After initial concerns that this funding would be threatened by funding freezes under the new Administration, the EPA appears to have released all previously awarded funding as of February 25, 2025.
What does this funding get me?
Solar for All is one of three programs that make up the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF). See this separate page for the two other programs, which will provide new and improved financing for clean energy projects.
On April 22, 2024, EPA awarded $7 billion to 60 Solar for All applicants across the nation, including the NC Solar for All coalition and the South Carolina Office of Resilience. The funds will be used to expand access to solar energy for households in low-income and disadvantaged communities. Funds will also be available for batteries and for upgrades needed to make homes solar-ready. See descriptions of all 60 awardees here.
North Carolina’s Solar for All Program will be called EnergizeNC; you can read more about the program here.
Am I eligible?
Households in low-income and disadvantaged communities will be eligible. Solar for All will likely prioritize homes that have been weatherized, so we recommend taking advantage of the Weatherization Assistance Program before the launch of Solar for All.
How can I access the money?
Awardees will spend the next year designing their programs. See below for timelines and opportunities for community engagement.
North Carolina: The NC Solar for All coalition (NC Department of Environmental Quality, NC Clean Energy Fund, NC Advanced Energy Corporation, and NC Clean Energy Technology Center) was awarded a little over $156 million to fund its EnergizeNC program, which will help low-income NC households affordably install solar and/or battery storage between fall of 2025 and late 2029. Funds will be available for single-family, multifamily, and community solar. The program will strengthen solar job training and the solar job market. Sign up here to receive updates and be alerted about opportunities for community involvement in the program design process. Applications closed on April 4 for the Energize NC Advisory Board. Learn more here.
South Carolina: The South Carolina Office of Resilience (SCOR) will receive $124.4 million to launch the South Carolina Solar for All Program. In December 2024, SCOR began its one-year Planning Period to refine the program and prepare for project implementation, expected to begin in early 2026. Elements of the proposed program include the Community Solar Initiative, a residential-serving community solar program for income-qualified residents (homeowners and renters); partnering with utilities to expand or enhance existing utility-run programs; working with energy efficiency and weatherization programs to coordinate activities; building on existing solar workforce training programs; and establishing a Solar Innovation Fund to expand solar opportunities, potentially including resilience hubs, solar, and storage installation at affordable housing facilities. If you are interested in submitting input or participating in the Planning Period, join the South Carolina Solar for All mailing list to receive updates and information about the program. Updates will also be posted to SCOR’s webpage. Read more in the SC Sierra Club’s news release.
Multistate: The Community Power Coalition (CPC)’s SFA program, “Powering America Together,” will deliver meaningful benefits for Americans in low-income and disadvantaged communities through community solar projects. Led by Inclusive Prosperity Capital, Inc., the program will support the development of low-income community solar projects, reduce carbon emissions, generate energy cost savings, and promote quality jobs, community wealth-building, community energy resilience, and equitable workforce development. CPC’s program will advance solar development in several states, including North and South Carolina.
What is the timeline?
Awards were announced April 22, 2024. Awardees are now designing their Solar for All programs, seeking the input of affected organizations and communities. Funds will then be distributed to clean energy projects between 2025 and 2029. NC funds will flow through the NC Clean Energy Fund, the state’s green bank.
What other incentives could I use to help me accomplish my goals?
- If you are installing solar or battery storage, you are eligible for a tax credit. Read more here.
- The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund will make affordable loans available for solar.
- Check the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) for additional incentives that may be offered by your state, local government, or utility, as well as important federal, state, and local policies. For questions regarding DSIRE, contact Justin Lindemann (NC Clean Energy Technology Center) at jplindem@ncsu.edu.
To learn more about this program please visit SCOR’s Solar for All webpage.
Where can I get more information?
- US Environmental Protection Agency
- NC Department of Environmental Quality
- Energize NC website and fact sheet
- SC Office of Resilience; contact Kirsten Lackstrom, Kirsten.Lackstrom@scor.sc.gov, 803-991-3304
- For specific questions on this program or for more assistance, contact Sally Robertson at info@energyfundsforall.org.