Bringing Solar Power to the People

RMI organized Solarize cohorts in 2021 and 2022 involving 27 U.S. cities to make rooftop solar more accessible to low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities. By combining bulk purchasing discounts with grants and community partnerships, the program helped nearly 1,200 households install over 10 MW of residential solar, with 40% of participants from LMI or BIPOC communities. These installations are projected to save households over $8 million and avoid 106,000 tons of CO2 emissions over 25 years.

• RMI's Solarize cohorts in 2021 and 2022 supported 27 cities across the United States in implementing rooftop solar campaigns specifically targeted at low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities to address historical inequities in solar access.
• To overcome the prohibitive upfront costs of solar for LMI households, the program integrated bulk purchasing discounts with additional financial mechanisms such as grants and local government funding. For instance, Solarize Asheville-Buncombe provided over $100,000 in local funds to fully cover installations for lower-income residents.
• The program's success relied on partnerships between national experts and local community-based organizations. Solar Crowdsource organized six campaigns in Georgia, Hawaii, Missouri, North Carolina, and Oklahoma, helping over 500 homeowners, while Solar United Neighbors formed eight solar co-ops in Ohio, Florida, and Texas, assisting 250 homeowners.
• The RMI Solarize cohorts resulted in the installation of more than 10 megawatts (MW) of residential solar across nearly 1,200 households. Approximately 40% of these households were from LMI or Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Over a 25-year lifespan, these systems are estimated to avoid over 106,000 tons of CO2 emissions and save households more than $8 million.

APA

RMI (2023). Bringing Solar Power to the People. https://rmi.org/resources/bringing-solar-power-to-the-people/

Chicago

RMI. Bringing Solar Power to the People. 2023. https://rmi.org/resources/bringing-solar-power-to-the-people/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Bringing Solar Power to the People |date=9 May 2023 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/bringing-solar-power-to-the-people/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2023bringing, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Bringing Solar Power to the People}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2023}, month = may, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/bringing-solar-power-to-the-people/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }