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.
Am I eligible?
Households in low-income and disadvantaged communities will be eligible.
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 Energize NC 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.
South Carolina: The South Carolina Office of Resilience will receive $124.4 million to launch the Community Solar Initiative, a residential-serving community solar program for income-qualified residents (homeowners and renters); partner with utilities to expand or enhance existing utility-run programs; work with energy efficiency and weatherization programs to coordinate activities; build on existing solar workforce training programs; and establish a Solar Innovation Fund to expand solar opportunities, potentially including resilience hubs, solar, and storage installation at affordable housing facilities. See contact info below.
What is the timeline?
Awards were announced April 22, 2024. The awardess will spend the first year 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. Details are not yet final, but it is expected that the 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, likely beginning fall of 2024.
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.
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.