State Energy Offices and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Agencies in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C. have come together to enable more homeowners in their states to access and afford solar power – even if they cannot install solar panels in their homes.
Community solar projects are not installed on the roof of the house. Instead, they are built nearby and provide clean energy to multiple homes and businesses. Because power generated from community solar projects is accessible to those who are unable to install solar on their rooftop, including tenants of multifamily housing and renters, policymakers at the local, state, and federal level have identified community solar as a tool to meet ambitious clean energy and climate goals. Yet, data suggest that low- and moderate-income households are underrepresented in many community solar programs.
Through the Inclusive Shared Solar Initiative (ISSI), each state has formulated strategies that address this disparity by leveraging LIHEAP and other low-income programs to reduce the costs of and barriers to investing and participating in community solar projects. To learn more about each state’s plan to address affordability and accessibility in community solar, click here. To learn more about ISSI, which is coordinated by the National Association of State Energy Officials and National Energy Assistance Directors Association, visit https://www.naseo.org/issues/solar/issi.