
If there’s one thing that was made crystal clear this week, it’s that the new federal government is going to be hostile to renewable energy, despite all its obvious benefits. And if there’s one solar program that has the potential to really benefit a lot of people, it’s Community Solar.
Community Solar allows anyone with electricity service to buy a portion of solar-generated energy without having to invest in a personal rooftop solar system. Property owners can lease their open space to solar developers, who sell the energy generated to the utility company. The renewable power is added to the grid, and subscribers receive a 5 to 20 percent discount on their electric bills.
While community solar projects have grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade, with about 400,000 households subscribed across New York State, there’s now concern that the Trump administration may pressure Congress to repeal the parts of the Inflation Reduction Act that were designed to encourage solar development, including community solar projects. The IRA allocated a cool $7 billion in federal tax credits and other benefits to make solar power more affordable to more communities, many in Republican controlled districts and states. As of June 2024, community solar generated enough electricity nationwide-8,000 megawatts!- to power one million households.
Here’s what Here Comes Solar Managing Director Anika Wistar-Jones told the NY Times about this:
“In a city like New York where most residents do not own their own homes or who live in co-op buildings with shared common areas, community solar projects are a practical way to reduce greenhouse emissions and lower energy bills.”
You can read more about this on the NY Times website here.