Public Resource
Solar with Justice
Clean Energy States Alliance et. al.

Under-resourced communities face a disproportionate share of societal burdens and lack access to many of the benefits other communities enjoy. Participation in the solar economy can help ease these burdens and provide low-and middle-income households with economic relief.

This report aims to accelerate the implementation of solar in under-resourced communities in ways that provide meaningful, long-lasting benefits to those communities. The recommendations in the report set a path forward for increasing solar deployments that result in significant economic, equity, and environmental improvements, including recommendations for building equity into solar development and obstacles that need to be addressed in making solar available to under-resourced communities. Eleven case studies from across the country are explored.

The top ten general findings and recommendations (Chapter 4) are:

  1. Partnerships involving trusted community organizations are essential

  2. It’s still the experimental phase for LMI solar

  3. Installations for community institutions deserve special consideration

  4. Resilience should be a component of LMI solar

  5. Financial risk needs to be minimized for LMI households and community organizations

  6. Partnerships involving trusted community organizations are essential

  7. It’s still the experimental phase for LMI solar

  8. Installations for community institutions deserve special consideration

  9. Resilience should be a component of LMI solar

  10. Financial risk needs to be minimized for LMI households and community organizations

Additional recommendations for State Governments can be found in Chapter 5; Philanthropic Foundations (Chapter 6); Community Organizations (Chapter 7); Other Stakeholders (Chapter 8); Expanding and Improving Project Financing (Chapter 9), For additional related resources, including an Executive Summary (English and Spanish editions available) and webinar recordings, see the Solar With Justice webpage.