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Canary Media Clean energy journalism for a cooler tomorrow Making Solar less exclusive Community solar expands access to clean energy, new study shows Peer-reviewed research finds that community solar makes cheap renewable power available to more people, including those who live in rentals and multifamily buildings. The sun showers us all with energy, but not everyone can put solar panels on their roofs to harness it for themselves. Enter community solar, an increasingly popular way to expand access to solar and help fix its equity issues. For the first time, evidence shows that it’s working. Community solar allows customers to reap electric bill savings by subscribing to a share of a local solar project, rather than installing their own array. It’s an arrangement that ideally makes the benefits of solar more accessible to people who live in rental or multifamily housing and those who just can’t afford the upfront cost of rooftop systems. Forty-two states have community solar projects in place — but the precise nature of who has benefited remained unclear. Until now.

Community solar does more than contribute to a more reliable, sustainable grid; according to recent research, it also broadens solar energy access. Research from Berkeley Lab and National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that "people who adopt community solar are 6.1 times more likely to live in multifamily buildings, are 4.4 times more likely to rent, and earn 23 percent less annual income than rooftop solar adopters". A just clean energy transition means that everyone benefits, especially those who have been historically disadvantaged. Community solar is one method to spread cost savings and cleaner grids. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gyHiTzAT

"The sun showers us all with energy, but not everyone can put solar panels on their roofs to harness it for themselves. Enter community solar, an increasingly popular way to expand access to solar and help fix its equity issues. For the first time, evidence shows that it’s working. Community solar allows customers to reap electric bill savings by subscribing to a share of a local solar project, rather than installing their own array. It’s an arrangement that ideally makes the benefits of solar more accessible to people who live in rental or multifamily housing and those who just can’t afford the upfront cost of rooftop systems. Forty-two states have community solar projects in place — but the precise nature of who has benefited remained unclear. Until now. A June study by researchers from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory that analyzed data from 11 states found that people who adopt community solar are 6.1 times more likely to live in multifamily buildings, are 4.4 times more likely to rent, and earn 23 percent less annual income than rooftop solar adopters, who skew wealthy. “Community solar is delivering on its promise,” said Eric O’Shaughnessy, the lead author of the peer-reviewed study, an affiliate at LBNL, and a renewable energy research analyst at Clean Kilowatts." Courtesy Canary Media Inc. #communitysolar #cleanenergytranstion #nxtgen Eric Wesoff Casey Weinstein Rick Bolton Kevin Brooks Ashley A. Maria Bries Carmen Longa Virasoro Sarah Hazel NXTGEN Clean Energy Solutions

Community solar is becoming a popular way to broaden solar energy access and tackle equity issues. For the first time ever, new evidence from Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory indicates that it's making a meaningful difference. Another great takeaway from the research is that community solar significantly expands access to solar energy, particularly among renters and residents of multifamily buildings, who are 6.1 times more likely to adopt it, and those with lower annual incomes, who earn 23% less than rooftop solar adopters. By leveraging community solar, our team is committed to providing solar energy solutions and creating equitable access. With our five community solar projects with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and BlueWave Solar and our project with Neighborhood Sun and Montgomery County Government, MD, we’re advancing clean energy access for all. We’re glad to see the difference it can make being documented by researchers. Learn more from Canary Media Inc.'s Alison F. Takemura, Ph.D. #SolarEnergy #CommunitySolar #CleanEnergy #Sustainability https://hubs.ly/Q02GDWcH0

https://lnkd.in/gr3WrkzP 🌞 Community Solar: Expanding Access to Clean Energy 🌱 A recent study highlighted some exciting developments in the renewable energy space – community solar is making clean energy more accessible than ever! 💡 Community solar projects allow individuals and businesses to participate in the clean energy movement without needing to install solar panels on their property. This model is breaking down barriers to entry, bringing solar power to renters, low-income households, and communities that traditionally faced challenges in accessing renewable energy. 🏘️ Why this matters: Equitable Access: Community solar is driving energy equity by providing clean energy options for people who might not otherwise have the means to participate. Local Benefits: These projects often support local jobs and contribute to the community's energy independence. Positive Growth: As more states and utility companies adopt community solar programs, the potential for widespread clean energy adoption increases. 📈 This study is a testament to the growing interest in renewable energy and the vital role that community solar plays in shaping a sustainable future. It's a win-win for energy consumers and the planet! 🌎 The clean energy revolution is here, and it’s more accessible than ever. ⚡ #RenewableEnergy #CleanEnergyAccess #Sustainability #SolarEnergy #EnergyEquity #AndersenJames

