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The Largest Community Solar Program

November 22, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Community solar projects allow customers to benefit from the economic and environmental attributes of solar energy when they don’t have the ability to invest in their own system for any number of reasons.

Florida Power & Light company is proposing to build the largest community solar program in the United States, pending regulatory review.  The planned installation of 1,490 MW of new solar capacity at 20 new power plants distributed across FPL’s service territory is expected to generate an estimated $249 million in net savings for all FPL customers over the long term.

In addition to becoming the largest community solar program in the country, the new program would also be the largest voluntary low-income solar offering in the country.  Low-income households are typically unable to benefit from solar energy because of not having the means to invest in the technology.  The new SolarTogether program will have more than 35 megawatts of capacity dedicated to low-income Florida families.  Solar energy is a critical tool for enabling low-income families to tap into energy savings. 

The SolarTogether program would provide direct savings in the form of bill credits, making solar an affordable option for any customer.  The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and Vote Solar joined with FPL to help design the program to include a low-income component and request Florida Public Service Commission approval. There is broad support for the program from universities, county and city governments, and private companies.  In addition, more than 90,000 residential and small business customers have already signed up to receive more information.  The utility hopes to receive regulatory approval in time to launch during the first quarter of 2020.

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FPL plans nation’s largest community solar program; includes low-income focus

Photo, posted March 8, 2018, courtesy of Babcock Ranch via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Solar Equity for Low-Income Communities

May 30, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

A couple of years ago, the number of American roofs covered with solar panels passed the one million mark and the numbers keep growing.  But nearly half of U.S. households – accounting for more than 154 million people – aren’t able to host their own solar arrays because they lack suitable rooftop space, or they rent their homes.  But millions more simply can’t afford to spend tens of thousands of dollars to buy or lease solar panels.

In recent years, community solar has become popular.  These are projects where multiple participants own or lease shares in a mid-sized solar facility and receive credits that lower their monthly utility bills.  Community solar in the U.S. has more than quadrupled just since 2016.

However, the majority of community solar subscribers to date have been businesses, universities, government agencies, and higher-earning households.  These users can generally pay steep project enrollment fees or meet various financial requirements.  Meanwhile, those who could benefit most from access to renewable energy and lower utility bills – low-income residents – have largely been left out.

Low-income households on average spend over 8% of their income on utility bills, about three times more than moderate- to high-income households.  So, reducing electricity bills with community solar power is a big deal for them.

Given this situation, there are now a growing number of programs that make use of community solar to reduce living expenses for low-income households.  In a dozen states, new programs include a variety of mandates, financial incentives, and pilot programs targeting benefits for people with low incomes.  These programs will allow them to participate in both the environmental and economic benefits of renewable energy.

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Energy Equity: Bringing Solar Power to Low-Income Communities

Photo, posted November 27, 2012, courtesy of Oregon State University via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Energy Justice In California

September 27, 2018 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/EW-09-27-18-Energy-Justice-in-California.mp3

California put in place a cap-and-trade program in 2013.  In such a program, companies pay penalties if they exceed a cap in carbon emissions but can buy and sell allowances that permit them to emit a given amount. Trading gives companies a strong incentive to save money by cutting emissions.  Since taking effect, the California program has raised more than $6.5 billion and is the fourth largest in the world.

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Greenhouses Adapt To Climate Change

August 2, 2018 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/EW-08-02-18-Greenhouses-Adapt-to-Climate-Change.mp3

The Telangana region of India has struggled with extreme weather patterns attributed to climate change.  Extended periods of drought, heatwaves, and unpredictable heavy rainfalls have led to crop failures, mounting debt, and a heavy human toll.  More than 3,000 farmers committed suicide in Telangana during a three-year drought.

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The Deadly Cost Of Pollution

December 8, 2017 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/EW-12-08-17-Deadly-Cost-of-Pollution.mp3

There is deservedly a great deal of focus on the effects that carbon pollution is having upon the climate and most countries around the world are working to reduce their emissions.   However, even if climate effects were not a serious threat to humanity, pollution is a deadly menace to human health.

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Solar Power And Social Justice

July 1, 2016 By WAMC WEB

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/EW-07-01-16-Solar-Power-and-Social-Justice.mp3

The U.S. recently celebrated the milestone of having one million solar installations nationwide.   It took 40 years to get there, but experts believe the next million could take only a couple of years.   The solar revolution is clearly well underway.

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Food Deserts

January 6, 2016 By WAMC WEB

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/EW-01-06-16-Food-Deserts.mp3

A food desert is a geographic area – often an urban area – where affordable and nutritious food is difficult to obtain, particularly for those without access to an automobile.   Food deserts disproportionately affect occupants of poor, low-income neighborhoods where there are often no groceries stores or farmer’s markets.  These are places were food comes from convenience stores or fast-food chains.  More than 20 million Americans are thought to live in food deserts.

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