This week, solar practitioners with a combined quarter century of experience, Energy Allies and Solar United Neighbors (SUN) announced the two nonprofit organizations will combine. They are doing so to expand their capacity to help low-and-moderate income families benefit from solar energy. Energy Allies will bring their in-depth community solar expertise to SUN’s deep rooftop solar experience.
“The sun shines everywhere, but not everyone can benefit from its rays yet,” said Anya Schoolman, Solar United Neighbors’ Executive Director. “Joining with Energy Allies will create a powerful force to help more families save money by taking control of where their energy comes from.”
Over the past five years, SUN has deployed rooftop solar for low- and moderate-income families, developing a model tailored to work in different communities across the country. It has staff on the ground in a dozen states, D.C. and Puerto Rico. SUN’s group bulk purchase model centers solar as a tool for prosperity. It focuses on ownership, regardless of income level.
Installing rooftop solar and owning the system from day one is the most financially beneficial solution for low- to moderate-income homeowners. Solar ownership lowers energy bills, increases house values, and in some places can provide additional income in the form of solar renewable energy credits. SUN’s work shows rooftop solar ownership financially benefits low- and moderate-income families.
“We can’t have a just transition if millions of families are left out from accessing clean, affordable energy,” said Yesenia Rivera, Energy Allies’ executive director. “These are exactly the people who need to be leading it. That’s why we help communities to develop solar projects.”
Rivera will be joining SUN’s Executive Team as its VP of Energy Equity and Inclusion. She brings with her deep community organizing experience in climate impacted communities as well as solar project development expertise.
Energy Allies works to identify barriers to community solar. It developed an approach that centers communities and ensures that climate-impacted communities make the decisions regarding deployment of community solar projects. Their work shows a community-led approach can succeed and provides the most benefits to communities.
The ways families can access clean energy depends on their homeownership status. More than half (53%) of low- and moderate-income households are renters. It is crucial that these families lead the transition to clean energy. Community solar is the only way for renters and those who don’t have a good roof for solar to access clean energy. SUN and Energy Allies will create a unique knowledge hub for connecting low- and moderate-income families to solar energy.
The organizations’ partnership comes on the heels of the Biden Administration’s Solar for All program announcement. Solar for All, created from the Inflation Reduction Act, will invest $7 billion to enable low-income and disadvantaged communities to benefit from residential solar energy. The program will work through state, local, and Tribal governments, as well as with non-profit organizations to implement the funding.
News item from Solar United Neighbors