How the Just Solar Coalition Promotes Equity in the New Clean Energy Economy
We are in an energy revolution! We don’t have to rely on profit-driven monopolies for our energy needs. Communities can create our own energy in ways that benefit (rather than harm) us. This means some pretty exciting and dramatic shifts from how we’re used to thinking about energy. The Just Solar Coalition seeks to build an equitable clean energy economy built around our following values and goals:
Our Values & Goals
Our work is guided by a values statement that underscores our commitment to full access to clean energy and to providing job training in the solar industry to local, low-income residents. We commit to:
Promote access to clean energy for all income levels, regardless of income or credit score
Create opportunities for local solar jobs and eliminate racial disparities
Respect the natural environment, recognizing that humans are part of it
Tell a new story about how energy is generated and who owns it
Equity Principle
Promote access to clean energy for all income levels, regardless of income or credit score
Create opportunities for local solar jobs and eliminate racial disparities in the solar economy
Respect the natural environment, recognizing that humans are part of it
Tell a new story about how energy is generated and who owns it
What this looks like
What we’re doing
Energy is affordable to everyone.
Energy assistance and incentives are universally accessible.
Renewable energy, and its benefits, are universally accessible.
Our members are fighting for affordable energy prices by pushing for a diversity of energy producers to keep prices competitive and lower than monopoly prices. Building on our successful intervention to fight Xcel Energy’s proposed rate hike of 21% that would enrich shareholder profits and pay for grid improvements that don’t equitably serve communities, we intervene in regulatory proceedings to ensure the community's voices are heard and benefits are distributed equitably.
Our members are fighting for universal access to energy assistance and incentives by working for energy efficiency and bill-pay assistance programs that don’t require credit checks, immigration documentation, upfront cash, or a morass of income-testing paperwork.
Our members are working to expand the community solar garden program to improve compensation for projects serving residents, renters, and low-income families and reducing barriers to participation for renters or households transitioning between homes. We’re also working to eliminate credit and income checks in all solar programs, and make financing of renewable energy projects available to all through mechanisms like inclusive financing and our state’s new green bank.
Energy is produced locally.
Energy jobs and small business opportunities are plentiful and represent our state’s diversity, especially its race and class diversity.
Our members work to support local energy production and reduce or eliminate barriers put up by utilities for individual and community-based solar projects to connect to the grid. By building out localized clean energy systems, we won't need to rely on massive centralized electric grid upgrades or fossil fuel plants. By bringing energy production to the local level, the benefits—job creation, wealth-building—will be brought to communities.
Our members collaborate to promote and develop pathways for renewable energy businesses owned by Black, Indigenous, and people of color, create meaningful pathways for those already in the solar industry to progress towards racial justice and equity, and implement proven best practices and guidelines for employee recruitment, training, retention and satisfaction.
Energy production doesn’t require “sacrifice zones” where pollution is concentrated on specific neighborhoods or communities.
Our members are working to address pollution hot-spots by phasing out dirty energy sources in frontline communities first, advocating for earliest possible dates for shutting down coal plants, trash incinerators, and fracked gas plants.
Energy production builds generational wealth through cooperative, democratic ownership of energy resources, particularly for renters, communities of color and low income community members.
Energy decisions are made by community members using guidelines that center equity, building a sense of agency through democratic control of energy resources.
Our members are working to build community solar and rooftop solar projects that assist members of disadvantaged communities to become owners and co-owners of solar energy assets, allowing revenue to be returned to communities rather than turned into corporate profit. Through innovative financial models that eliminate up-front costs, credit and income checks, our members have developed solar projects that are accessible to everyone regardless of income, credit score, or whether they own or rent their property.
We’re working to support projects that engage community members in decision-making. Our coalition members include a cooperative developer whose member-owners elect the board of directors that runs the organization, allowing community member-owners to guide the direction and vision of the co-op. Our coalition members also include nonprofit developers who guide the development of solar projects based on input from community members and policy advocates who guide work with elected officials and energy decision-makers based on community input. This localized control and shared decision-making supports greater accountability to the community. (It’s harder to rip off your neighbors than strangers.)