Homeowners and businesses in Polk County contracted 432.38 kW of solar power through the Grow Solar Polk County program, which officially ended this fall. The initiative emphasized solar education and volume purchasing to make solar more affordable for businesses and homeowners. The solar systems installed through the program will avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 871,449 pounds of carbon dioxide every year, according to a press release. “We thank our community partners for a successful Polk County program,” said Patrick Snell, climate and external affairs associate at the Nature Conservancy in Iowa. Grow Solar became a unique opportunity for a wide array of local organizations and municipalities to come together to support clean energy in their respective communities.