EPA opens $7B Solar for All competition
Eligible applicants: states, territories, tribal entities, local authorities, nonprofits. Applications are due September 26, 2023
Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity
Opportunity: SOLAR FOR ALL
Overview and Eligible Uses: EPA is launching the Solar for All competition, part of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) authorized by President Biden's IRA. Solar for All aims to deploy residential distributed solar energy to lower energy bills and promote clean energy access in low-income and disadvantaged communities. The competition addresses both financial and non-financial barriers hindering these communities from benefiting from the growth of distributed solar capacity. Solar for All is aligned with the three main objectives of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) program:
Objective 1: Reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Solar for All will deploy residential-serving solar, storage, and upgrades nationwide to reduce emissions and support the U.S. goal of achieving a carbon pollution-free electricity sector by 2035.
Objective 2: Provide benefits to American communities, particularly low-income and disadvantaged ones. The program aims to deliver meaningful benefits like household savings, quality jobs, and community ownership to these communities. It prioritizes serving a diverse range of households, including rural, urban, suburban, energy communities, and persistent poverty counties.
Objective 3: Mobilize financing and private capital for greenhouse gas- and air pollution-reducing projects. Solar for All seeks to address barriers and stimulate additional investment in clean technology projects. By providing access to low-cost capital and project-deployment services such as outreach and workforce development, the program aims to create favorable market conditions for the deployment of residential distributed solar in low-income and disadvantaged communities across the country.
Amount: A total of $7B are available. EPA plans to award up to 60 grants through this competition: (1) Up to 56 awards for each eligible state/territory (2) Up to 5 awards for American Indian and Alaska Native Communities (3) Up to 10 awards for similar communities across multiple states.
Award Type: Discretionary grant
Eligible Applicants: States, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible nonprofit recipients
Key Dates: Applications are due September 26, 2023
To participate in the Solar for All competition, applicants must submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) due on:
July 31, 2023 for states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
August 14, 2023 for territories (Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), municipalities and eligible nonprofits
August 28, 2023 for Tribal governments and Intertribal Consortia
Key Links:
For a full list of currently available grant programs under the Infrastructure Law and other helpful tools, take a look at our Helpful Resources page.
This tracker will continue to send updates when new funding opportunities are announced.