Don’t miss this great column from Bruce Stewart, President and CEO of Perch Energy, on how community solar can help low-income residents lower their energy bills:

Tens of thousands of households and businesses are already subscribed to community solar projects, and they’re saving money on their electricity bills and contributing to a less fossil fuel-dependent energy system. Bolstered by prevailing wage requirements in their construction and guaranteed savings for participants, our industry is democratizing solar by making it accessible to more economic classes, including for those who lack the space or resources to invest in panels themselves while also creating well-paying jobs.

Critically, community solar programs are increasingly focused on ensuring these energy bill savings are shared with low-income households, with many states reserving capacity for them. The median household spends about 3% of their annual income on energy costs, whereas lower-income households sometimes pay as much as 14%. For these LMI households, community solar is an effective policy lever that provides breathing room in the household budget where it’s needed most.

But it’s not all sunshine and roses just yet. Inflation has remained persistent, squeezing low-income households on every front. While low-income households are beginning to participate more than in the early years of the community solar, there remains a glaring access gap: millions of extremely low-income (ELI) families living in master-metered affordable housing are structurally barred from using community solar in many jurisdictions. These are households with annual incomes at or below 30% of the area median income.

Continue reading here.