SolSmart Designees

Columbia

South Carolina
SolSmart Gold
Population: 123,195
Designation Level: SolSmart Gold
Year Designated: 2016
  • Installed solar on local facilities, including a 2 kW array on The Columbia Area Career Center
  • Hosted solar workshops to inform the Columbia community about the benefits of solar
  • Established partnerships with local non-profits on solar. For example, the city supported Habitat for Humanity’s efforts to build Columbia’s first solar-powered “net-zero” home
  • Columbia Water and Light’s rebate program pays customers whose solar panels contribute to the grid.
The city hopes the technical help [from SolSmart] will allow Columbia to expand its solar power initiative and bring in new jobs. The city has seen a 55 percent increase in solar power usage since it began its initiative, with a total of around 90 businesses and homes in Columbia now using solar power.
- Connie Kacprowicz, spokesperson for the city of Columbia