Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025 | 1
4th Quarter 2025
FOR THE PEOPLE EDITION
2 | Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025
Energy Intel is produced by:
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AESP.ORG
Editorial Staff
Ian Perterer, Director of Communications
Editor-in-Chief
Tammy Stafford, Appalachian Power
Mason Henderson, Power TakeOff
Craig Henry, Honeywell Smart Energy
Gunjan Desai, MyHEAT
Gregory Thomas, PSD
Angel Moreno, TRC
Phillip Halliburton, ComEd / Exelon
Dianne Mana-ay, Texas-New Mexico Power
Michael Blaney, National Grid
Tonya Glass, Resource Innovations
Mike Beamer, ICF
DOER/MAKER Editorial Staff
Brent Layton, Graphic Design Contractor
AESP Staff
Jennifer Szaro, President & CEO
Jamie Kline, Vice President, Member Relations
Jenny Senff, Vice President, Programs & Education
Kelly Thorsgard, Director, Management
Information Systems
Ian Perterer, Director of Communications
Jennifer Lee, Senior Program Manager
Melanie Cohen, Senior Programs Coordinator
Lauren Beavers, Trainings Manager
Christina Coppotelli, Manager, Membership
Nicole Harlos, Executive Assistant
Board of Directors
Alexis Allan, Brio
Alvis Wright, Alabama Power Company
Antonia Ornelas, Elevate
Art Christianson, Resource Innovations
Paul Douglas, The JPI Group
Deb Dynako, Slipstream
Scott Alan Davis, SEEL, LLC.
Brett Feldman, Rhode Island Energy
Elizabeth Freeman, REAP Energy
Jeff Brown, Public Service Company of Oklahoma
Katie Falk, Evergreen Consulting Group
Knox Cameron, DTE Energy (BOARD CHAIR)
Derek Okada, Energy Solutions
Liz Haworth, Michaels Energy
Pamela Fann, Impact Energy
Quinn Parker, ENCOLOR
Dena Jefferson, J.D., Franklin Energy
Lisa Rae, CIET
Luke Surowiec, ICF
All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any
means, in whole or in part, without prior written permission
from AESP. The opinions expressed by the authors do
not necessarily reflect those of AESP.
Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025 | 3
Table of Contents
A Letter From Our Board Chair
By Knox W Cameron
04
CARE Council Announcement Letter
By Alvis Wright and Fred Maher
06
How SoCalREN Reaches Communities with Higher Energy Burdens
By Lujuana Medina and Karen Germain
08
Solar for All: Implementation Approaches and Lessons from
Early Deployment
By Lima Hossain
12
The low- and moderate-income customer energy assistance journey:
Key findings from an E Source study with seven US utilities
By Ben Nathan, Jamie Wimberly, and Patrick Woodworth
20
The Three As to Impactful Financing Programs: What we’ve learned from
facilitating over $1 billion in energy efficiency loans
By Aaron Edge
29
Missing Motive: Building Trust in Energy Participation
By Alex Varricchio
34
When Nuclear Power Lost to Energy Efficiency - How Empowered and
Engaged Citizens Sparked Seattle's Clean Energy Journey
By Jim Perich
40
Equity First, Savings Follow: How Denver’s Compliance Assistance
Program Unlocks Utility-Aligned Savings
By Ben Levine
46
Silo Smasher: How Prepay Aligns Affordability and Conservation
By David Conn
54
Designing Equity In: Making Electrification Work for Everyone
By Irina Krishpinovich
56
Empowering the Human Edge in the AI Era:
Cultivating Non-Replicable Core Skills
By Dr. Ajay Tejasvi
61
Navigating the Maze: Simplifying Access to Energy Programs
By Bex Hausheer and Rachel Pennington
70
4 | Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025
To the entire AESP Community,
As the year comes to a close, I want to start with a simple note of thanks. The past twelve
months have asked a great deal of our industry, and of the people working within it. The
pace has been steady, the expectations high, and the work increasingly complex. And yet,
what stands out to me most is how thoughtfully this community continues to respond.
This final issue of Energy Intel for 2025 reflects an industry that is not just moving
forward, but learning as it goes. There is a growing sense of clarity around what drives
lasting impact, and a shared understanding that progress depends as much on trust,
design, and human insight as it does on technology or policy.
THEMES SHAPING THE QUARTER
Community Engagement and Empowerment
Across the industry, there’s a growing recognition that strong outcomes begin with strong
relationships. Building trust with underserved and historically overlooked communities
requires clear communication, cultural awareness, and a willingness to meet people
where they are. When complex energy topics are simplified and engagement is measured
by impact as much as participation, programs become more inclusive, more effective,
and more durable.
