It wasn't too long ago that large-scale solar energy generation was more of a concept than a reality. But things are changing fast, and now solar is growing at a rate that would have seemed impossible even a decade ago. Here in Maryland we produced a mere 0.1 megawatt of electricity from solar in 2006, not even 10 years ago. Today, that number has soared to 273 megawatts, and it's only going to keep growing.
With Maryland's success at bringing solar online, it comes as no surprise that the Obama Administration chose Baltimore as the venue to announce new initiatives that will increase access to solar for all Americans. A number of these plans, which were announced last week, specifically target low- and moderate- income communities. Learn more about the administration's plan for affordable and accessible solar, as well as some of greeNEWit's affordable renewable energy initiatives, in our blog!
New White House Initiatives Emphasize Affordable and Accessible Solar
The Obama Administration's announcement comes as solar is making big gains across the country. According to the White House, “the United States brought online as much solar energy every three weeks as it did in all of 2008.” Plus, the solar industry added jobs 10 times faster than the rest of the economy in that time. This is thanks in no small part to the declining cost of solar, which on average has dropped by 50% since 2010.
New Initiatives
Here's an overview of the new accessible solar plan:
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Greater access to solar for renters, households, and businesses that don't have enough roof space to install solar panels.
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Install 300 megawatts of renewable energy in federally subsidized housing.
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More than 260 solar energy projects in more than 20 states, “including projects to help low- and moderate- income communities save on their energy bills and further community solar.”
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More than half a billion dollars in investments from investors, states, and cities for solar in low- and moderate- income communities.
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“Expanding solar energy education and opportunities for job training.”
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Building a more diverse and inclusive solar workforce.
Affordable and Accessible Solar from greeNEWit
We don't normally like to brag, but we're ahead of the game on this one. One of our top priorities is helping affordable housing owners and managers prioritize energy efficiencies opportunities. And in fact, one of the ways we do this is by helping owners and and managers of multifamily housing take advantage of the benefits of solar.
Are you interested in learning more? We'd love to talk to you! Contact us today to learn more about affordable and accessible solar for affordable and multifamily housing. Call us at 866.994.7639.