Free solar panel planned for residents and businesses in Washington, DC, Pv Magazine, USA

May 20, 2022Anne Fisher

Electriq Power, Inc. provider of intelligent and integrated energy storage solutions, announces partnership with SEDC Solarwhich aims to provide complete solar and battery systems for homeowners, churches and low- and middle-income businesses (LMIs) in the Washington subway area.

The program will provide rooftop solar panels, battery installation, and ongoing repairs and maintenance for 20 years for free for the home or business owner. Funded by tax breaks for local and federal governments, the program will help reduce utility costs and provide a reliable backup power supply to some of Washington’s most economically difficult areas, as well as other areas of the National Capital Region.

“We are proud to continue our efforts to expand access to reliable and affordable clean energy in settlements affected by climate change,” said Michelle Tikhomi, Electriq Power’s Chief Revenue Officer. “We are happy to have found a partner at SEDC Solar who believes that the benefits of energy storage and renewable energy production should be available to all, regardless of economic status.”

Electriq is no stranger to such a program. The company is currently collaborating on a similar program with the city of Parle, California, a rural farming community in the Central Valley of the state. Both programs aim to expand access to renewable energy, where home solar and storage are generally not economically affordable. The definitions of LMI households vary, but in the United States are generally considered to be those who earn less than 80% of the average income in the area. For example, in San Francisco County, California, a family would have to earn less than $ 95,310 to qualify

Benefits extend to the local community: job creation and training in technical installation and repair, as well as roles in sales and marketing. For example, for every 50 homes or 12 churches, the program hires and trains one staff member to ensure the effectiveness, quality of the system, and expand program coverage in local communities.

Another potential effect of such programs is proliferation, which, as several studies have shown, occurs when a neighbor sees that a neighbor has installed a solar panel and they are interested and “prepared” to adopt solar energy themselves. This seems to be true for both LMI households and others, according to a recent study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

“SEDC Solar is a tool for people to do good and good at the same time,” says Thomas Jones, manager of SEDC Solar. “There is a real opportunity to provide equitable solutions for communities in the DC area, and we are proud to call Electriq Power a partner in this.”

SEDC Solar is an Opportunity Zone Business company based in Washington, DC, whose mission is to supply solar energy, create jobs and enrich the communities they serve. Their initial focus in Washington is in Chambers 8, 7 and 4, which provide free solar panels and storage for homes, businesses and churches. SEDC Solar receives funding from the NetZero Opportunity Zone Fund.