Integration and Collaboration of Customer Programs
As customer needs grow more interconnected, siloed programs increasingly fall short.
This quarter highlights the importance of cross-department collaboration, integrated gas
and electric planning, and multi-channel communication that makes participation easier
to understand and access. When incentives and offerings are bundled thoughtfully,
awareness increases, friction decreases, and long-term engagement improves.
Energy Equity and Environmental Justice for All
Equity continues to shape how the industry approaches electrification, financing, and
clean energy deployment. Meaningful progress depends on engaging diverse customers,
prioritizing tribal inclusion, and leveraging tools like green banks, community investment
funds, and cooperative models. When communities help drive solutions such as
community solar and locally led clean energy projects, equity becomes an outcome, not
just an aspiration.
A Letter From Our Board Chair
Knox W. Cameron
Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025 | 5
FEATURED ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE
Missing Motive: Building Trust in Energy Participation
In this article, Alex Varricchio of UpHouse examines how unclear institutional intent can
undermine even well-designed energy programs. By introducing the concept of motive
transparency and shared benefit, he shows how trust can be rebuilt and participation
meaningfully strengthened.
Navigating the Maze: Simplifying Access to Energy Programs
Bex Hausheer and Rachel Pennington of The Energy Coalition team crafted this
piece highlighting how concierge-style support helps public agencies turn complex
incentive and financing systems into actionable clean energy projects. They make a
clear and compelling case for navigation and coordination as powerful drivers of
equity and scale.
When Nuclear Power Lost to Energy Efficiency
In this historical retrospective, Jim Perich-Anderson revisits a pivotal moment
when data, public engagement, and long-term thinking reshaped utility planning in
Seattle. His story serves as a reminder of how transparency and trust can influence
transformational energy decisions.
As we close out the year, these perspectives offer both reassurance and momentum.
They reflect an industry growing more confident in its values and more deliberate in its
approach. The work ahead remains important, but so does taking a moment to recognize
how far we have come.
On behalf of AESP, thank you for your leadership, your curiosity, and your continued
commitment to advancing the business of energy efficiency. We look forward to carrying
these lessons into the year ahead.
Warm Regards,
Knox W. Cameron,
Director of Renewable Solutions, DTE
6 | Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025
As the clean-energy sector continues to evolve, so does AESP. Change brings opportunity—
and responsibility—to ensure that the people and communities shaping this transition feel
welcomed, represented, and empowered to participate fully.
The clean-energy transformation is often described through technology, policy, and
performance metrics. But at its core, it is powered by people. It lives in the engineers
designing resilient grids, the program leaders expanding access to opportunity, and the
community advocates ensuring solutions reflect real-world needs. These individuals—and the
communities they serve—are the true drivers of progress.
With that in mind, we want to share an important update on how AESP will continue to
advance this work. Our longstanding commitment to ensuring a diverse, equitable and
inclusive community is moving forward under a new name and a more cohesive framework.
Our goal with this shift is to better align our programs and resources to enhance our impact
on behalf of the community we serve. This consolidated group of programs and services
will now be referred to as CARE, which stands for Community, Access, Representation, and
Empowerment. Our former DEI Council, which oversees our work in this space, will now be
referred to as the CARE Council.
This evolution is intentional. Language matters. In a changing external environment, some
terms that once unified organizations have become politicized or misunderstood, at times
limiting participation. AESP is committed to ensuring that language never becomes a barrier
to participation.
To the Community
and Our Partners,
Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025 | 7
The CARE Initiative will ensure we remain human-centered in our focus while also facilitating
greater practical action. We chose these words thoughtfully.
Community reflects our collaborative approach to achieving our collective goals
and vision for a more inclusive, integrated and sustainable energy future.
Access demonstrates our desire to open new pathways to opportunity,
information, and leadership.
Representation ensures that outcomes reflect our entire community’s lived
experiences across a variety of different demographics, job roles and areas
of expertise.
Empowerment focuses on meaningful outcomes that allow people to contribute,
lead, and thrive.
CARE is not symbolic. It is designed to translate values into action—by identifying barriers,
creating pathways for engagement, and embedding accountability across all of AESP’s
programs, partnerships, events, and operations.
AESP remains deeply committed to creating a space that demonstrates the importance of
equity, belonging, and representation. The CARE Initiative strengthens that commitment by
expanding our work in these areas under a unified umbrella to ensure broader participation
and measurable impact.
We are grateful to the members, partners, volunteers, and staff whose insight and leadership
continue to shape this work. Their contributions help ensure that AESP remains a place where
innovation thrives because people are at the center.
Thank you for being part of this community.
