Indiana homeowners, businesses and farmers have approximately a month to accept a proposal, have their installer obtain permits and submit a connection contract to their electric utility company and still qualify for net metering.

To help those interested in installing solar systems, the next Solarize East Central Indiana Zoom meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. March 9. The free meeting will include a 30-minute presentation, followed by an hour for questions and answers.

The meeting is the last one before all deadlines must be met for net metering, said John Vann, a co-team leader of Solarize ECI, a grassroots community group affiliated with Solarize Indiana.

If the necessary paperwork is not completed by April 15, the chance of qualifying for net metering by meeting the Indiana deadline of June 30 will be nearly impossible, he said. Systems also must be installed by the end of 2022 to qualify for a federal tax credit of 26%.

Registration information can be found at facebook.com/solarizeeci or by sending an email to Carolyn Vann at [email protected] or John Vann at [email protected]. After registering, participants will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

One of the main benefits of working with Solarize ECI and the Indiana Solarize state organization is group pricing that reduces the costs of installing a solar system. When home, farm and business owners work through Solarize ECI and have the vetted solar company install their panels, they will receive a 10% discount from the solar panel company, Carolyn Vann said.