All welcome to Solar Community Project Celebration on October 21, 2026

A Solar Community Project Celebration will be held at 5:30 PM on October 21 at Thunderbird Clubhouse, 1251 Triad Village Drive, and all are welcome to attend.

"We are celebrating the completion of this project - a $126,000 solar panel system installation on Thunderbird Clubhouse which will offset over 60 percent of their current use," said Michele Loudenback, Manager of the Division of Environmental Resilience and Sustainability. "The project was part of Norman Solar Initiative (NSI) that began in 2024, which allowed for over 880 kW of new solar power capacity and over 200 kW of storage capacity in Norman."

The NSI, a partnership with EightTwenty LLC, allowed residents and businesses to take part in a group purchasing program for reduced costs of solar panels in an effort to enhance environmental sustainability efforts. Additionally, EightTwenty sponsored the Thunderbird Clubhouse installation as a nonprofit Community Project - another part of their partnership agreement with the City of Norman.

"A panel of stakeholders and volunteers came together to discuss potential projects and options for the Community Project, ultimately landing on a collaboration with Thunderbird Clubhouse," Loudenback said.

Thunderbird Clubhouse was established in 1990 and works with adults recovering from mental illness "through the positive power of meaningful work, community, choice, and hope." Thunderbird Clubhouse is a longstanding partner of the City of Norman.

The event will include agency speakers, refreshments and information regarding ongoing sustainability efforts in Norman.

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