Energy Transition an Equity Opportunity

• Author: Yesenia Rivera
• Position: Director of Energy Equity and Inclusion Solar United Neighbors
• Pages: 45-45

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 45

Reprinted by permission from The Environmental Forum®, September/October 2021.

Copyright © 2021, Environmental Law Institute®, Washington, D.C. www.eli.org.

Sidebar

SI DE BAR

OUR energy system is

changing. This transition

presents a tremendous

opportunity to build in democracy,

justice, and equity. Distributed

solar energy like rooftop and com-

munity solar is uniquely able to re-

pair the harms caused by our cur-

rent fossil-fuel-dependent model.

A transition to solar, if done

correctly, can also create an eq-

uitable economic recovery. It can

lower the energy burden for low-



who participates in the emerging

renewable-based energy system.

The cost of fossil-fuel-based

energy is increasing. These costs

fall hardest on low- to moderate-

income families. An under-resourced

family can spend as much as 30

percent of its income on electricity.

The federal government spends bil-

lions on energy assistance programs.

These programs provide support on

a year-to-year basis. Currently, they

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eligible population. Distributed solar

provides a more sustainable solution

to reducing and controlling energy

costs on an ongoing basis. Unfortu-

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solar ownership.

The federal government should

increase funding to energy as-

sistance programs to enable the

people who most need help with

energy bills to invest in solar. Add-

ing support to build solar would

also create long-term integrity

and solvency for these programs.

Both the Department of Health

and Human Services’ low-income

home energy assistance program

and the Department of Energy’s

weatherization assistance program

can cover the cost of solar installa-

tions. These programs and others

can easily be adapted to address

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

Cost is not the only barrier to

a just transition to solar. Home-

ownership status is a barrier as

well. More than 30 percent of U.S.

households are renters. Even when

families own their homes, their

roofs may not always be suitable

for solar. This is especially true if

they live in multi-family buildings

and condominiums.

Community solar can help all

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riers remain. These barriers are

high for locally owned community

solar projects and projects that

serve low- and moderate-income

communities.

The federal government can

help address this barrier by

amending the Public Utilities

Regulatory Policies Act. It should

require state-regulated utilities

and non-regulated electric utilities

to develop equitable community

solar programs. The Department

of Energy should also create a new

program to provide loans and loan

guarantees for equitable commu-

nity solar projects.

By addressing the policy and

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solar, we can ensure that all house-

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solar, regardless of homeowner-

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For the transition to solar to be

a just and equitable one, we must

address all the barriers preventing

millions of households from going

solar. Cost and homeownership

are just two of the barriers keep-

ing us from achieving solar justice.

We must also address the lack of

information and education sur-

rounding solar energy, the policy

barriers suppressing deployment,

and the need for access to solar

jobs for marginalized communities.

While there are barriers that

states can address, the federal gov-

ernment already has the templates

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to dismantle the systemic barri-

ers keeping low- and moderate-

income families and environmental

justice communities from achieving

solar equity. The federal govern-

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upfront cost to solar transition,

streamline solar deployment, and

reduce unnecessary barriers.

We must address the harms

caused by our current energy sys-

tem and ensure that marginalized

communities and environmental



from the transition to clean en-

ergy. An investment in solar power

can help in the economic recovery

and lift millions of families in the

process.

Energy Transition an Equity Opportunity

“ An investment in solar power

can help in the economic recovery

and lift millions of families in the

process”

Yesenia Rivera

Director of Energy

Equity and Inclusion

Solar United Neighbors