Month: June 2023

WASHINGTON, June 16, 2023, /3BL Media/ – On June 16, Groundswell, in partnership with Sargent Memorial Presbyterian Church, SunLight General Capital, Working Power, and the Office of the People’s Counsel, celebrated the newest DC Solar for All community solar array, which will bring the number of income-qualified DC residents receiving free solar electricity to more than 6,000 households, as a part of the DC Department of Energy and Environment’s (DOEE) Solar for All program.

The new 222 kWdc community solar array at Sargent Memorial Presbyterian Church will provide 73 local, income-qualified households with up to $500 a year in clean energy savings through DC Solar for All. Since DC Mayor Muriel Bowser launched Solar for All in 2016, the program has saved its 6,000 community solar subscribers more than $5 million — in addition to savings to participants in the program’s rooftop solar option — with the goal of improving energy affordability and progressing environmental goals within the District.

Energy bill affordability is a major concern for many households, and DOEE analysis shows that 64% of low-income households across Metro DC face high energy burdens.

“The DC Solar for All program sets a national standard for how to build a clean energy future that embraces justice as a core value,” said Groundswell CEO Michelle Moore. “Our team is so grateful that DC is Groundswell’s hometown, and that we’re able to work with this team of purposeful partners to get good things done to serve our neighbors.”

SFA solar arrays are located throughout the District, and Rev. Juan Guthrie of Sargent Memorial Presbyterian said the church decided to host the solar array as part of their ongoing service to the surrounding community, and the congregation felt blessed by the opportunity to serve the community through every ray of sun that shines on the church.

“We are called by Christ to care for one another. Through this solar array, our congregation at Sargent Memorial is able to share God’s gifts with our neighbors in the surrounding community,” said Rev. Guthrie.

“Too often, the savings solar affords don’t reach the people who need it most,” said Erika Smith, SunLight General Capital’s Director of Project Development and Operations. “SunLight felt honored to work with Groundswell and its team to develop and finance an important project bringing savings and clean energy to the broader DC community.”

“Sargent Memorial solar shows what real climate leadership looks like by demonstrating that clean energy can build wealth and broaden opportunity,” said Bracken Hendricks, co-founder of Working Power and Urban Ingenuity. “This project is an inaugural investment of the Working Power Impact Fund, which generates dedicated income for community groups to fund their social and economic justice work nationally. We’re honored to join with Groundswell, Sargent, and the rest of this powerful team of leaders.”

“DOEE is committed to an equitable clean energy future. Programs like Solar for All help our residents stay in the District and thrive in their communities while actively participating in the city’s clean energy transition,” said DC DOEE Economist/Senior Program Analyst, Dr. Lance Loncke.

“Energy equity is critical if our communities are to thrive; not every consumer has the resources or a home that allows them to have energy independence. Programs that aggregate energy resources provide basic benefits to many more consumers. It is our mission to bring together the experts, those who can host, and consumers who can share cooperatively in the energy created,” said Sandra Mattavous-Frye, People’s Counsel for the District of Columbia.

Solar is one of the fastest-growing industries in the US, and community solar installations like the one at Sargent Memorial Presbyterian Church have improved access to career opportunities within the communities they serve.

“I was fortunate to grow up in a family of contractors, and my grandfather was always passionate about extending second chances to people. I have extended that practice into the way I do business, and I have seen these new opportunities change lives,” said Brad Boston, SunCatch Energy Founder and President.

The project was constructed by Maryland Black-owned solar engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firm, SunCatch Energy; was completed in partnership with the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU), which manages construction for the Solar for All program in partnership with DOEE; was financed by SunLight General Capital, a woman-led clean energy investment firm; and was developed by Groundswell, a DC-based nonprofit.

About Groundswell 

Groundswell is a 501c3 nonprofit that builds community power through equitable community solar projects and resilience hubs, clean energy programs that reduce energy burdens, and pioneering research initiatives that help light the way to clean energy futures for all. Groundswell leads clean energy programs and projects in five states, including the District of Columbia, serving more than 5,500 income-qualified customers with more than $2.75 million per year in clean energy savings. Learn more at Groundswell.org. 

June 16, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Dozens of major U.S. companies and investors are urging the Environmental Protection Agency to finalize strong multi-pollutant emissions standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles and stringent greenhouse gas emissions for heavy-duty vehicles.

In a letter submitted today to the EPA, 60 leading companies and investors made the case that strong vehicle emission standards are critical to achieve national climate and economic goals. The signatories underscored the growing number of companies committed to transitioning to zero-emission cars, vans, and trucks to reduce their fuel and maintenance costs. They also emphasized the need for strong standards to set clear market expectations, meet demand, and ensure fleet operators can benefit from federal and state incentives.

Signatories of the letter included Avocado Green Brands, Enel North America, Friends Fiduciary Corporation, Hackensack Meridian Health, IKEA, Lion Electric, Lucid, New Belgium Brewing, Nestlé, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Snowsports Industries of America, Workhorse, and Zevin Asset Management, among others.

