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Groundswell is installing solar on houses of worship including at the DuPont Park Seventh Day Adventist Church in Ward 7. Up to 350 income eligible households will receive energy credit subscriptions at no cost.
Contact [email protected] for more information and to sign up today!
Neighborhood Solar Equity is installing solar on a local university and plans to provide benefits to income-eligible households in the District. For more information and to find out how to sign up, contact [email protected].
Community Preservation and Development Corporation (CPDC) is installing solar on 12 of their multifamily properties located in wards 2,4,5,7,8. Electricity generated on the rooftops will fund new amenities and resident services for up to 4,800 households.
Ethos Strategic Consulting is installing solar canopies and rooftops arrays on at serval affordable housing properties in Ward 7. The benefits from the electricity generated will benefit up to 350 residents of those buildings.
New Partners Community Solar is installing solar on commercial, nonprofit, and apartment rooftops in downtown DC, including in Chinatown and on New York Avenue, resulting in community solar subscriptions for up to 325 households.
Open Market ESCO, LLC installed a solar system at the Atlantic Terrace buildings at 4301 Third Street SE. Participants will receive credits of up to $500 per year
PEER Consultants is working with the Southeast Veterans Center and condo and apartment buildings to install solar and provide community solar subscriptions to 325 households.
Urban Ingenuity is partnering with affordable multifamily building owners, including So Others Might Eat, Mission First, and Mi Casa, to install solar systems that will provide benefits to up to 400 income eligible households.
Strategic Partnerships
The Department is developing the following strategic partnerships to increase the rate of solar installation on public land and buildings throughout the District:
DC Housing Authority - D.C. Housing Authority is installing solar on the rooftops of their buildings across the district. They are also pursuing roof repair or replacement, electrical upgrades, and battery installations. The benefits of these projects will support up to 4,800 residents.
DC Public Library- DOEE is partnering with DC Public Library for the procurement and installation of a 50 kW solar system, coupled with an energy storage system, at the newly constructed SW DC Public Library.
DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) - DCSEU is designing and delivering energy efficiency and renewable energy programs and initiatives on behalf of the District. DCSEU plans to install at least 1 MW of solar across the commercial, government, and institutional sectors.
Department of Employment Services - The Department of Employment Services has partnered with DOEE to develop Solar Works DC, a low-income solar installation and job training program. GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic was awarded a grant in May 2017 to implement the program, which trains young people in solar installation and other job skills.
Department of General Services- Department of General Services (DGS) is pursuing a 1 MW community solar installation at Oxon Run to serve low-income households, and a pilot project to test different energy storage solutions and to procure and install solar, coupled with energy storage.
University of the District of Columbia -The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) is identifying rooftops for solar installation and DOEE is providing technical assistance. DOEE will continue to partner with UDC in 2018 and 2019 as the university implements solar projects.
Strategic External Partnerships
In addition to the Solar for All Innovation and Expansion Grant Projects, DOEE has funded additional projects aimed at increasing solar access across the District. These projects, outlined below, demonstrate replicable solutions.
- Community Solar Pilot - 100 Low income residents
Community Solar is a great tool to get solar to low income people across the country. Washington D.C. DOEE launched a community solar pilot, and we are going to serve 100 low income residents.
- Vulnerability Assessment and Resilience Audit and Solar Tool for Affordable Housing
DOEE awarded $250,000 to Enterprise Community Partners, in partnership with New Ecology, the National Housing Trust, and the Clean Energy Group, to develop a tool to assess the vulnerability of the District’s affordable housing to the impacts of climate change and to identify opportunities to improve resilience, reduce energy use, install solar and install battery storage systems.
- Low-Income Energy Efficiency and Solar-Ready Roof Demonstration
In 2017, DOEE launched a demonstration project at Garfield Terrace (a DC Housing Authority property) to pair energy efficiency measures with solar, through the federal Weatherization Assistance Program.
What’s next for Solar for All in the District?
The D.C. Sustainable Energy Utility will administer Phase Two of Solar for All, starting in 2019. The SEU will issue requests for proposals to build both community solar and single family solar projects. Interested income-eligible families should stay tuned to find out how to apply in late 2019.
Additional Resources
- Renewable Portfolio Standard Expansion Act of 2016 and Solar for All Annual Report 2016-2017
- DOEE released two Requests for Information (RFI) to solicit ideas from industry professionals and the general public on developing a long-term solar program in the District.
- Informed by Solar for All Task Force recommendations and feedback from the two RFIs, DOEE submitted its Solar for All Implementation Plan to the Council of the District of Columbia in early 2017.
Contact Us
For more information about solar initiatives in the District, contact the DOEE Solar Hotline at (202) 299-5271 or [email protected].