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Early Application Deadline
Jan 6th, 2017
Featured
Solar Pioneers completes their second Solar Bootcamp up-skilling youth for employment in the solar industry
Solar in Your Community team Solar Pioneers has recently completed two Solar Bootcamps.
Thrifty Community Solar Barn Raising
The Thrifty Community Solar team hosted a Barn Raising in June 2017, installing 150 panels in 4 hours with over 50 volunteers.
Clean Solar Energy for Affordable Housing Residents
The Wilmington Housing Authority (WHA), joined by Mayor Mike Purzycki, Governor John Carney and other local and state officials on June 18 to officially dedicated its new Southbridge Solar Park at 900 South Claymont Street. The 1.15 megawatt solar installation will save the housing authority money and provide clean, renewable solar-generated electricity to WHA residents. The solar array – developed, financed and constructed by New York-based Ecogy Energy— is currently the largest, privately-financed, public housing solar project in the United States.
Solarize Philly is Gaining Momentum
Solarize Philly is the first citywide solarize initiative in Philadelphia. A Solarize campaign allows a group of homeowners to install solar together at a reduced price. Led by the Philadelphia Energy Authority, the team’s goal is to add 2.5 MW of PV on 500 homes in the city. As of July, more than 1,500 households have expressed interest in participating, 11 contracts have been signed, and three solar installation companies have been selected.
Read past success stories here.
Michigan Clean Energy Conference
SYC Teams present their work through the Solar in Your Communities Challenge in Michigan and Puerto Rico. Thank you SYC Coach Diane Cheklich and Michigan based teams! Solar Neighbors of Detroit - Solar faithful - TC Rise - Hope Village Initiative. Check out the video! https://www.facebook.com/groundworkcenter/videos/10160532599355187/
Rays the Valley completes 19 kW installation on Sunnyside Daycare
This recent installation was financed through third parties and is the latest success in Rays the Valley's work through the Solar in Your Communities Challenge
Piney Woods School Receives Solar Panels from Tesla
The Piney Woods School will install new solar panels thanks to a donation from Tesla to support the school’s #Panels4Piney campaign. Through #Panels4Piney, the students are working to transition 8-10% of the school’s energy to renewable sources, savings that will be reinvested back into students.In March, Panels4Piney launched with a goal of raising $150,000 to install 100 kilowatts worth of solar panels on campus ahead of its 110 year anniversary in 2019. Solar panels from Tesla will help students toward achieving this goal, but they still need to fundraise for the full installation.
Featured
The Jockey Hill Solar Farm
Solar Alliance Freedom is committed to building affordable sustainable solar projects to benefit quality of life, financial stability,...
Sharing Solar
We seek to expand solar to low income homeowners by developing a sharing solar fund. The fund pays the upfront costs of installation,...
City of DuranGO Solar
Taking an innovative, integrated approach to scaling up solar in our sunny Southwest Colorado community.
Worcester Energy Access
Cultural riches often abound in materially poor urban communities. Worcester MA is no exception, with over 60 languages spoken in our...
Illinois Green Economy Network
Providing a platform to expand the deployment of clean energy technologies, increase employment opportunities, improve environmental and...
Faith in Place Solar
Solar for Illinois’s interfaith community. Providing low cost solar energy to faith communities in all Illinois Communities.
Waco Community Solar Farm
Making quality, affordable housing even more affordable through reduced energy costs.
Ecogy Solar for Affordable Housing
WHA, the largest affordable housing provider in DE & Ecogy Solar, an experienced solar financier and developer, team up to redevelop a...
Solar Pioneers
As members of the community, organized by local non-profit, Nehemiah Economic Development, Solar Pioneers overcome challenges of...
Directed Resiliency of Ulster County
Directing affordable resilient renewable energy systems to the non-profit and lower income communities
Boys & Girls Club of Worcester
Clean and renewable, why wouldnt you go green with the use of solar energy?
Solar in Your Community challenge Bringing solar to all Americans
The Solar in Your Community Challenge is a $5 million contest to support innovative and replicable community-based solar business models and programs that will bring solar to underserved communities.
Download RulebookMotivation
Low and moderate income (LMI) households represent 40% of America’s population, but less than 5% of all solar customers. LMI households, non-profits, and government organizations face several barriers to going solar, including limited financing options, low or no credit history, and lack of access to the 30% Federal Investment Tax Credit.
Call to Action
We call on innovators around the country to team up with key stakeholders in local communities and explore, pilot, and scale up new models that will create new solar markets for low and moderate income households, non-profits, and local governments.
get involved
Form a team to design and deploy scalable community-based solar projects or programs, up to 5MW in 18 months that serve at least 20% LMI households or 60% non-profits. Teams must register on the platform to join and then submit an application to participate. Projects and programs must be completed between 5/2/17 – 10/31/18.
Win Prizes
Teams will compete for a $500,000 Grand Prize for most effectively demonstrating an innovative and scalable solar model. DOE will grant up to $5 million in cash prizes and technical assistance throughout the competition with up to $2 million in seed prizes, $2 million technical assistance, and $1 million in final prizes.