North Carolina's Solar for All initiative receives $156 million grant from EPA

Gov. Roy Cooper announced new funding for communities across the state to get access to solar energy.

EnergizeNC, the state's Solar for All coalition, has been awarded a $156 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) grant program. This funding aims to empower households across the state, particularly in low-income and disadvantaged communities, to leverage the benefits of solar energy, the cheapest method of energy generation.

On Monday, President Joe Biden announced $7 billion in national grant funding for the Environmental Protection Agency's Solar for All program, which will create 200,000 jobs and save households in the program about $400 a year, according to the White House.

"North Carolina continues to lead the way toward a clean energy future, and we are grateful to be selected by the EPA for this groundbreaking grant program," Cooper stated. "This funding will help cut energy costs and help families across North Carolina live cleaner and healthier lives."

The EnergizeNC coalition, spearheaded by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s State Energy Office, in collaboration with Advanced Energy, the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center, and the North Carolina Clean Energy Fund, is poised to make substantial strides in promoting solar energy accessibility. The coalition's proposal focuses on deploying rooftop solar on low-income homes to generate savings for North Carolinians.

Cooper and North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) Secretary Reid Wilson celebrated Earth Day by visiting the Blue Ridge Parkway in Buncombe County. The Parkway has an economic impact of $1.3 billion on local economies.

In February, Cooper signed an order setting statewide goals to conserve one million acres of forests and wetlands, restore one million acres of forests and wetlands, and plant one million urban trees.

“North Carolina’s public lands, including our incredible state and national parks, are worth celebrating today and every day,” said Secretary Wilson. “This Earth Day, we honor our state’s commitment to environmental protection under the leadership of Governor Cooper with the help of our strong conservation community.”