Solar United Neighbors and West Central Initiative team up to help 20 homeowners go solar
News | Published on November 19, 2025 at 4:02pm GMT+0000 | Author: Tucker Henderson
0Solar panels are going up on 20 rooftops across west-central Minnesota as the 2025 Lakes and Prairies Solar Co-op completes its first round of installations. The milestone comes after 104 residents signed up for the solar co-op, which allows members to use bulk-purchasing power to secure lower prices on solar panel installation and tap into expert guidance from Solar United Neighbors.
The 2026 Lakes and Prairies Solar Co-op, which will open on December 1, is a partnership between Solar United Neighbors (SUN), a 501c3 nonprofit that helps people join together, go solar, and fight for their energy rights, and the West Central Initiative (WCI), in collaboration with other local community organizations.
“Partnering with Solar United Neighbors was like finding the ‘easy button’ for solar,” said Cedar Walters, Director of Climate and Sustainability Programs with WCI. “Supporting the Lakes and Prairies Solar Co-op fit perfectly with our goal of making clean energy more accessible and affordable for residents and organizations in west-central Minnesota.”
SUN’s solar co-op model proved so effective that West Central Initiative itself is going solar through the previous Lakes and Prairies Solar Co-op. The organization is currently installing panels on their Fergus Falls headquarters that will offset up to 70% of their energy consumption—a significant step following their recent geothermal system installation.
For two families in the co-op, going solar was made even easier through grant funding from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The grant, made possible through SUN’s partnership with WCI and nonprofit West Central Minnesota Communities Action, covered their full installation costs.
“We learned about the Lakes and Prairies Solar Co-op through an email from West Central Initiative,” said Dennis Preston, who went solar through the co-op this year. “We decided to add solar to our house out of concern for the planet and wanting to decrease our carbon footprint. It is exciting to know that on sunny days we are adding power to the grid.”
The Lakes and Prairies Solar Co-op serves residents across Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse, and Wilkin counties. By joining together, participants secure competitive pricing, expert guidance from SUN, and a supportive community, with no obligation or sales pressure to install.
“Solar co-ops remove many of the barriers people face when considering solar energy, like high upfront costs, navigating confusing information, and finding a trustworthy installer,” said John Anderson, Minnesota Program Associate for Solar United Neighbors. “When neighbors come together, they gain collective buying power and shared knowledge, and our experts are there every step of the way to answer questions and provide guidance.”
To date, Solar United Neighbors has organized 24 successful solar co-ops in Minnesota, helping more than 300 households, farmers, and small businesses make the switch to renewable energy. The model has proven so successful that another round is already in the works. Learn more about our work across the state here, and across the country here.
Interested residents can sign up for the next round of the co-op on December 1 by visiting www.solarunitedneighbors.org/LakesAndPrairies.
About Solar United Neighbors
Solar United Neighbors is a nonprofit organization that works in Minnesota and nationwide to represent the needs and interests of solar owners and supporters. Solar co-ops are part of the organization’s mission to create a new energy system with rooftop solar at the cornerstone. Solar United Neighbors holds events and education programs to help people become informed solar consumers, maximize the value of their solar investment, and advocate for fair solar policies.