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NREL Supported the Improvement of New U.S. Division of Vitality Sources to Develop the Attain of Photo voltaic Vitality By way of Help Funds for Low-Earnings Households
Photo voltaic Deployment By way of WAP and LIHEAP
The variety of residential photo voltaic photovoltaics (PV) installations continues to extend throughout the USA. However that enhance is slower for low-income households, who made up 23% of photo voltaic adopters as of 2022.
A brand new technical report and different sources developed by the Nationwide Renewable Vitality Laboratory (NREL) goal to assist state and native organizations deal with the PV entry hole.
The U.S. Division of Vitality’s Weatherization Help Program (WAP) and the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies Low Earnings Residence Vitality Help Program (LIHEAP) supply vitality effectivity providers to low-income households by means of state, territory, and Tribal governments. WAP offers free weatherization providers to roughly 30,000 households yearly, and that quantity is predicted to extend as a result of $3.5 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Regulation funding devoted to this system. LIHEAP offers billions of {dollars} for states, Tribes, and territories to cut back energy-related prices for low-income residents yearly by means of invoice help, and states can leverage LIHEAP funds for vitality effectivity and weatherization.
In 2023, each applications issued up to date steerage for states keen on together with photo voltaic PV in WAP and LIHEAP providers. Now, the variety of jurisdictions which have licensed photo voltaic PV entry by means of WAP and LIHEAP is rising, rising from solely eight jurisdictions with photo voltaic implementation approval in 2022 to 22 jurisdictions in 2024. This contains 9 with WAP approval, six with LIHEAP approval, and 7 with approval by means of each applications.
Forging Pathways to Photo voltaic Vitality
“WAP and LIHEAP implementers seeking to add solar PV to their programs do not need to reinvent the wheel,” stated Juliana Williams, NREL weatherization lead. “Classes from early adopters may also help them make educated selections about how one can proceed.
Williams and different NREL researchers outlined choices for state and native implementers in a current technical report, Photo voltaic Pathways in Federal Vitality Help Applications: Increasing the Low Earnings Residence Vitality Help Program (LIHEAP) and the Weatherization Help Program (WAP). The report serves as the inspiration for a wide range of new on-line sources obtainable for WAP and LIHEAP implementers.
In a challenge funded by the U.S. Division of Vitality Photo voltaic Vitality Applied sciences Workplace, NREL researchers analyzed LIHEAP and WAP annual plans, surveyed LIHEAP grant recipients and WAP grantees about challenges in implementing photo voltaic, and performed interviews and workshops with WAP and LIHEAP program directors. In consequence, they recognized six main pathways that directors used to include photo voltaic into LIHEAP and WAP plans, together with:
- Implementing rooftop photo voltaic as an eligible weatherization measure in both WAP or LIHEAP
- Utilizing LIHEAP funds for neighborhood photo voltaic subscriptions, to pay consumer photo voltaic payments, or to restore or exchange present rooftop photo voltaic methods
- Utilizing LIHEAP or WAP infrastructure for exterior photo voltaic program consumption.
“It’s important to recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all model for solar,” stated Jenna Harmon, an NREL researcher. “Different policy environments require different approaches to be successful. For example, in some locations, community solar might be a better fit for the residents than rooftop solar.”
The report additionally identifies the most typical challenges with together with photo voltaic in WAP and LIHEAP, together with restricted funding to cowl the complete prices of photo voltaic set up and restricted employees capability to develop new initiatives within the applications. NREL researchers discovered that to deal with these challenges, partnerships with utilities, photo voltaic installers, neighborhood photo voltaic organizations, different state businesses, and subgrantees are key. These partnerships can bolster capability and, in some circumstances, usher in extra funding. The report additionally notes that profitable applications could require belief constructing and photo voltaic vitality training in low-income communities.
Giving WAP and LIHEAP Implementers the Instruments To Succeed With Photo voltaic
The U.S. Division of Vitality’s Photo voltaic Pathways in WAP and LIHEAP Determination Information may also help WAP and LIHEAP implementers determine which pathway(s) are finest for his or her communities. The information offers a quick overview of related insurance policies and pathways for implementing photo voltaic in every program. The choice information is complemented by a web page answering steadily requested questions and a photo voltaic implementation toolkit that compiles procurement, technical, and implementation sources.
4 new case research have been developed from the analysis within the technical report. They supply examples of profitable pathways to photo voltaic vitality growth for LIHEAP grant recipients and WAP grantees, providing options in photo voltaic implementation from throughout the USA and its territories:
“We recognize how important it is for low-income Coloradans to have access to solar to ease their energy cost burden, while also contributing to the state’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from electricity,” stated Colorado’s WAP director, Stephanie Insinna-Sahondo, who helped present info for the Colorado case research. “With over 800 no-cost rooftop solar installations since 2018, we are proud to have been the first state in the nation to offer rooftop solar to low-income residents through our WAP program and are excited to see so many other states following our lead.”
Additionally supported by the Photo voltaic Vitality Applied sciences Workplace, NREL developed six new solar-energy fairness layers for the State and Native Planning for Vitality Platform to assist low-to-moderate-income communities perceive what photo voltaic choices are finest for them. The brand new low-to-moderate-income layers embrace state-, county-, and tract-level knowledge for ground-mount and rooftop residential photo voltaic system potential, demographic profiles, and photo voltaic offsetable residential vitality consumption—the residential annual electrical energy consumption that could possibly be offset with behind-the-meter distributed PV. These layers supply breakdowns by revenue stage, tenancy (proprietor or renter), and constructing sorts (single-family or multifamily).
From NREL’s survey of state and native WAP and LIHEAP organizations, many respondents reported curiosity in together with photo voltaic vitality in these applications. As photo voltaic vitality growth continues to develop throughout the nation, these applications may also help be certain that entry and advantages can be found to low-income communities.
Dive into the report, case research, and extra sources on vitality.gov, and discover different vitality planning choices from the State and Native Vitality Planning for Vitality Platform.
By Julia Medeiros Coad, NREL.
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