GRID’s work in community solar includes:
- Development, turnkey installation and management of community solar projects that benefit low-income families, affordable housing providers, environmental justice partners and underserved communities
- Direct partnerships with solar industry partners to develop low-income community solar programs and projects, including engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services which integrate workforce development and drive community benefits
- Utility partnerships in program design and project implementation
- Project finance through an innovative, program-related investment fund supported by the Department of Energy (DOE)
- Community solar workforce development and workforce training programs focused on underserved and underrepresented communities within the solar industry
- National and state regulatory and policy leadership and program development. In partnership with Vote Solar, GRID maintains best practices in community solar policy through the Low-Income Solar Policy Guide.
Contact us to learn how we can partner with you to maximize the benefits of your community solar program or project for underserved communities.
GRID's Community Solar Project Portfolio
|
Utility |
Size (DC) |
Project Location |
Partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Hills Energy | 1.5 MW | Pueblo West, CO | Black Hills Energy |
| Anza Electric Cooperative | 994 kW | Santa Rosa Reservation, CA | Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians |
| Potomac Electric Power Co. | 2.65 MW | Washington, D.C. | Washington, D.C. |
| Black Hills Energy | 2.0 MW | Pueblo, CO | Pueblo Housing Authority and Arevon |
| Xcel Energy | 200 kW | Boulder, CO | Boulder County and Boulder Housing Partners |
| Xcel Energy | 628 kW | Boulder, CO | Boulder Housing Partners |
| Empire Electric Association | 1.0 MW | Ute Mountain Ute Reservation, CO | Towaoc / Ute Mountain Ute Tribe |
| Xcel Energy | 2.0 MW | Aurora, CO | Denver Housing Authority and Namaste Solar |
| Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association | 2.0 MW | Fort Collins, CO | Colorado Energy Office |
| Fort Collins Utilities | 65 kW | Fort Collins, CO | Colorado Energy Office |
| San Miguel Power Association | 200 kW | Telluride, CO | Colorado Energy Office |
| Yampa Valley Electric Association | 148 kW | Steamboat Springs, CO | Colorado Energy Office |
| Holy Cross Energy | 145 kW | Glenwood Springs, CO | Colorado Energy Office |
| Delta Montrose Electric Association | 151 kW | Montrose, CO | Colorado Energy Office |
| Empire Electric Association | 26 kW | Cortez, CO | Colorado Energy Office |
| Grand Valley Power | 136 kW | Grand Junction, CO | Colorado Energy Office |
Successful Partnerships
Community-based Partners
GRID is working with environmental justice and community-based nonprofit partners in states including Maryland, New Mexico, and California to develop community solar projects that maximize benefits for low-income and underserved communities, while integrating workforce development and other local economic opportunities.
Tribes
GRID advocates for Tribal inclusion in state community solar programs. In coordination with our affiliate organization, Tribal Energy Alternatives (TEA), we strive to build energy sovereignty and economic development for Native American communities throughout the nation.
Government
GRID partners with governments at all levels to develop community solar programs and projects that benefit the highest need community members. This includes active participation in regulatory and legislative efforts to increase low-income access to community solar nationally. GRID successfully administered the Colorado Energy Office Low-Income Community Solar Demonstration Project in partnership with eight rural utilities. GRID has actively participated in federal efforts, including the Department of Energy (DOE) National Community Solar Partnership and the Community Power Accelerator. GRID recently partnered with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association on a DOE-funded effort to expand community solar access in rural communities.
Utility
GRID has partnered with utilities spanning cooperatives, municipal power, and investor-owned utilities to develop low-income community solar projects serving their highest energy-burdened customers and manage utility-offered community solar programs for low-income customers.
Solar Industry
GRID has successfully supported low-income community solar customer acquisition for for-profit industry partners and we work closely with community solar installers to integrate workforce development into partnerships. GRID is an active member of the Coalition for Community Solar Access, a leading community solar industry association working nationally to expand access to community solar.
Project Finance
GRID launched a community solar program-related investment fund, supported through a three-year grant from the Department of Energy to develop and implement a new project financing mechanism to unlock capital and higher savings for low-income qualified rate payers. Learn more about GRID's Energy Resilience Fund.
Affordable Housing Providers
GRID partners with multifamily affordable housing providers and public housing authorities like the Denver Housing Authority and Pueblo Housing Authority to develop community solar projects that benefit their operations and tenants, including the development of solar workforce training programs.
Contact us to explore how we can partner on community solar in your location! cs@gridalternatives.org