“Transportation is the largest source of [greenhouse gas] emissions in the U.S. and represents a substantial component of our companies’ and portfolios’ carbon footprint. By enacting strong vehicle emissions standards that require vehicle manufacturers to produce increasingly efficient and clean vehicles and drive the electrification of the sector, EPA will help ensure the availability of the vehicles needed by companies to cut operating costs, reduce emissions consistent with our climate goals, and support healthy communities for our customers and employees,” the signatories wrote in the letter.

The EPA’s proposed light- and medium-duty vehicle emissions standards would spur electric vehicle production and sales by effectively ensuring that zero-emission vehicles account for as much as two-thirds of new vehicle sales by 2032. The EPA also proposed new greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles, such as large trucks, that would help meet the growing market demand for zero-emission commercial vehicles. In the letter, businesses urged the EPA to finalize the strongest proposed standards and specifically called for a heavy-duty standard that supports at least 50% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2032—a target that is consistent with state regulations, including California’s Advanced Clean Trucks Rule, as well as manufacturer commitments and federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act.

“Lion Electric has been at the forefront in supporting the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Emission (GHG) standards for heavy-duty vehicles that will help advance electrification and address the industry need toward a zero-emission future,” said Nate A. Baguio, senior vice president of commercial development at Lion Electric. “Research shows the transportation sector generates 30% of GHG, and setting this rule will result in health benefits for many, including those who live in underserved communities, and who are impacted by the harmful effects of pollution.”

“The $79 billion winter outdoor industry depends on a robust transportation sector. It supports our global supply chain and makes our winter-tourism-dependent mountain communities accessible to millions. Yet the transportation sector is also a major cause of our climate problem, of which we are on the front lines,” said Chris Steinkamp, head of advocacy for Snowsports Industries of America. “Placing strong standards across the U.S. transportation sector is a priority for our industry, to protect the future of our businesses, our local winter tourism-based economies, and the healthy mountain environments that we all depend on.”

“As an all-electric OEM, Workhorse fully supports an Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) aligned EPA standard, enabling fleet owners and operators to realize the fuel cost and maintenance savings from commercial EVs,” said Rich Dauch, CEO of Workhorse. “Standards alignment will simplify operations for U.S. fleet owners and have an outsized impact reducing emissions since medium- and heavy-duty vehicles account for 5 percent of total U.S. vehicles while generating 24 percent of emissions.”

“At Zevin Asset Management, we see a strong business case for more zero-emission vehicles and corporate fleet electrification. These standards are building on our nation’s progress on climate and public health to meaningfully mitigate the outsized impact of emissions stemming from the transportation sector,” said Marcela I. Pinilla, director of sustainable investing at Zevin Asset Management. “Volatile fuel prices and reliance on fossil fuels pose significant risks to the economy. The adoption of the strongest vehicle standards will help to manage these risks, reduce emissions, and bolster the production of efficient cleaner vehicles. Not only will standards like these make this possible but will also contribute to healthy communities by reducing pollution.”

Dozens of other companies also offered their support for strong vehicle emissions standards. The Ceres BICEP Network, a coalition of more than 85 leading U.S. businesses that collectively advocate for just environmental policies, called on the EPA to adopt vehicle standards to spur the transition to zero emission trucks at the pace and scale necessary to meet the 2030 and 2050 U.S. climate commitments. The Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance, a coalition of 32 major U.S. businesses organized by Ceres to accelerate commercial electric vehicle deployment, also submitted a letter urging the EPA to align all vehicle standards with U.S. climate and public health goals to ensure a diverse supply of cost-competitive zero emission vehicles to meet long-term corporate demand.

Many of these companies are committed to improving the health of the communities in which they operate and where their employees live. While passenger vehicles represent the single largest source of transportation emissions, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles have an outsized impact, accounting for more than 20% of transportation-related emissions despite representing about 5% of vehicles on U.S. roads. Rapid growth in zero-emission vehicle sales would dramatically reduce both greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change and harmful air pollution that especially affects communities located near highways, busy roads, and major freight centers.

“EPA emissions standards are a critical tool for reducing pollution from the transportation sector. They provide a catalyst to accelerate the nation toward 100% zero emission vehicle sales which will protect public health and the environment while creating millions of domestic manufacturing jobs and preserving American economic competitiveness,” said Thomas Boylan, regulatory director at ZETA.

“The EPA has a historic opportunity to put forth strong greenhouse gas vehicles standards that will unleash billions of dollars of new private sector investment and a whole new wave of innovation. Strong federal standards will drive the growth of United States clean transportation and create thousands of new jobs,” said John Boesel, President and CEO of CALSTART.

“Between the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, and various state laws and policies, the U.S. is well-positioned to become the best place in the world to build and buy electric vehicles and their components,” said Zach Friedman, director of federal policy, Ceres. “Businesses are eager to transition to zero-emission cars, vans, and trucks. Strong federal vehicle emission standards will set the expectations necessary to meet this growing demand and achieve America’s climate and economic goals. We urge the EPA to heed the business case and put the U.S. at the forefront of the competition to lead this historic transition.”

The letter was organized by Ceres, CALSTART, Zero Emission Transportation Association, Climate Group, Climate Collaborative, and B Lab.

About Ceres

Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. Through our powerful networks and global collaborations of investors, companies and nonprofits, we drive action and inspire equitable market-based and policy solutions throughout the economy to build a just and sustainable future. For more information, visit ceres.org and follow @CeresNews.