Community Solar Access for Low and Moderate-Income Utility Customers in the Southeast

Community Solar Access for Low and Moderate-Income Utility Customers in the Southeast David Sarkisian Senior Project Manager North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center

About the NC Clean Energy Technology Center UNC System-chartered Public Service Center administered by the College of Engineering at North Carolina State University Mission is to advance a sustainable energy economy by educating, demonstrating and providing support for clean energy technologies practices, and policies Objective research, analysis, & technical assistance Manages the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE www.dsireusa.org)

NCCETCs Work with Community Solar Community Solar for the Southeast Fayetteville PWC Economic Model Solar-Plus for Electric Cooperatives Community Solar Access for Low and Moderate- Income Utility Customers CARES Act ARPA

Community Solar in the Southeast Few states have community solar enabling legislation or state- mandated utility programs Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Louisiana Electric rates are generally low and policy support for solar incentives is limited Large community solar programs operated by investor-owned utilities in Florida Many cooperative and some municipal utilities offer community solar programs across the region

Approaches for Increasing Community Solar Benefits for Low- Income Subscribers Incorporation of Battery Storage and Resilience Benefits Battery storage can provide additional value streams that may improve the overall economics of a community solar project. Peak Shaving Distribution Deferral Resilience Benefits Ancillary Services Use case for battery storage can be dependent on wholesale contract structure and rates NCCETC and SPECS models

Approaches for Increasing Community Solar Benefits for Low- Income Subscribers Repowering and Scaling In some cases, replacement of older solar installations with newer panels can improve project economics Larger solar installations are generally more cost-effective due to economies of scale. For smaller utilities, the feasibility of large-scale solar installations can be limited by wholesale contract rules and availability of load.

Approaches for Increasing Community Solar Benefits for Low- Income Subscribers Combining with Other Energy Programs Credits from community solar programs can be used to provide cost- effective energy improvements Example: Roanoke Electric Cooperative s Upgrade to Save program

Approaches for Increasing Community Solar Benefits for Low- Income Subscribers Separate Rates Florida utilities offer guaranteed savings rates for lower-income participants Credits (and charges) based on kW rather than kWh May not be allowed for many utilities due to cross-subsidization issues

Approaches for Increasing Community Solar Benefits for Low- Income Subscribers Government and Philanthropic Funding Funding from government and philanthropic sources can be used to enhance the benefits of community solar for lower-income subscribers NC Weatherization, CARES Act, and ARPA funding Roanoke Electric Cooperative philanthropic support for community solar program

Approaches for Increasing Community Solar Benefits for Low- Income Subscribers Opt-Out Program Utilities in New York have begun exploring opt-out community solar program models for lower-income customers Eligible customers are automatically enrolled in the programs and receive bill credits without needing to subscribe Can reduce barriers to entry Important to ensure that participants receive net savings

Thank You! Please send questions to my email at dpsarkis@ncsu.edu