Arizona selected as awardee in Biden-Harris Administration's unprecedented $7 billion
Solar for All Grant Competition to fund residential solar programs that lower energy
costs for families and advance environmental justice.
TUCSON, AZ – April 22, 2024 – The Governor’s Office of Resiliency and Groundswell Capital, Arizona’s first green bank, secured a $156 million Solar for All award. This significant investment aims to revolutionize Arizona’s solar industry by reducing energy costs for low-income families, expanding workforce development, and making substantial investments in rural and tribal communities.
In June 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled a $7 billion grant competition under the Inflation Reduction Act’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, designed to help achieve the President's goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.
Solar for All aims to improve access to affordable, sustainable, and clean solar energy for millions of low-income families nationwide. It also focuses on creating quality jobs in underserved communities, advancing environmental justice, and tackling the climate crisis head-on.
Arizona's initiative, Solar for All Arizonans, includes several significant financial commitments to enhance solar access across the state. The Arizona Resilience Fund will provide grants and low-interest loans for residential solar installations. Additionally, the program allocates solar energy benefits to low-income and historically underserved communities through bill credits. It also dedicates funding to a rural Resilience Pilot to support solar projects in rural and tribal areas, and channels funding into workforce development by partnering with entrepreneurial support organizations and community colleges.
Over five years, Solar for All Arizonans is set to provide solar energy to over 10,000 households, save nearly $165 million of dollars on energy bills for low-income families, deliver substantial grants to Low Income/Disadvantaged Communities (LIDAC), generate millions in capital mobilization, and establish a Revolving Loan Fund.
The initiative is projected to cut 316,000 pounds of PM 2.5, 1.8 million pounds of NOX, and nearly 1,000,000 pounds of SO2 emissions, significantly improving air quality and public health across Arizona. The AVERT tool estimates that Solar for All Arizonans will prevent 2.4 million tons of CO2 emissions.
Solar For All Arizonans not only addresses the challenges of the solar industry, but also builds a reliable solar lending ecosystem, certifies skilled solar technicians, and creates substantial job opportunities through education and training investments.
Looking ahead, Groundswell Capital will collaborate closely with the Governor’s Office of Resilience to design and develop this program. Plans include a major Solar Industry event in Arizona to bring together energy stakeholders and climate leaders from across the nation.
“We believe that in the sunniest state in the union, clean energy should be both abundant and affordable for Arizona families,” said Groundswell Capital President Dre Thompson. “Through this project we will be able to help families lower their monthly expenses while supporting a smooth transition to more sustainable resource management for our state. We are excited to collaborate with communities, nonprofits, utilities, and policymakers to implement this historic program in partnership with the Governor's Office of Resiliency.”
"As Arizona's Green Bank, our steadfast commitment is to dismantle barriers for underrepresented communities, promote sustainability, and drive investments in workforce development,” added Thompson. “With this award, the EPA has entrusted Groundswell Capital and the state of Arizona with accomplishing these objectives. Arizona is now poised to lead advancements in clean energy production and equitable sustainability practices, an opportunity we embrace with gratitude and readiness.”
The Solar for All Arizonans will commence with a year-long planning year, but will result in inviting cities, counties, tribes, nonprofits, and other organizations to respond to Request for Proposals to access the funding. The City of Tucson is planning to submit for funding, when the proposals are available.
“Investing in solar energy and our green future is important and has long been a priority of mine. We are grateful to Governor Hobbs and CEO Dre Thompson for their leadership in bringing this investment. Making solar energy as equitable and accessible as possible to those most impacted by climate change is one of the ways we are taking bold action as one of the most heat resilient cities in the Southwest,” said City of Tucson Mayor Regina Romero.
About Groundswell Capital
Groundswell Capital's mission is to empower communities through innovative financial solutions that advance equity, sustainability, and innovation. We remove barriers for underrepresented communities, promote sustainability, and drive investments in workforce development and technology. As an Arizona-based nonprofit and Arizona’s first green bank, we provide patient capital, leveraging innovation to catalyze positive change and build thriving communities.
Learn more about Groundswell Capital at https://www.groundswellcapital.org or email nic@tucsonida.org
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