Landing Page AboutNRECA’s project, Achieving Cooperative Community Equitable Solar Sources (ACCESS), researched how to make solar energy affordable for communities with fewer financial resources and extend the benefits of solar development to low-and moderate-income (LMI) consumers. The project explored the use of innovative, cost-effective energy access programs to serve co-ops’ consumer members in need, particularly the LMI communities. [section separator="true"][section-item 12][row color-transparency="0"][column 12][well color="secondary"]Key Tools and Resources ACCESS Introduction and Gap Analysis Quick Start Guide for LMI Community Solar Programs PNNL Report on the Valuation of DER Resources to Demonstrate the Range of Potential Benefits A Generalized Business Case Pricing Tool for LMI Community Solar ProgramsCommunity Outreach and Marketing Guidance for LMI Community Solar ProgramsFINANCING EXPLORATION AND EVALUATIONACCESS Report Series: Evaluation of Existing Financing Mechanisms & Program Designs for Low to Moderate Income Solar PV ProgramsAdvisory: ACCESS Project Explores Use of Federal Assistance Funds to Provide Affordable Solar Energy for Low-Income Households (Updated December 2023)PAIRING PV WITH BATTERIESAdvisory: NRECA and PNNL Research Additional Benefits from Solar PV and Energy StorageAdvisory: NRECA and PNNL Provide Guidance on Leveraging Battery Performance Testing for Improved Financial Calculations CASE STUDIES Anza Electric CooperativeShifting peak demand with solar energy to assist Native American economic development (Updated December 2023)Kit Carson Electric CooperativeProviding Native American Energy Independence Through Solar Expansion (New Case Study - December 2023) Oklahoma Electric CooperativeSharing Sunbeams: Supporting Local Education and Local Energy (Updated December 2023) Orcas Power & Light Cooperative Using Solar Energy and Hybrid Battery Technology to Address Grid Resiliency and Energy Affordability on a Remote Island Archipelago (Updated December 2023)Roanoke Electric CooperativeLeveraging land ownership retention for economic empowerment through solar energy and community development (Updated December 2023)[/well] [/column] [/row] [/section-item] [/section]
Top Content[section separator="true"][section-item 12][row][column 8] Exploring a combination of financial models and program designs ACCESS researched three (3) financing mechanisms and six (6) program designs, including engagement strategies, to identify effective solutions for small utilities in achieving solar program participation by LMI consumers. The solutions explored included various sized solar applications, integration with technologies such as battery storage and energy efficiency, and philanthropic partnerships. [/column] [column 4][panel panel-style="default" color="highlight" color-transparency="0.8"]ACCESS is the flagship project from NRECA’s Advancing Energy Access for All initiative, which spotlights co-ops’ involvement in facilitating healthy communities, explores the innovative ways they do it, and uncovers new directions community assistance programs are taking. [/panel] [/column] [/row] [/section-item] [/section] [section][section-item][row][column 12] Field Testing This research incorporated analysis and evaluation from field tests (individual solar projects) sited at diverse co-ops that provide the basis for replication among the broader co-op community. [/column] [/row] [/section-item] [/section] [section][section-item][row][column 12] Project Goals and Deliverables Through ACCESS, NRECA worked with a broad group of industry stakeholders to identify and share information about effective options for providing solar access to consumers, particularly those within LMI communities. Tools and resources developed are made available to electric co-ops as well as to the broader utility industry to further the benefits to LMI consumers. [/column] [/row] [/section-item] [/section]
Landing Page MiddleNRECA led a dedicated team of experts focused on this effort, including:Two financial institutions serving rural America: CFC: National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation CoBankA non-profit focused on making clean, affordable solar power accessible to low-income communities: GRID AlternativesOne of the United States Department of Energy national laboratories, managed by the Department of Energy's Office of Science: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)ParticipantsTo promote wide industry involvement, this project involved three valuable groups of participants: Leader Co-ops, Affiliate Co-ops, and Stakeholders:[accordions no-divider="true"][accordion title="Leader%20Co-ops"]To provide robust research opportunity with real-world solar projects, select co-ops participated as “Leader Co-ops” of this initiative. These co-ops have solar deployment plans or recent project implementation that focus benefits for communities of LMI members, using different forms of the financing mechanisms and solar program designs. Through these co-ops’ experiences and insights, ACCESS was better able to determine effective approaches to advancing solar access for all. ACCESS Leader Participants included: Anza Electric Cooperative (CA)BARC Electric (VA)Kit Carson (NM)Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (OK)Orcas Power & Light (WA)Ouachita Electric Cooperative (AR)Roanoke Electric Cooperative (NC)[/accordion] [accordion title="Affiliate%20Co-ops"]Recognizing that many NRECA co-op members are interested in determining ways to make solar more accessible within their communities, we invited additional co-ops to participate as Affiliate Co-ops. These participants were informed of the progress of ACCESS and provided their feedback and insights to add further value to the research. [/accordion] [accordion title="Stakeholders"]Those with involvement and interest in solar advancement within the electric industry is far-reaching, from consumers to vendors to public interest organizations and many others. Including the diverse perspectives of this network was essential to ensuring we arrived at effective and beneficial tools and resources for equitable solar access for harder to reach communities. The list is available here. [/accordion] [/accordions] [panel panel-style="default" color="highlight" color-transparency="0.8"]Cooperatives who are interested in sharing their insights on their community solar projects or on the ACCESS project are invited to contact our team at: SolarAccessProject@nreca.coop. [/panel]
Contacts DescriptionSolarAccessProject@nreca.coopLisa Slaughter, ACCESS Project Manager, Research Engineer - Software: Lisa.Slaughter@nreca.coopRajeena Shakya, Program Manager, Community Energy Programs: Rajeena.Shakya@nreca.coop