With appreciation,
Alvis Wright (AESP CARE Council Co-Chair)
DSM and Residential Support Manager
Alabama Power Company
Fred Maher (AESP CARE Council Co-Chair)
Director, Business Development
CMC Energy Services
8 | Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025
HOW SOCALREN REACHES COMMUNITIES
WITH HIGHER ENERGY BURDENS
By Lujuana Medina and Karen Germain
Since 2012, the Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN) has delivered energy
efficiency programs across 13 diverse counties in Southern California, serving approximately
20 million residents. The organization works to address pressing local issues such as extreme
heat and escalating energy costs, which place the greatest strain on the region’s most
underserved communities.
SoCalREN faces a challenge that traditional utilities don’t: the absence of direct, built-in
relationships with customers. Without monthly billing statements, service calls, or regular
touchpoints, regional energy networks must work harder to build awareness and establish
trust. This gap can inadvertently limit residents’ access to the very services designed to reduce
their energy costs.
To overcome this barrier, SoCalREN partnered with ICF on a multichannel
marketing campaign that is redefining how energy efficiency programs
reach communities most affected by high energy costs. Instead of
waiting for residents to find resources, the campaign brings those
resources to them.
At the heart of the campaign’s strategy is a commitment to
accessibility and meeting residents where they are—on public
transit, tuning into their favorite radio shows and podcasts, or
scrolling through social media. The results are a testament to
the power of community-centered storytelling in empowering
residents to take control over their energy future.
Traditional Media, Strategic Placement
The campaign follows a simple marketing principle: go
where the audience already is. For SoCalREN, that meant
identifying daily touchpoints in residents’ lives and
weaving energy efficiency messaging into those familiar
routines.
The marketing team made transit advertising a
cornerstone of the strategy. The team selected
three locations across Los Angeles and San
Bernardino counties to place billboards, with
additional ads on 25 buses throughout Los Angeles
County. Placements targeted neighborhoods with
the highest energy burdens, ensuring messages
appeared along the routes that residents travel
daily.
Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025 | 9
The outdoor ads feature a bright, energetic color palette that pops in urban environments,
with striking portraits set against vibrant teal and coral backgrounds to draw attention from
passersby. The ad messaging highlights community strength and resilience; one of the
billboards reads “Strong Communities | Brighter Futures,” accompanied by the SoCalREN logo
and branding.
The strategic placement paid off. The billboards generated 969,390 impressions, while the
bus ads added another 1.3 million. And, most importantly, the campaign reinforced a
powerful message to residents: energy efficiency resources are available, accessible, and
designed for you.
One of the most effective assets of the campaign came through NPR audio spots, reaching
listeners who are highly engaged with community issues and receptive to educational content.
The audio ads spotlight SoCalREN’s unique value in complementing utility programs by
reaching underserved neighborhoods. The messaging succinctly captures the scope and
impact of SoCalREN’s programs—helping schools, farms, apartments, and small businesses
cut energy use, and delivering hundreds of millions in savings.
When residents hear about energy efficiency resources between segments of their favorite
shows, the message carries the implicit endorsement of a source they already trust.
Combined with the transit advertising, this multichannel approach created repetition without
redundancy. A resident might see a billboard on the way to the bus stop, notice a transit ad
during their commute, and hear an NPR spot while making dinner. Each touchpoint reinforced
the others, building familiarity and trust.
Making Energy Education Accessible
Energy and climate issues are complex and constantly evolving. From decarbonization to
urban heat challenges, navigating these topics can feel overwhelming.
That’s why SoCalREN launched the “Hi, Energy!” podcast: to cut the confusion, strip away the
jargon, and uplift the communities it serves.
10 | Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025
Hosted by educator and comedian Esteban Gast,
the podcast sets a new standard for energy
education. In each episode, Gast meets with
industry experts to explore a range of topics,
such as SoCalREN’s impact on cities and schools,
energy efficiency solutions, and community
equity issues. Gast and his guests break down
complex concepts and make them accessible
without oversimplifying them—a distinction that
matters when building trust and connecting with
a range of communities.
Beyond education, “Hi, Energy!” offers practical, actionable guidance for listeners—steps
to beat the heat, ways to make their neighborhoods cleaner and greener, and stories that
illustrate how individuals can drive change.
“Hi, Energy!” quickly outperformed previous outreach efforts, becoming SoCalREN’s highest-
impact digital campaign. The podcast has generated over 11,000 downloads and won a
2025 Gold Viddy Award in the Non-Broadcast Video Podcast: Education category. Notably,
two episodes—one focused on workforce opportunities, the other on community equity—
accounted for 70% of all listens, demonstrating the power of content that clarifies issues
shaping how Southern Californians live, work, and adapt.
