Upstate residents can meet solar homeowners and watch a live solar installation on Jan. 23. Residents will have a chance to see and hear about the benefits of solar during a unique home tour, from noon to 4 p.m., that showcases how affordable and accessible solar can be for South Carolinians.

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. Homes are in the Travelers Rest and Berea areas.

“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. During the tour, attendees can watch a live solar installation at one of the homes, while seeing two other finished rooftop installations at the other sites.

The 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 Edwards. “The solar tour offers a close-up look at homes whose owners went from wanting solar … to installing solar.”

For more information, including home locations, visit solarizesc.org/events/upstate-solar-tour/.

-Submitted by Ashley Edwards