Solstice Begins Enrollment on Reactivate’s Illinois Solar For All Community Solar Projects
Solstice begins enrollment on Reactivate’s Illinois Solar for All community solar projects
Income-qualified Illinois residents can receive more than double the typical utility savings rate available from other community solar offers, plus enrollment bonuses, all while supporting renewable energy in Illinois
CHICAGO, Ill. – February 8, 2023 – Solstice Power Technologies (Solstice), a mission-driven service provider specialized in customer management services for community solar development, has officially begun subscriber enrollment on three low-to-moderate-income (LMI) focused projects developed by Reactivate, a joint venture powered by Invenergy and Lafayette Square. These projects provide impactful benefits to income-qualified and energy transition communities and will deliver enough renewable energy to power an estimated 1,200 homes, providing customers a total projected utility bill savings of $12 million over 20 years.
This program is specifically for income-eligible Illinois residents. To qualify, a household must verify as 80%or less of the Area Median Income (AMI). The AMI varies by household size and geography. Prospective enrollees can check if their household meets the AMI qualifications on Solstice’s website through the “See If You Qualify” prequalification form.
Distributed solar energy and storage development has increased dramatically in the U.S., protecting many homeowners from rising utility rates, and that growth is expected to continue in the coming years. However, 77% of Americans are still unable to participate in rooftop solar. This includes renters and households who may not qualify due to credit scores, incomes below minimum thresholds, unsuitable rooftops, or inadequate sun exposure. Community solar bridges that gap, providing the opportunity for more households to access local renewable energy with monthly savings on their electricity bill.
Solstice and Reactivate are among the first to be working within the statewide program Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) to spread the benefits of low-cost, renewable energy to income-eligible Illinois residents, with Solstice managing the subscriptions of the large majority of projects underway. The subscription offering from Solstice and Reactivate will provide income-eligible residents with one of the deepest community solar discounts available as well as an enrollment bonus from Solstice. Income-eligible Solstice subscribers will benefit from monthly savings of up to 50% off the supply portion of their electric bill and enjoy supporting renewable energy produced locally.
“During this time of high inflation and high energy costs, the existing disparity in energy burden to low-to-moderate income households has only increased. By working with Solstice we will provide economic relief to Illinois households, which include some families deciding between the expense of their utility bill and feeding their family,” said Jordan Leventhal, SVP, Product of Reactivate. “The cost savings from subscribing to our projects could be a lifeline for those families.”
“Our grassroots organization partners relay countless accounts of how high electricity costs burden their under-resourced communities. Participating in the Illinois Solar for All program lets us revise that narrative and bring equity to the forefront of our work, and we’re honored to partner with Reactivate in getting these savings into deserving hands,” said Sarah Gyurina, Partnerships Development Associate from Solstice.
Solstice was founded on the belief that every household can be powered by affordable renewable energy and has partnered with developers across the country on many of the very first community solar projects serving low-income Americans. On their mission to build a future in which clean energy works for everyone, regardless of income or credit score, they have generated over $1M in electricity savings by connecting households to community solar and have shared over $250k in revenue to local organizations and ambassadors who help spread the word and enable greater energy equity.
Information for Project Subscribers
Solstice and Reactivate are dedicated not only to bringing more low-to moderate income residents access to renewable energy through the ILSFA program, but to the betterment of communities through local partnerships and enrollment incentives.
Once a potential enrollee verifies their income, Solstice and ILSFA will validate the information provided. If an address is not in a qualified census tract, prospective enrollees may show another form of documentation to prequalify, such as participation in SNAP, LIHEAP, IHWAP, Medicaid, HUD Project-Based Vouchers, HUD Project-Based Rental Assistance, Income Eligible Multifamily Energy Efficiency, Illinois Affordable Housing Act, or other Tax-Subsidized multifamily programs.
To learn more about the ILSFA program and pre-qualification information, visit the Solstice guide to Illinois Solar for All.
The Cool Cities Committee was a key advocate for local renewable energy projects and is a local Solstice enrollment partner. “As a member of the Cool Cities Committee and a long-time Granite City, Ill., council member, I strongly urge everyone to check out the Illinois Solar for All community solar program offered through Solstice,” said Granite City Councilmember Dan McDowell. “It is pretty easy to see if you qualify so you can save money and do a good thing all at the same time. With electric bills going up, this program can be a big help. It’s a win-win for Illinois homeowners and renters too.”
In addition to financial benefits for LMI and energy transition ratepayers, the Reactivate projects will make important environmental contributions to the State of Illinois’ energy transition and climate priorities. Combined, the three community solar projects in development by Reactivate will generate nearly 13 million kWh of electricity per year, helping the State of Illinois avoid 10,000 tons of CO2 emissions, which is the equivalent of 10 million pounds of coal burned. Reactivate’s projects will bring other local economic boosts as well: increasing local tax revenue, supporting landowners, bringing workforce training opportunities, contracting with minority and women-owned business enterprises, and creating jobs with family-sustaining wages to historically disadvantaged communities across Illinois.
About Solstice Power Technologies
Solstice Power Technologies is a leading U.S. customer acquisition and management service provider in community solar. Originally based in Cambridge, MA, Solstice was founded in 2016 by women of color co-founders who believe every community can be powered by renewable energy. Solstice is dedicated to bringing affordable solar power to the 77% of American households that cannot support a rooftop system. Community solar offers a solution, enabling residents to support local clean energy at no upfront cost and save money on their electric bill every year. Solstice offers customer solutions for the community solar industry ‒ enrolling households and local organizations in shared projects, creating financing innovations that expand access to underserved communities (the EnergyScore), and providing a frictionless subscriber management software platform for projects. For more information, visit https://solstice.us.
About Reactivate
Reactivate, a JV powered by Lafayette Square and Invenergy, is a renewable energy company that develops, owns, and operates renewable energy projects to improve the lives of people in low-to-moderate income and energy transition communities across the country. Reactivate’s primary focus areas are community solar, small-scale utility, and next generation projects. Reactivate seeks to create positive social and environmental impact in underserved communities by delivering renewable energy, environmental benefits, job opportunities, energy cost savings and opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses.
Learn more about Reactivate by visiting www.reactivate.com.
Media Contacts
Mary Jackson
Solstice Power Technologies, Inc.
press@solstice.us
Jeannette Torres
Reactivate
press@reactivate.com