Upstate residents will have a chance to see and hear about the benefits of solar during a unique home tour that showcases how affordable and accessible solar can be for South Carolinians on Saturday, Feb. 20, from noon-4 p.m.

There are four stops on the self-guided Solar Tour, including three homes retrofitted with solar panels and one new home constructed with solar shingles.

“The tour is designed to highlight realistic solar options for everyone,” said Ashley Edwards, community outreach manager for the non-profit SmartPower. “Whether you are building a brand-new home or thinking about upgrading the energy-efficiency of an existing house, this Solar Tour will have it all.”

In addition to SmartPower and Solarize South Carolina, sponsors of the tour include Upstate Forever, Sunstore Energy Solutions, Alder Energy Systems and DOW POWERHOUSE.

The tour includes three local residences, where the owners will showcase their photovoltaic systems and discuss why they made the decision to go solar with Solarize South Carolina. During the tour, attendees can interact with homeowners and solar installers, while seeing three finished rooftop installations at the sites.

The Upstate Solar Tour also features the model home in the new Trailside community. Built by Addison Homes, this project, the first mainstream Zero Energy Home in Greenville, is designed with DOW POWERHOUSE Solar Shingles to produce as much electricity as it consumes.

“Solarize South Carolina’s mission is to help Americans make smart energy choices,” said SmartPower’s Edwards. “The Solar Tour offers a close-up look at homes whose owners went from wanting to solar, to installing solar.”

All stops on the Upstate Tour are within 12 miles of each other, located just north of Greenville, in the Berea and Travelers Rest areas. It’s a convenient opportunity to see affordable, practical technologies in action and hear first-hand from homeowners about their experiences with solar energy.

Light refreshments will be served, and attendees can sign up for a free, no-obligation solar assessment through Solarize South Carolina to create their own path to clean energy.

For more information, contact SmartPower community outreach manager Ashley Edwards at aedwards@smartpower.org or call 864-735-0775.

-Submitted by Ashley Edwards