#CommunitySolar #SolarPower #USA #EricOShaughnessy #LawrenceBerkeleyNationalLaboratory #NationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory "... Community solar allows customers to reap electric bill savings by subscribing to a share of a local solar project, rather than installing their own array. It’s an arrangement that ideally makes the benefits of solar more accessible to people who live in rental or multifamily housing and those who just can’t afford the upfront cost of rooftop systems. Forty-two states have community solar projects in place — but the precise nature of who has benefited remained unclear. Until now. A June study by researchers from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory that analyzed data from 11 states found that people who adopt community solar are 6.1 times more likely to live in multifamily buildings, are 4.4 times more likely to rent, and earn 23 percent less annual income than rooftop solar adopters, who skew wealthy. “Community solar is delivering on its promise,” said Eric O’Shaughnessy, the lead author of the peer-reviewed study, an affiliate at LBNL, and a renewable energy research analyst at Clean Kilowatts. ... Despite finding overall that community solar boosts clean energy access, the team found that the offering doesn’t increase solar access among minorities. Asians, Asian Americans, Blacks, and Latinos aren’t any more likely to adopt community solar than rooftop solar — at least not yet. The reasons are still foggy, but minority households may be more skeptical of how community solar is advertised, O’Shaughnessy said, citing feedback from a low-income community solar advisory group. Imagine a community solar project enroller shows up at someone’s door with a clipboard and says they can get free solar without installing anything; if they just sign up, they’ll start saving money immediately. “A lot of people are really suspicious of that,” he said. “It can sound too good to be true.” Vulnerable households have been burned by predatory energy marketers in the past. Solar loan companies have misled families into getting Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) loans that locked them into payments they can’t afford. And alternative electric suppliers have lied, promising lower utility rates that have instead cost their customers tens of millions more. Community-rooted partnerships, like those being forged by providers in Illinois, could help spread the word that the benefits of community solar are real, O’Shaughnessy said. “It’s not a scam. It can save you money.” Community solar can reduce energy bills by 5 to 20 percent. ..."

A new study from Berkeley Lab and National Renewable Energy Laboratory showed that #CommunitySolar makes a big difference when it comes to equity! Community solar is 6x as likely to serve multi-family building residents, and 4x as likely to serve renters, as traditional rooftop #solar projects. It also serves people with lower incomes. #Accessibility, #affordability, and #equity are just some of the reasons I'm so thrilled to consult on community solar efforts with Cooperative Energy Futures. The work we do is about creating access to clean energy for ALL of us. https://lnkd.in/gFRMfYY2

“Rooftop and community solar are alternative product classes for residential solar in the United States. Community solar, where multiple households buy solar from shared systems, could make solar more accessible by reducing initial costs and removing adoption barriers for renters and multifamily building occupants. Here we test whether community solar has expanded solar access in the United States. On the basis of a sample of 11 states, we find that community solar adopters are about 6.1 times more likely to live in multifamily buildings than rooftop solar adopters, 4.4 times more likely to rent and earn 23% less annual income. We do not find that community solar expands access in terms of race. These differences are driven, roughly evenly, by inherent differences between the two solar products and by policies to promote low-income community solar adoption. The results suggest that alternative solar products can expand solar access and that policy could augment such benefits.” https://lnkd.in/dBwcjhJb #environmentalcontent Canary Media Inc. Alison F. Takemura, Ph.D. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory Nature Energy 

Community solar expands access to clean energy, new study shows Peer-reviewed research finds that community solar makes cheap renewable power available to more people, including those who live in rentals and multifamily buildings. https://lnkd.in/gyHiTzAT

Community solar is changing the game! A new study confirms what many of us in the industry already know - that community solar programs are making renewable energy accessible to more people, especially those in rentals and multifamily buildings. 🔍 Community solar adopters are 6.1 times more likely to live in multifamily buildings and are 4.4 times more likely to rent. Read more about how community solar is delivering on its promise to make clean energy more assessable.