DCSEU is partnering with DOEE to facilitate solar PV system installations and to develop community solar projects; These efforts are expected to lower energy bills for hundreds of income-qualified DC residents
(DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA) May 22, 2019 – Today, in partnership with the District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) announced plans to work with eight contractors to bring over 7 megawatts of solar to income-qualified DC residents through the Solar for All program this year.
The DCSEU has selected the following contractors to install solar PV systems on approximately 130 income-qualified single-family homes total in the District:
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The DCSEU has chosen the following developers to build community solar installations, which will give over 1,000 income-qualified DC families a credit off their monthly energy bills:
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Participating households will see cost savings of at least 50% on their utility bills. This means an anticipated savings of roughly $500 per year.
“Bringing solar to DC families at no cost will put funds back in their pockets for other necessities like food, medications, school supplies, or transportation,” said Ted Trabue, Director of the DCSEU. “It will also reduce harmful emissions which results in cleaner air for our communities.”
The Solar for All program is unique in that it serves both moderate and low-income District residents. Residents are eligible to participate in the program if their total household income is below 80% of the area median income (AMI) threshold. For example, a family of four would be eligible if their total household income is $93,750 or below.
“We’re thrilled to work with DCSEU to implement Solar for All, as we work to achieve Mayor Bowser’s ambitious commitment to becoming a carbon-neutral and climate resilient city by the year 2050,” said DOEE Director Tommy Wells. “Through this effort, the DCSEU and its contractors will help build the solar capacity necessary to reach these goals, retaining the District’s stance as the clean energy capital of the United States.”
This announcement kicks off a new round of Solar for All initiatives with over $25 million in incentive funding available over three years, subject to availability of funds. The DCSEU’s work on the Solar for All program is expected to benefit over 7,000 income-qualified District households and spur green jobs in DC by helping grow the local solar industry. With the recent passage of the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act, this program will help the District meet its clean energy goals of 100% renewable electricity by 2032 and reduce overall carbon emissions in the District.
While some contracts are still being finalized, work will begin immediately. Solar systems must be installed by September 30, 2019.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Karen Blyton
CELL: 202-878-2998
EMAIL: [email protected]
About the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU)
The District of Columbia Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) helps District residents and businesses use less energy and save money. Since 2011, as a contractor to the District Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE), the DCSEU has delivered financial incentives, technical assistance, and information to tens of thousands of District residents and businesses, helping them to save millions of dollars on their energy costs. Our work is building a brighter economic, environmental, and energy future for the District. For more information, visit www.dcseu.com.
About the Solar for All Program
Solar for All, a program of the District of Columbia’s Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), was established by the Renewable Portfolio Standard Expansion Amendment Act of 2016 (The Act). The Act intends to expand DC’s solar capacity, to increase the amount of solar generated within the District, and to provide the benefits of locally-generated solar energy to low-income households, small businesses, nonprofits, and seniors. Funded by the Renewable Energy Development Fund (REDF) and administered by DOEE, Solar for All’s specific targets are to provide the benefits of solar electricity to 100,000 lowincome households (at or below 80% Area Median Income), and to reduce their energy bills by 50% (based on the 2016 residential rate class average) by 2032. For more information about Solar for All, visit http://doee.dc.gov/solarforall.