HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-03-2025 Utilities and Zoning & Annexation Joint Committee Meeting PresentationSouth Bend Solar Initiative
a subrecipient of the greenhouse gas reduction fund
competition solar for all
A Movement Strategy Center fiscally sponsored
501(c3) project
Presentation for
The City of South Bend Zoning Committee
By Denise Abdul-Rahman
BS, MBA, HCM, HIS
Founder and CEO
Lynn Benander-Cooperative Energy Expert
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
Program Objectives
The Inflation Reduction Act created a
first-of-its-kind, national-scale program: the
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund—a $27
billion investment to mobilize financing and
private capital to address the climate crisis,
ensure our country’s economic
competitiveness, and promote energy
independence while delivering lower energy
costs and economic revitalization to
communities that have historically been left
behind.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air
pollutants.
Deliver the benefits of greenhouse gas- and air
pollution-reducing projects to American
communities, particularly income eligible
Mobilize financing and private capital to stimulate
additional deployment of greenhouse gas and air
pollution reducing projects.
Three funding mechanisms via the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
National Clean Investment Fund
A competition providing grants to
national nonprofit clean financing
institutions.
Clean Communities Investment
Accelerator
A competition providing grants to
hub nonprofits that in turn, deliver
funding and technical assistance to
local community lenders.
Solar For All
The competition will expand the number of
income eligible communities primed for
residential solar investment.
SOLAR FOR ALL
Under the $7 billion Solar for All program, the 60 selected applicants will create new or expand existing
low-income solar programs, which will enable over 900,000 households in income eligible communities to benefit
from distributed solar energy.
Collectively, these programs will deliver on the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s objectives by reducing
greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollution, delivering cost savings on electric bills for overburdened
households, and unlocking new markets for distributed solar in 25 states and territories that have never had a
statewide eligible income solar program before.
Impact Assessment
Targets for each solar project :
1.Number of households projected to benefit
2.MW solar capacity deployed over time (5 years)
3.MWh storage deployed over time (5 years)
4.Short tons annual CO2 emissions avoided over time (25
years)
5.Absolute annual household savings realized over time (25
years)
Meaningful Benefits Plan
1.Maximize household savings (at least 20%, hope for
zero-cost burden)
2.Overarching goals to deliver energy resilience and grid
benefits
a.Battery storage, energy efficiency and electrification
b.Resilience hubs, and microgrids
3.Maximize household and community ownership models and
build wealth
a.No upfront cost ownership models and supportive financing
4.Investment in jobs and businesses in eligible communities
a.Comprehensive, statewide solar-focused workforce initiative
b.Strategy to scale up services to local businesses and entrepreneurs to
meet demand
Our Project
Vision
5 Microgrids
4 Energy Storage
200 Residential serving solar
50 Resiliency Hubs
200 Residential
Serving Solar
50 Nonprofit Resiliency
Rooftop Solar
5 plus Microgrids
➔Initials site
➔Indianapolis
➔South Bend
➔Terre Haute
➔Jeffersonville
➔Gary
5 Investor Owned
Utilities
Energy
EfficiencyRoof Repair
Education
Engagement
Microgrid Development and
organizing/Subscribers
Residential serving
Engagement
Community
Education
Microgrid
Community
Solar Subscriber
Solar
Residents
Labor/Workforce
& contractors
Finance, &
Social
Renewable
Energy Credits
Community
Benefits Agreements
Resilience
Economic
Health
Theory of Change and Impact
South Bend
We’re looking for -
●A building owned by a nonprofit or
municipality in a Westside
community that can serve as a
resiliency hub - providing warming,
cooling, refrigeration and other life
saving community services
●With 5 acres of roof and land with
direct sun (flat or south facing, not
shaded by buildings, trees,
hills/mountains, or HVAC and
other rooftop equipment)
Where we can build -
●A $2.5 million megawatt solar project with battery
storage able to disconnect from the grid when the grid
goes down with a AEP/I&M Letter of Support owned
by a local energy co-op owned by people in South Bend
Community benefits -
●Resiliency Hub
●Solar Savings Program Serving ~200 households
●People trained in solar installation and jobs created
●Community Health and Environment Benefits
●Community Wealth Building