Redefining Rooftop Solar Through Community Action

This case study examines Convite Solar, a community-led rooftop solar initiative in the Dominican Republic designed to expand clean energy access to low- and middle-income (LMI) households. The model utilizes standardized systems, collective labor, and cooperative financing to overcome the financial and technical barriers that have previously limited solar adoption to the wealthiest 4.5% of the population. A pilot in Nizao demonstrates the potential to reduce electricity bills and government subsidy burdens while enhancing energy security.

• The Dominican Republic's electricity sector is heavily dependent on imported fossil fuels, with centralized coal, oil, and natural gas plants providing nearly 83% of generation.
• Rooftop solar adoption in the Dominican Republic is highly unequal, with approximately 4.5% of the population controlling nearly 97% of the installed capacity.
• The current distribution of solar adoption creates a fiscal paradox where high-income households reduce utility revenues, forcing the government to increase subsidy transfers to maintain service for LMI households.
• Expanding solar to LMI households could significantly reduce public spending, with an estimated saving of US$15 million in government subsidy payments for every 100 MW installed.
• The Convite Solar model democratizes energy access by treating rooftop solar as modular and standardized, allowing for guided community installation and bulk procurement rather than relying on specialized contractors.
• A pilot project in Nizao has successfully installed three solar-plus-battery systems, demonstrating strong repayment capacity and significant bill reductions, such as one participant's monthly bill dropping from over RD$1,200 to RD$181.25.
• Scaling the Convite Solar model faces practical hurdles, including the high cost and complexity of battery procurement, the need for electrical upgrades in LMI homes, and the requirement for seed capital for bulk purchasing.
• The model is proposed as a blueprint for other Small Islands Developing States, specifically mentioning Jamaica, Barbados, and Saint Lucia, due to similar challenges with high electricity costs and fossil-fuel dependence.

APA

RMI (2026). Redefining Rooftop Solar Through Community Action. https://rmi.org/resources/redefining-rooftop-solar-through-community-action/

Chicago

RMI. Redefining Rooftop Solar Through Community Action. 2026. https://rmi.org/resources/redefining-rooftop-solar-through-community-action/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Redefining Rooftop Solar Through Community Action |date=12 March 2026 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/redefining-rooftop-solar-through-community-action/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2026redefining, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Redefining Rooftop Solar Through Community Action}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2026}, month = mar, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/redefining-rooftop-solar-through-community-action/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }