Scaling Up Solar for Under-Resourced Communities

Solar power is now the cheapest form of power worldwide, but not all households are able to access it. CESA’s Scaling Up Solar is a wide-ranging initiative to help states bring the financial, environmental, economic, and health benefits of solar to all Americans, regardless of income.

Solar for All State Support Initiative

The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) Solar for All competition (Solar for All) administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides $7 billion to states to expand solar access to low-income households and disadvantaged communities. Learn more about CESA’s work on Solar for All and access tools and resources here.

For states to deploy Solar for All funds to communities effectively and efficiently within five years of the EPA awards will require sustained and strategic collaboration across the country. This is why CESA’s Solar for All team is dedicated to actively supporting states through a portfolio of activities and resources, coordinated with federal agencies, national labs, and other national nonprofits.

  • CESA convenes state agencies across the country to exchange on Solar for All and learn from one another, covering wide-ranging topics, from solar program design, e.g., incentive stacking, tax credit optimization, or stakeholder outreach, to regulatory and compliance issues.
  • CESA informs states through research, template program documentation, and white papers to help states develop effective and efficient Solar for All programs. CESA’s Solar for All mailing list for states also offers periodic updates about new program resources, convenings, and related federal efforts.
  • CESA assists state agencies and their affiliates in accessing Solar for All funding, including individualized technical assistance and office hours, allowing states to identify options and best practices for program development and implementation.

Learn more, access resources and tools, and engage with CESA here.

DOE Project

In addition to the flagship programs above, the DOE-funded Solar with Justice project aims to explore models for partnerships between states and community-based organizations to advance energy justice. Learn more about Solar with Justice here.

Curated Newsletters and Mailing Lists

State agencies and green bank staff who wish to receive emails from CESA regarding the EPA’s Solar for All program can sign up for our mailing list here.

Also sign up for CESA’s newsletters, including a focused weekly mailing on Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law implementation designed for, and accessible only to, state staff, and the monthly Solar Equity Digest for news and resources from around the country LMI solar. Learn more about CESA’s newsletters here.

Photo courtesy Resonant Energy.