How We Started
Michele Sands, past secretary, describes why the Co-op was founded.
We started in July 2013 as the "community solar circle" within the non-profit Sustainable Energy Education and Development Support (SEEDS) of Northeast PA, with a desire to:
Demonstrate renewable energy projects at the community scale
Invest in our community to generate a positive 'return' for everyone
Stretch beyond what SEEDS (as a non-profit) could do
In May 2014, we became a fully independent, separate legal entity, in the form of a cooperative business (Learn why we chose a co-op!).
In April 2021, we added a Southeast PA Chapter of the Co-op.
Our community is Pennsylvania. We live here and want to see the community thrive and grow sustainably. In 2011, with SEEDS developing community education, local installer training, and state incentive encouragement, our Northeast PA area was third (per capita) in the state for installed solar photovoltaic (PV) generation. Renewal energy projects require large, up-front capital investments. And in PA there are no state subsides or incentives and finding outside financing is difficult. Yet solar PV brings many positive long-term benefits, both financially and in other ways (e.g. less pollution, lower carbon footprint, greater local resiliency and independence). With the Clean Energy Co-op, we have decided to invest in ourselves, in our neighbors and in our future. Join us!
Newsletters
June 2021
February 2021
December 2021
February 2023
Our mission is to sustainably develop renewable energy resources for a healthy and just energy future for our communities, using local investment and providing positive returns to our members.
Awards
2022 The LodeStar Award Winner
The PA Solar Center recognizes the inspirational leadership of Pennsylvania-based organizations and businesses that are demonstrating leadership throughout the diverse field of solar energy.
In 2020, Wayne County Economic Development Corporation (WEDCO) recognized our Co-op with its Innovator of the Year award “for promoting and sustainably developing renewable energy projects within Wayne County and the region, and enriching Wayne County’s reputation for quality and creativity.” To date, the Co-op and its members have invested more than a quarter of a million dollars in four local solar projects, plus brought in an additional $43,000 in federal grants. Learn more about our projects here.
Our very first solar project at The Cooperage in Honesdale was nationally recognized by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council as the BEST 2016 Community Renewables Project! The project was completed in December 2015 with the help of a USDA REAP grant and 23 of our members funding the construction. The system is generating 100% of the electricity used by the building's tenants annually. Learn more about the 3iAwards here and about our project at The Cooperage by clicking here.
On-going Governance
Board meetings in 2024 are scheduled for 5:30 PM on the fourth Tuesday of every month. Contact any board member for access. All Co-op members are encouraged to attend the board meetings and get involved with one of our committees.
Project Development Committee meets on the third Thursday of each month.
All meetings have a Zoom option. Contact info@CleanEnergy.Coop to request the link.
We held our 9th annual membership meeting on Tuesday, October 18, 2022. View the recording.
Key information about the Co-op's governance include:
The most recent annual meeting included this presentation
The most recent update to the Co-op's Policies, Rules & Regulations, effective Dec 21, 2021,updating sections related to Co-op Chapters.
A Board resolution on June 17, 2015 modified our original Articles of Incorporation to allow issuance of Class A Preferred Shares for raising capital.
Here are the Co-op's Bylaws, as amended by the members on March 19, 2021.
Articles of Incorporation were recorded with the PA Bureau of Corporations as of May 27, 2014.
Learn more:
