Solar Energy is one of the fastest growing energy resources in the country, accounting for nearly two-thirds of new electric generating capacity in the third quarter of 2024. The rapidly falling price of solar resources has helped accelerate private investments and reduce energy costs for households and businesses. Furthermore, as of mid-2023 electric generation from solar energy employed more Americans than any other resource.

Solar can also be applied in many ways on different scales: on-roof residential, shared community solar, commercial or industrial applications, or large utility-scale projects.

The NASEO Solar Working Group serves as a collaborative forum for State and Territory Energy Offices to exchange ideas and learn from experts as they design and implement statewide low-income solar and storage initiatives. The Working Group is open to all State and Territory Energy Office directors and staff and convenes virtually each month, providing a platform to discuss program design considerations, share updates on state initiatives and challenges, and identify potential solutions tailored to the specific needs and priorities of State Energy Offices.

To join or to learn more about the Solar Working Group, please reach out to Sandy Fazeli (sfazeli@naseo.org), Grace Lowe (glowe@naseo.org), or Arvand Golbazi (agolbazi@naseo.org).

State Program Materials
Meetings
  • ** Solar Working Group meetings are exclusive to State and Territory Energy Offices Only **
  • Upcoming Meetings can be found on the NASEO events page. 
Affiliate Members

  • While Solar Working Group calls are exclusively for State and Territory Energy Offices, we encourage any interested NASEO Affiliate Members to reach out to NASEO staff with questions or ideas and share relevant resources.  If future Working Group calls plan to be open to Affiliate Members, we will be sure to denote this in the event description.

Leadership Team
  • Molly Cripps, Tennessee
  • Geoff Bristow, Pennsylvania
  • Joshua Elliot, New Hampshire
  • Nora Hawkins, Washington
  • Ethan Tremblay, Maine
  • Sarah Messbauer, West Virginia
  • Trevor Leuzinger, New Mexico
  • Ida Mae Isaac, Colorado
  • Callie Houghland, Virginia
  • Alexa Voytek, Tennessee
  • Nola Hastings, Tennessee
  • Audrey Jackson, Tennessee

Community solar holds promise as a means of delivering affordable energy to communities around the country. These projects allow residential customers to pool resources and buy stakes in larger projects, achieving price reductions through economies of scale, and providing energy independence and local energy options to consumers without land to host their own generation.

While 40 states have at least one community solar project, these often serve wealthier customers. To address this market gap, several states have taken steps to ensure that low-income communities can access community solar developments.

To support states in expanding solar options and improving energy affordability for local communities, NASEO partnered with the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) and three State LIHEAP Office and State Energy Office cohorts in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the District of Columbia through the Inclusive Shared Solar Initiative (ISSI). Through ISSI, NASEO and NEADA facilitated regular peer exchange meetings, provided technical assistance, and supported the state partners as they developed community solar pilot projects and pioneered innovative approaches to customer enrollment, consumer protections, and inter-agency coordination.

Resources: 

NASEO is a partner of SolSmart, a national program that helps local governments and regional organizations streamline access to local energy options. SolSmart provides no-cost technical assistance to help jurisdictions increase their knowledge, meet community challenges, and achieve local energy goals. Since 2016, hundreds of local governments across the country have achieved SolSmart designation for meeting national best practices to grow local solar energy markets.

SolSmart is led by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). It is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. NASEO encourages State Energy Offices to help amplify SolSmart  resources to cities and counties interested in SolSmart designation and explore ways to integrate SolSmart into their programs.