Tax credits are a common form of incentive program, although one that is limited in its utility to low-income households. Making tax-based incentives work for low-income consumers requires availability of a refund option or third-party financing entity that can monetize the credit. ... [read more]
Guiding principles: Accessibility, Community Engagement, Compatibility and Integration Barriers addressed: Cost, Compatibility and Integration, Market Forces Nationwide, in the past five years federal energy assistance funding under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization... [read more]
Dedicated funding from federal sources for low-income solar programs has been largely absent, but a few partnerships have formed to ensure best practices sharing between jurisdictions looking to or in the process of implementing low-income solar programs.... [read more]
Grants can be used to both directly fund projects developed for the benefit of low-income customers, and provide technical assistance to community-based organizations looking to support solar development, particularly in communities of color, environmental justice communities, and low-income communities.... [read more]
Green banks are fully or partially funded state financial institutions that support affordable financing for clean energy or environmentally beneficial projects. They hold significant potential to expand access to affordable financing for low-income communities.... [read more]
Hawaii is undergoing an aggressive energy transformation, aimed at helping the state achieve its 100 percent renewable portfolio standard by 20451. With one of the highest customer electrical rates in the country, it was critical that Hawaii take strategic steps to achieve energy democratization, to remove barriers to financing,... [read more]
Net metering ensures that solar customers receive full credit on their utility bills for this valuable contribution to the utility grid. The simplicity of net metering has made it one of the most successful state policies for empowering consumers to use rooftop solar to meet their own electricity needs.... [read more]
