The OurEnergyLibrary aggregates and indexes publicly available fact sheets, journal articles, reports, studies, and other publications on U.S. energy topics. It is updated every week to include the most recent energy resources from academia, government, industry, non-profits, think tanks, and trade associations. Suggest a resource by emailing us at info@ourenergypolicy.org.
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The District of Columbia’s Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) has demonstrated that it can deliver solar benefits to low- and moderate-income (LMI) residents either with solar panels on their roof, through community solar subscriptions, or through in-kind or other direct benefits paid for with revenue generated by solar systems. So far, over 6,800 District residents have received benefits of around $500 annually from the District’s signature Solar for All (SfA) program since its inception in 2016 from over 25 MW of installed solar capacity.
The question DOEE now faces is how to scale the program to serve more residents, …
View Full ResourceSolar photovoltaic (PV) systems accounted for the highest proportion of new electric power
generation capacity in the United States in 2021. Domestic solar power generation has increased
over the past decade, enabled by technological advances, government support, state–level policies
mandating use of electricity from renewable sources, and improved cost–competitiveness relative
to electricity generation from fossil fuels.
This report looks at the domestic solar PV manufacturing industry and the downstream value
chain for solar power installations. It considers whether market shifts, including new product
architectures, improved packaging designs, integration of energy …
Solar power continues to expand rapidly. The United States now has 121.4 gigawatts (GW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity, producing enough solar energy to power more than 23 million homes.1 Millions of Americans have invested in solar energy and millions more are ready to join them.2
America’s major cities have played a key role in the clean energy revolution and stand to reap tremendous benefits from solar energy. As population centers, they are major sources of electricity demand and, with millions of rooftops suitable for solar panels, they have the potential to be major sources of clean energy …
View Full ResourceThe first generation of community solar — typically midsize, grid-connected solar projects that community members or organizations can subscribe to — enabled greater access to solar energy in many US states. However, community solar has the potential to do far more for communities.
As local governments increasingly advance local decarbonization and climate resilience, they are often confronted by the many competing priorities for their limited financial resources. While every renewable energy project provides added values — from construction jobs to increased public awareness and education about renewables — carefully and purposefully designed community solar projects are uniquely well-suited to unlock …
View Full ResourceThis project considers how the solar energy sector can best address modern slavery risks. Around 40 per cent of the global supply of polysilicon – a critical component of solar panels – comes from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where it is reported to be made with state-sponsored forced labour. And between 15 and 30 per cent of the cobalt in lithium-ion batteries used widely to store solar energy, including in electric vehicles (EVs), comes from informal mines in Democratic Republic of Congo, where forced and child labour are common.
The project was funded by the British Academy’s Just Transitions within …
View Full ResourceFinancial incentives for rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) adoption have declined in the United States over time by policy design. Incentive phase-down can efficiently promote early adoption and avoid ineffective payments to late adopters. However, incentive phase-down may exclude low- and moderate-income (LMI) households from realizing the same financial benefits from PV adoption as high-income early adopters. Here, data from two state-level LMI PV incentive programs are analyzed to test whether incentives still drive PV adoption among LMI households. As a first order approximation, the analysis suggests that incentives drove adoption that would not otherwise have happened in about 80% …
View Full ResourceThe quarterly SEIA/Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables U.S. Solar Market Insight report shows the major trends in the U.S. solar industry.…
View Full ResourceCommunity solar developments can expand solar power access to more people, including low-to- moderate income (LMI) customers who have been historically underserved by clean energy programs. Structuring programs for LMI customers prompts important questions about financing and funding projects. This brief offers an overview of existing models for funding and financing community solar, and it explores a number of potential improvements and adjustments that can support greater access by LMI and other underserved customers. The options laid out here will provide State Energy Office Directors, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Directors, and other key stakeholders with additional information …
View Full ResourceThis checklist provides guidance for State Energy Offices and State Agencies Operating the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (referred to here as LIHEAP Agencies) who are interested in supporting community solar programs focused on serving low- and moderate-income communities. These programs can help disadvantaged communities save on energy bills with low-cost resources, while providing a large customer base for new renewable energy developments. The following elements cover key considerations, roles for states agencies in community solar development, stakeholders to engage, and case studies from existing projects.…
View Full ResourceThe goal of the Inclusive Shared Solar Initiative (ISSI)1 is to make community solar more accessible to low- and moderate-income households through innovative partnerships between state energy offices, solar providers, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) offices, utilities, and other key stakeholders. …
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