electricity generation built in your state, it’s imperative that you have a community energy program.

For all of these reasons, we not only strongly oppose [legislation](https://natlawreview.com/article/april-updates-maines-net-energy-billing-program) that hampers the development of these critical in-state power generators, but we also encourage the expansion of the net energy billing program, albeit with some improvements. For example, we believe the Maine Public Utilities Commission should dispel the notion that our reliable utilities have the time or intent to run a program like community solar in a way that is sufficient for Maine’s needs.

We believe the PUC should take a more active role in regulating the companies that assign subscribers a larger share of the solar farm than needed. This harmful practice, often referred to as over-allocation, results in the subscriber paying for more solar credits than they use in electricity. Other states put regulations on the solar subscription size, and it’s time that Maine did, too.

Utilities like Versant and CMP could help improve the subscriber experience by making small but meaningful changes, like streamlining the billing process, improving access to usage data, and ensuring accurate crediting on monthly bills. These kinds of incremental improvements carry far less risk and provide more immediate benefit to consumers than sweeping changes to the program’s structure.

Maine cannot afford to limit its options, nor is it a good idea to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The entire world is installing solar, batteries, and other forms of distributed energy generation, and we cannot afford to fall behind. Maine needs the net energy billing program now more than ever.

News & Updates

Ampion and Erie County, NY to Deliver $63,000+ in Annual Electricity Savings to 1,400 Low-income Households