Sustainability can come with a daunting price tag, but a local program says it can help Washingtonians reduce their electricity bills and carbon footprints through solar energy.
The District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) announced in March it will complete 150 no-cost solar installations as part of the Solar for All program. The projects will benefit low-to-moderate income households, as determined by median income in the area and the number of residents on the property. They will join the over 11,000 single-family and community solar installations the D.C. Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) has already overseen.
Prospective participants are eligible for a no-cost solar installation if household income is below 80% of the area median income or if the tenant receives assistance from a federal program like SNAP. Half of the 150 planned solar installations were available as of last month.
Since solar panels convert heat from the sun into electricity without emitting greenhouse gasses, they minimize air pollution while capitalizing on renewable energy. In Washington, homeowners who install rooftop solar can expect to see their electricity bills cut in half over 15 years. However, going green can be costly. Without tax credits or programs like Solar for All, it can cost over $20,000 to install and maintain solar panels in the District.
While uncertainty on the federal level disrupts renewable energy adoption, Solar for All anticipates it will be able to maintain its commitment to the D.C. community and continue installations. This year, the organization is also planning to offer no-cost solar installations to even more families, thanks to a mix of local and federal funding.
“We are primarily locally funded,” said Josh Wink, program manager of the Community Solar program. “We’ve been running this program off local funds since 2019, and we still have those local funds.”
DCSEU receives funding from Pepco, the city’s main electric utility, and the Sustainable Energy Trust Fund, further ensuring solar projects prevail even when politics aren’t favorable.
“On everyone’s D.C.’s Pepco bill, there is a little sustainable energy fund, if you look at your Pepco bill really closely,” said Antoine Grant, program manager of the single-family pathway at DCSEU.
Because Pepco subscribers contribute indefinitely to the sustainable energy fund, Solar for All has the power to make good on its promises, redistributing money spent on electricity toward solar initiatives. Solar for All has also made it a mission to address barriers to solar adoption. For all income-qualified participants, Solar for All now assumes the costs of roofing repairs to prepare each property for a safe rooftop solar installation.
On top of the cost of labor to assemble and mount solar panels, rare metals like silicone required to manufacture them make solar energy particularly expensive. While solar panels usually cost over $10,000 to install, Solar for All will take care of service costs and the cost of home repairs necessary to proceed with rooftop solar installation.
“As you run into these low-income homes, they can’t afford things such as roofing or electrical upgrades… So anytime we find something that is causing like a bottleneck or anything, we find another way to get ahead of it before it becomes too much of a hassle on our end,” said Grant.
While the program has historically faced challenges completing rooftop solar installations on houses in need of additional repairs, they have collaborated with contractors to remove the burden of reroofing for families hoping to go solar.
The program is on track to transition 100,000 homes by 2032, which is projected to save participating homeowners 50% on their energy bills within 15 years.
This number will continue to increase as DOEE initiates the second phase of the Solar for All program, made possible by a recent $62.45 million grant award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction fund, which was unveiled on April 29 in honor of Earth Month.
House Republicans recently introduced a budget bill that aims to freeze funding for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. This move spells worries for Solar for All’s future, but if plans for the program’s second phase proceed, the money will allow Solar for All to assume the cost of another 12,000 solar installations. These solar panels will deploy a projected 33-43 MW of solar energy over the next five years– enough energy to supply roughly 8,000 to 10,000 homes.
In addition to ensuring solar can reach as many households as possible, Solar for All’s second phase will emphasize community outreach, roofing, and electrical upgrades to boost solar’s appeal and accessibility. It plans to incorporate a unique revolving loan fund overseen by DC Green Bank and City First Enterprises which will allow borrowers to take out loans, repay portions of the loan, and borrow again. This system can help developers and community organizations finance future solar projects, forging new pathways to renewable energy.
For homeowners interested in Solar for All’s ongoing no-cost solar program, the online application alongside eligibility information can be found on the DOEE website under Solar for All.
