Beginning July 15, the city of Bellevue will offer four free workshops on installing solar energy systems in homes. The workshops will provide information about the costs, benefits, technology, financing and appropriate installation sites for solar systems.

The workshops are part of the Solarize Bellevue program, a partnership of the city with nonprofits and volunteers to install up to 25 systems on Bellevue homes and businesses by 2015. Individuals committed to installing solar energy systems will pool their money to purchase equipment in bulk and reduce costs.

The city has plans to install its own solar energy array on the Bellevue Service Center, its main equipment and maintenance facility. The 20-kilowatt array is expected to supply approximately 7 percent of the building’s energy. The project is funded by a Department of Commerce grant of more than $105,000.

Representatives of the contractor for Solarize Bellevue, Northwest Electric and Solar, will attend each workshop to answer questions.

Workshop times and locations are:

• Tuesday, July 15, from 6-8 p.m. – City Hall council chambers, 450 110th Ave. N.E.
• Tuesday, August 12, from 6-8 p.m. – South Bellevue Community Center Community Room A, 14509 S.E. Newport Way
• Tuesday, August 26, from 6-8 p.m. – Highland Community Center art room, 14224 N.E. Bel-Red Road
• Saturday, September 20 – Time and location to be announced

People interested in attending the workshops are required to register online at the Solarize Bellevue website, greenwa.org.