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The document details three community solar initiatives in Colorado, Iowa, and Minnesota. Grand Valley Power Cooperative developed a self-funded 17 kW array and a 24 kW low-income project with Grid Alternatives. Cedar Falls Utilities launched a 1.5 MW 'Simple Solar' program using a power purchasing agreement. Lake Region Electric Cooperative built a 25 kW array. All three utilized on-bill financing—adding lease payments to monthly utility bills—to remove upfront cost barriers, often substituting credit checks with utility payment history to expand eligibility.

The 'Switch It Up!' program, launched in April 2019 by the Orcas Power and Light Cooperative (OPALCO), provides debt-free, on-bill financing for residential and commercial members to replace fossil-fuel equipment with electric alternatives. Funded initially by a $5.8 million USDA Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) loan and later supplemented by an additional $15 million, the program covers air-source heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and EV charging stations, with borrowing limits up to $36,000. Repayments are tied to the electric meter over up to 10 years at a 2% interest rate, removing barriers for low- and moderate-income households. In its first year, the program completed 96 projects totaling over $800,000, with plans to expand into rooftop solar, battery storage, and community solar projects.

The report investigates 'beneficial electrification'—the replacement of fossil-fuel end-use equipment with electric alternatives to reduce carbon emissions and costs—within Midwest rural electric cooperatives. While 88% of these co-ops offer energy upgrade or loan programs, the research found no 'fully beneficial electrification program' in the Midwest that combines conversion incentives, a net carbon reduction goal, verification processes, and energy audits. The document highlights the potential of cold climate air-source heat pumps (ccHP) and heat pump water heaters to provide grid flexibility and member savings. It emphasizes 'equitable beneficial electrification' (EBE), advocating for inclusive on-bill financing that removes credit score barriers and attaches loans to the meter to support low-income members and renters. Case studies from cooperatives in Washington, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Minnesota illustrate various models of on-bill tariffs and community solar projects used to reduce energy burdens.

The Latino Climate Justice Framework (LCJF) argues that systemic racism and economic inequity have placed Latino/a/x communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis, necessitating targeted policy solutions. It outlines a three-part strategy focusing on energy and economic justice, protecting vulnerable populations from climate disasters, and ensuring equitable representation and access to government services. Key priorities include transitioning to community-based renewable energy, protecting farmworkers from extreme heat, remediating abandoned oil wells, and addressing the unique vulnerabilities of Puerto Rico.

The document outlines four types of solar metering arrangements designed to overcome the limitations of the traditional "one customer, one meter" model. Net metering provides benefits to a single customer via one meter. Virtual net metering (VNM) allows multiple customers with separate meters to share credits from a system, often in multi-tenant or municipal buildings, and is permitted in states including California, Colorado, and Massachusetts. Community solar enables joint ownership or sponsorship of systems for those unable to host arrays on-site, utilizing models such as utility-sponsored, special purpose entity, or non-profit "buy a brick" projects. Meter aggregation allows a single customer with multiple utility accounts to aggregate annual consumption across separate buildings, enabling the installation of larger systems and higher power sales back to the grid.