Community Solar
Need: Louisiana’s energy burden disproportionately affects underserved communities, with low-income households spending over 5.5% of their income on electricity. High utility costs, compounded by inadequate access to renewable energy, exacerbate poverty and environmental inequities. Additionally, there is a gap in regional capacity to execute and manage community solar projects at scale.
What We Plan to Do: Community Power South (CPS) will provide the capacity to implement the Sisters of the Holy Family (SHF) Community Solar Project. Located on a 22-acre site in East New Orleans, this solar project will serve over 500 low-income households, reducing energy costs by 20% annually. Development and construction costs associated with this project (a total of $12 million) are fully funded through a mix of federal and local subsidies and philanthropic grants.
Beyond the grassroots partnership of SHF, the second black religious order founded in the United States, Together Louisiana mobilized a coalition of churches that changed utility policy in New Orleans to make community solar viable.
What is Community Solar? Community solar is a model of renewable energy that allows multiple households, businesses, or organizations to share the benefits of a single solar array. Participants subscribe to or purchase a portion of the energy generated by the shared solar farm and receive credits on their electricity bills, reducing their overall energy costs.
Why Community Solar is A Solution for Underserved Communities in New Orleans: The SHF community solar project will provide an inclusive, equitable approach to renewable energy access and directly address systemic inequities in five key ways:
Accessibility: Traditional rooftop solar is often out of reach for renters, low-income households, and individuals whose homes are unsuitable for solar installations. In New Orleans, nearly 55% of residents are renters, and over 27% of households are classified as low-income. Community solar allows these residents to subscribe to a portion of energy generated by a shared solar farm, eliminating these barriers.
Energy Cost Relief: With over 38,000 households in New Orleans on utility payment plans, community solar offers a consistent 20% reduction in electricity bills—a meaningful and ongoing solution to the city’s high energy burden.
Environmental Justice: Community solar projects reduce reliance on fossil fuels, addressing the disproportionate environmental and health impacts faced by underserved neighborhoods located near industrial facilities. In New Orleans East, for example, residents experience higher rates of respiratory illnesses and other health issues due to their proximity to heavy industry and petrochemical plants, compounding the need for clean energy solutions like community solar.
Economic Empowerment: By creating local green jobs and training opportunities in New Orleans, community solar strengthens economic resilience while enabling participants to actively engage in renewable energy solutions. Community Power South partners with IBEW and the Louisiana Green Corps.
Scalability and Replicability: Once established, this community solar project will be a model for other regions to adopt, fostering widespread access to clean energy across underserved communities.
Community solar aligns with the mission of environmental equity by providing long-term, sustainable benefits to communities historically excluded from renewable energy advancements.
