Solar For All is a Win for Everyone

On June 28, 2023, SunCommon’s headquarters in Vermont hosted some very special guests. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, along with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Peter Welch, and Representative Becca Balint, visited our Waterbury office for a press conference to announce an upcoming program, “Solar for All,” to incentivize and increase solar adoption.

While the cost of solar has come down considerably in recent years, some households are still unable to take advantage of current state or federal incentives. Solar for All, as part of last year’s Inflation Reduction Act, will provide $7 billion in grant funding for states, territories, tribal governments, municipalities, and nonprofits to reduce financial barriers to solar, specifically for low and middle income households.

Welcoming Vermont’s congressional delegation along with Administrator Regan was a huge privilege and not something we get to experience too often. Our office was abuzz with excitement, and everyone present felt the gravitas of such an important event. We want to extend our thanks to Senator Sanders, Senator Welch, Representative Balint, and Administrator Regan for supporting this legislation and also for allowing SunCommon to play a role in bringing Solar for All to our communities. To say we were honored would be an understatement—but to be honest, the program itself was the real highlight.

Why we need Solar for All

The $7 billion in Solar for All funding is huge. And it’s what’s needed in the face of the massive climate emergency we are facing. The recent catastrophic flooding in Vermont and the Hudson Valley is just the latest example of the horrific effects of our warming climate. A warmer atmosphere holds more water vapor, which results in heavier rain and wind storms. Continuing to burn fossil fuels instead of transitioning to clean renewables like solar and wind will only increase the frequency and severity of storms like the ones that devastated our region on July 10th, 2023. Installing solar at homes and businesses, however, is one of the best ways we can reduce carbon emissions and curb warming, and over the next ten years, Solar for All funding will result in millions more solar arrays being built.

Expanding access to solar’s economic benefits

Besides the sheer number of new solar systems, Solar for All is significant because of its focus on expanding access for low and middle income households. For years we have recognized the disconnect between those most impacted by climate change and those with means to participate in solutions like installing residential solar. In one way, this approach to addressing climate change is appropriate: we should not be asking already overburdened communities to take on additional debt or social responsibility to solve problems which they largely have not caused.

But going solar does more than help reduce our collective or individual carbon footprints: households that go solar see stabilized energy costs, substantial long term savings, and independence from their utility — things everyone deserves to benefit from should they want to. By expanding solar access in this way, Solar For All not only gets us closer to 100% renewable energy, but it will also be a financial boon for millions of Americans, something that is desperately needed in our current economy.

“At a time when people are struggling to make ends meet, all while dealing with the existential threat of climate change, we must make residential rooftop solar a reality for low-income and working families that need it most,”

– Sen. Bernie Sanders

Solar for All will buoy the economy and level the playing field

As industry leaders in both Vermont and New York, SunCommon is ready to bring even more solar to our communities with the help of Solar for All. We’re equally excited, however, to see how it buoys the industry overall, in our home states and all over the country, creating jobs and building more clean energy than we’ve ever seen. Because the kind of change we need is on a far bigger scale than any one solar company.

Since SunCommon’s founding, we have strived to make solar more accessible and affordable through education and innovation, and something we’ve always kept top of mind when considering our role in the clean energy landscape is that it isn’t a zero sum game. If a customer chooses to go solar with a different company, that’s okay! The stakes are too high, and we’re all ultimately on the same side: for our planet to remain habitable for generations to come. At the end of the day, if more clean, renewable energy infrastructure is being built, we’re all winning.

And we all deserve to play a part if we so wish. The climate movement doesn’t belong to any one business entity or income level. This planet belongs to all of us equally, and so too should the effort to keep it habitable, sustainable, and beautiful. Going solar has long been out of reach for too many people, and programs like Solar for All are what’s needed to help level the playing field — not just by increasing solar adoption, but by allowing those who need it most to benefit from the economic advantages that come with generating your own energy from the sun.