DEMYSTIFYING
SOLAR
By Michael Peters
There are two common misconceptions about solar
in Shaker: The City doesn’t allow it, and, even if
it did, you can’t put solar panels on slate roofs.
The mayor, City Council, the City’s Sustainability
Committee, and a growing number of homeowners
would beg to differ. In fact, all of these – along with
Cuyahoga County’s Office of Sustainability, nonprofit
advocates such as Solar United Neighbors,
and a growing Shaker Facebook group – strongly
encourage Shaker home and small business owners
to see if solar works for them.
The Sustainability Committee’s Renewable Energy
Subcommittee, headed by resident Norman Robbins,
coordinates these efforts. The subcommittee, which
meets monthly, identifies resources for homeowners
and small businesses to achieve 100 percent renewable
electricity, either by generating it on their rooftops or
choosing a 100 percent renewable electricity supplier.
The subcommittee gets word out through individual
conversations, particularly at block parties (when they
are permitted again), the Sustainability page on the
City’s website, and the City’s social media platforms.
It also provides homeowners with free solar feasibility
assessments, and works with the Economic Development
Department doing outreach to small businesses.
Photo: Angelo Merendino