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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Bringing Solar Energy to Low- and Moderate-Income Communities

Other ·
OSTI ID:1779793
The U.S. solar photovoltaics (PV) industry has taken off over the past decade, but without deliberate action low- and moderate-income communities could be left behind. Key recommendations for policymakers and funders in the renewable energy and community development fields that emerged from this process include the following: • Help to capitalize and support community-based lenders to provide flexible, low-cost, and long- term financing to mission-driven solar projects— including providing guarantees or other forms of credit enhancement. • Provide a grant-in-lieu-of-credits option for the Investment Tax Credit as was done during the last recession. • Develop pools of government and philanthropic support that can complement financing from community-based lenders to complete the capi- tal stack for mission-driven projects, as well as to support education and technical assistance to both consumers and potential project sponsors. • Create a national Renewable Energy Credits pro- gram that includes social equity targets to provide a baseline of support for clean energy generation. • Change utility regulations to remove barriers to low-income solar projects, provide greater certainty for developers, and measure progress toward equity in renewable energy policy implementation.
Research Organization:
University System of New Hampshire
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
DOE Contract Number:
EE0009009
OSTI ID:
1779793
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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