Bridging The Solar Energy Gap Through Federal Assistance Programs

Join daily news updates from CleanTechnica on e-mail. Or follow us on Google News!

NREL Supported the Improvement of New U.S. Division of Vitality Assets to Broaden the Attain of Photo voltaic Vitality By means of Help Funds for Low-Earnings Households

Photo voltaic Deployment By means of WAP and LIHEAP

The variety of residential photo voltaic photovoltaics (PV) installations continues to extend throughout america. However that improve is slower for low-income households, who made up 23% of solar adopters as of 2022.

A brand new technical report and different sources developed by the Nationwide Renewable Vitality Laboratory (NREL) purpose to assist state and native organizations handle the PV entry hole.

The U.S. Division of Vitality’s Weatherization Help Program (WAP) and the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies Low Earnings Dwelling Vitality Help Program (LIHEAP) supply vitality effectivity companies to low-income households by way of state, territory, and Tribal governments. WAP supplies free weatherization companies to roughly 30,000 households yearly, and that quantity is anticipated to extend as a result of $3.5 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation funding devoted to this system. LIHEAP supplies billions of {dollars} for states, Tribes, and territories to cut back energy-related prices for low-income residents yearly by way of invoice help, and states can leverage LIHEAP funds for vitality effectivity and weatherization.

In 2023, each applications issued up to date steerage for states interested by together with photo voltaic PV in WAP and LIHEAP companies. Now, the variety of jurisdictions which have licensed photo voltaic PV entry by way of WAP and LIHEAP is rising, rising from solely eight jurisdictions with photo voltaic implementation approval in 2022 to 22 jurisdictions in 2024. This consists of 9 with WAP approval, six with LIHEAP approval, and 7 with approval by way of each applications.

Forging Pathways to Photo voltaic Vitality

“WAP and LIHEAP implementers seeking to add solar PV to their programs do not need to reinvent the wheel,” mentioned Juliana Williams, NREL weatherization lead. “Classes from early adopters will help them make educated selections about find out how to proceed.

Williams and different NREL researchers outlined choices for state and native implementers in a latest technical report, Solar Pathways in Federal Energy Assistance Programs: Expanding the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The report serves as the inspiration for a wide range of new online resources available for WAP and LIHEAP implementers.

In a mission funded by the U.S. Division of Vitality Photo voltaic Vitality Applied sciences Workplace, NREL researchers analyzed LIHEAP and WAP annual plans, surveyed LIHEAP grant recipients and WAP grantees about challenges in implementing photo voltaic, and performed interviews and workshops with WAP and LIHEAP program directors. Consequently, they recognized six major pathways that directors used to include photo voltaic into LIHEAP and WAP plans, together with:

• Implementing rooftop photo voltaic as an eligible weatherization measure in both WAP or LIHEAP
• Utilizing LIHEAP funds for neighborhood photo voltaic subscriptions, to pay shopper photo voltaic payments, or to restore or exchange present rooftop photo voltaic techniques
• Utilizing LIHEAP or WAP infrastructure for exterior photo voltaic program consumption.

“It’s important to recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all model for solar,” mentioned Jenna Harmon, an NREL researcher. “Different policy environments require different approaches to be successful. For example, in some locations, community solar might be a better fit for the residents than rooftop solar.”

The report additionally identifies the commonest challenges with together with photo voltaic in WAP and LIHEAP, together with restricted funding to cowl the total prices of photo voltaic set up and restricted employees capability to develop new initiatives within the applications. NREL researchers discovered that to handle these challenges, partnerships with utilities, photo voltaic installers, neighborhood photo voltaic organizations, different state businesses, and subgrantees are key. These partnerships can bolster capability and, in some circumstances, usher in extra funding. The report additionally notes that profitable applications might require belief constructing and photo voltaic vitality schooling in low-income communities.

Giving WAP and LIHEAP Implementers the Instruments To Succeed With Photo voltaic

The U.S. Division of Vitality’s Solar Pathways in WAP and LIHEAP Decision Guide will help WAP and LIHEAP implementers establish which pathway(s) are finest for his or her communities. The information supplies a quick overview of related insurance policies and pathways for implementing photo voltaic in every program. The choice information is complemented by a web page answering frequently asked questions and a solar implementation toolkit that compiles procurement, technical, and implementation sources.

4 new case research have been developed from the analysis within the technical report. They supply examples of profitable pathways to photo voltaic vitality growth for LIHEAP grant recipients and WAP grantees, providing options in photo voltaic implementation from throughout america and its territories:

“We recognize how important it is for low-income Coloradans to have access to solar to ease their energy cost burden, while also contributing to the state’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from electricity,” mentioned Colorado’s WAP director, Stephanie Insinna-Sahondo, who helped present info for the Colorado case examine. “With over 800 no-cost rooftop solar installations since 2018, we are proud to have been the first state in the nation to offer rooftop solar to low-income residents through our WAP program and are excited to see so many other states following our lead.”

Additionally supported by the Photo voltaic Vitality Applied sciences Workplace, NREL developed six new solar-energy fairness layers for the State and Local Planning for Energy Platform to assist low-to-moderate-income communities perceive what photo voltaic choices are finest for them. The brand new low-to-moderate-income layers embrace state-, county-, and tract-level knowledge for ground-mount and rooftop residential photo voltaic system potential, demographic profiles, and photo voltaic offsetable residential vitality consumption—the residential annual electrical energy consumption that might be offset with behind-the-meter distributed PV. These layers supply breakdowns by earnings degree, tenancy (proprietor or renter), and constructing varieties (single-family or multifamily).

From NREL’s survey of state and native WAP and LIHEAP organizations, many respondents reported curiosity in together with photo voltaic vitality in these applications. As photo voltaic vitality growth continues to develop throughout the nation, these applications will help make sure that entry and advantages can be found to low-income communities.

Dive into the report, case studies, and additional resources on energy.govand discover different vitality planning choices from the State and Local Energy Planning for Energy Platform.

By Julia Medeiros Coad, NREL.