The campaign extended this education across multiple platforms. In addition to audio content
on Spotify, video versions are available on YouTube for audiences who prefer visual content.
On social media, the top-performing Instagram reel reached over 44,000 users organically,
proving that short-form content can deliver serious reach when it’s rooted in real voices and
relevant issues. The campaign also brought the podcast to TikTok, turning episode snippets
into short-form clips that have garnered 18,500 views to date.
Most significantly, the podcast functions as a gateway, introducing residents to energy and
climate concepts in an engaging format before connecting them to concrete resources and
programs they can actually use.
A Blueprint for More Inclusive Outreach
SoCalREN’s multichannel campaign demonstrates that the absence of direct customer
relationships isn’t an insurmountable barrier—it’s an opportunity to be more creative and
intentional about community engagement. The numbers (11,000+ podcast downloads,
44,000+ users reached organically on social media, nearly 2.25 million impressions from
transit and billboard advertising) represent residents who now know that energy efficiency
resources exist and are designed for them.
The campaign also proves that programs don’t need to choose between traditional and
digital media. The most effective strategies integrate both, recognizing that different channels
serve different purposes and reach different audience segments. Billboards and transit ads
create broad awareness. NPR builds credibility. Podcasts provide depth. Social media enables
sharing and community building.
Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025 | 11
Lujuana Medina is the Division Manager of Environmental Initiatives
within the County of Los Angeles Internal Services Department. She has
nearly two decades of experience in sustainable program development
and implementation, as well as portfolio management. She specializes in
energy policy and program development and has expertise in both state and
federal policies regarding energy portfolio management, integrated resource
planning, renewables, environmental impacts, and energy efficiency.
Karen Germain is a Regional Director of Marketing at ICF, specializing in
utility program development, customer and community engagement, and
demand-side management. She has over 30 years of industry experience
and leads a large-scale marketing and communications team across the
U.S., partnering with utilities and major metropolitan cities to design and
implement programs focused on energy efficiency, electric vehicle (EV)
infrastructure and adoption, and fleet electrification. A published author and
recognized industry speaker, Karen brings deep insight and leadership to the
energy space.
As energy costs continue to rise and climate challenges intensify, effective engagement
becomes increasingly critical. Programs that successfully reach underserved populations
won’t just achieve better participation rates—they’ll contribute to a more equitable and
sustainable energy system.
SoCalREN’s approach offers a clear path forward: Bring resources directly to residents,
communicate in accessible language, and empower them with the tools they need to build a
more resilient energy future. The results speak for themselves, with the program on track to
meet this year’s ambitious goals. When energy program providers meet communities where
they are, real progress follows.
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Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025
Solar for All: Implementation
Approaches and Lessons from
Early Deployment
By Lima Hossain
Historic Investment Meets Implementation Reality
The EPA's Solar for All program represents the nation's largest investment in residential clean
energy equity—$7 billion distributed across 60 grantees including 31 state organizations, 22
nonprofits, 6 tribal organizations, and one municipal government.¹ The program aimed to
bring solar power to 900,000 low-income households, deploy over 4 GW of distributed solar,
and generate approximately $400 in average annual household savings.²
The largest single awards
of $249.8 million each went
to California Infrastructure
Economic Development Bank,
New York State Energy Research
and Development Authority,
and GRID Alternatives' multi-
state affordable housing
program, while tribal grants
averaged $62.45 million with
a total tribal allocation of
approximately $375 million.
Some states were awarded
funding based on a multi-state
coalition.
Fifteen months into implementation, the program's trajectory reveals critical insights about
translating ambitious federal policy into community-level impact. Despite facing significant
challenges, including a January 2025 funding freeze and August 2025 termination attempt
following passage of the FY2025 Reconciliation Law, early deployment efforts demonstrate
what works when standing up large-scale energy equity initiatives.
The Energy Equity Context
Low-income American households spend 8.6% of their income on energy bills—nearly
triple the 3% spent by higher-income families.³ Research examining all 64,835 measurable
census tracts nationwide found that even when controlling for income levels, majority
African American census tracts experience significantly higher average energy burdens than
other communities. African American households in the poorest census tracts pay 7.5%
Figure 1: Solar for All Awards by State
Highest Tier $200M+
High Tier $150M - $200M
Mid Tier $100M - $150M
Base Tier $60M - $90M
Lowest Tier Under $50M
No Investment
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Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025
of their income on energy compared to 5.7% for White households in similar economic
circumstances.⁴
Structural factors compound these disparities: African American majority census tracts have
homes that average 21% older than those in White majority tracts, indicating less energy-
efficient housing stock. Lower homeownership rates in these communities limit access
to energy efficiency programs typically targeting property owners.⁵ These patterns reflect
historical legacies of discriminatory policies, including redlining practices that concentrated
families in neighborhoods with deteriorating housing infrastructure and limited investment in
energy efficiency improvements.
