The National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP) is a coalition of community solar stakeholders working to expand access to affordable community solar to every U.S. household and enable communities to realize meaningful benefits, such as reduced energy burden, increased resilience, and workforce development. Learn more about NCSP.
Why Community Solar?
Community solar is a form of solar energy generation that allows community members of all types to access meaningful benefits of renewable energy, including reduced energy costs, improved environmental quality, and increased resilience.
Community solar programs make solar more accessible to all Americans, particularly to those with low-to-moderate incomes, renters, and other community members for whom traditional rooftop solar is unavailable. Rather than putting solar on their own home or building, community solar allows energy users to subscribe to a shared system of solar panels, often located within their community.
Community Solar and the Justice40 Initiative
The National Community Solar Partnership works closely with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Economic Impact and Diversity to align efforts on creating equitable access to community solar. The Energy Department is working to meet the goals established in the Justice40 Initiative, which requires that 40% of overall benefits of certain Federal investments—including investments in clean energy and energy efficiency—flow to disadvantaged communities. We will build on the important partnerships our program offices have with community stakeholders, Tribal nations, and communities of color, as well as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and minority serving institutions. We will also amplify our commitments to research, development, and deployment in communities thus far left behind in the energy transition. Justice40 will require that we double down on our existing commitments to equity and racial justice. It will also challenge us to do more, to go further, and to seek out new opportunities for collaboration, engagement, and innovation.
Join Us
The National Community Solar Partnership is an active group of community members, developers, utilities, financial institutions, and governments dedicated to increasing access to community solar for all Americans. Partners receive access to technical assistance, resources, training, events, and a platform for connecting with other collaborative partners. Register on our Mobilize website to join the partnership today!
Partnership Updates
Check out these useful links that can help you develop a community solar project in your community.