Solar for All was designed to address these systemic barriers through comprehensive
program elements: direct installation support, workforce development, and deep community
engagement focused on historically excluded populations.
The program's implementation trajectory was fundamentally altered by federal policy
changes after a change in Administration. The July 2025 passage of the FY2025 Reconciliation
Law eliminated the 30% residential solar tax credit after December 31, 2025—nearly a
decade ahead of schedule.⁶,⁷ Followed by an attempt by the Administration to terminate
grants already awarded, effectively pausing the program. Fifteen months after launch, most
grantees remained in planning phases rather than active deployment. Interviews with six
diverse grantees—representing state agencies, multistate nonprofits, utilities, and tribal
organizations—conducted before the FY2025 Reconciliation Law passage revealed the
successes and lessons learned.
What Worked: Implementation Approaches from the Field
Several grantees developed innovative approaches that demonstrated effective pathways
for deploying clean energy programs at scale.
Figure 2: Program Timeline
JUNE
2023
JAN
2025
JULY
2025
APRIL
2024
MARCH
2025
AUG
2025
EPA launched the
Solar for All grant
competition
EPA announced
the 60 grant
winners
Temporary unfreezing
of funds following
federal court orders
EPA sent
termination letters
to grantees
Funding freeze
implemented, locking
grantees out of EPA’s
funding portal
Reconciliation
Law passed
Federal Policy Disruption
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Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025
State-Level Integration: Oregon's Model
Energy Trust of Oregon's approach demonstrated how building on existing infrastructure
can accelerate deployment. Their coalition model leveraged Oregon's established community
solar program with 50 % low-income participation requirements while integrating the existing
Trade Ally Network of over 1,900 qualified contractors.
This integration approach eliminated typical startup delays by utilizing established
stakeholder relationships, proven quality control mechanisms, and existing consumer
protection frameworks. The model shows that identifying existing clean energy programs
with successful low-income participation, mapping contractor networks already trained in
solar installation, and building on established customer acquisition systems can compress
implementation timelines significantly.
Community Engagement: Massachusetts' Comprehensive Approach
Massachusetts Solar for All Coalition developed innovative "Education and Outreach
Grants" that directly funded municipalities and community-based organizations to
conduct local informational campaigns. This approach recognized that trusted local
messengers are essential for overcoming historical skepticism about solar programs and
government initiatives.
The coalition provided direct funding to community-based organizations for outreach
activities, developed plain-language compliance materials removing federal jargon barriers,
created collaborative advisory boards shaping program design from the start, and established
multiple communication channels tailored to different community preferences. The emphasis
was on building long-term partnerships rather than transactional referral relationships.
Financial Innovation: People's Solar Energy Fund
People's Solar Energy Fund addressed critical gaps in community solar financing by
developing predevelopment loans, bridge loans, member developer lines of credit, and
construction loans specifically designed for projects serving low-income communities. Their
focus on making federal compliance accessible through simplified checklists helped smaller
community-based organizations navigate complex requirements.
The financing strategy included predevelopment funding for projects in early planning stages,
bridge financing covering gaps during federal funding delays, and construction loans with
terms suitable for community solar projects. Technical assistance on federal compliance was
provided alongside capital, with financial products designed to recognize community-based
organizations' unique needs.
Workforce Development: Tribal Leadership, MA Equity Workforce Program
Indigenized Energy achieved breakthrough workforce outcomes by training six tribal
members subsequently hired by Freedom Forever, a major solar installation company. These
workers now travel nationally installing solar projects while maintaining connections to home
communities—creating sustainable career pathways that build community wealth.
The approach integrated cultural practices and community values into training programs,
developed career pathway programs rather than one-time training events, created
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Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025
mechanisms for trained workers to return and serve home communities, and tracked
workforce outcomes beyond initial job placement.
Massachusetts leveraged existing workforce infrastructure through MassCEC's Equity
Workforce Program, incorporating over 100 active grant organizations and 200+ partner
organizations through a four-pillar approach: career pathway training, career awareness and
exploration, support to disadvantaged business enterprises, and expanded access to high-
quality solar jobs within low-income and disadvantaged communities.
Figure 3: Solar for All Grantees Interviewed – Characteristics and Project Information
Organization
Grantee Type
Geographic
Coverage
Target
Population
Project Types
Implementation
Status
Key
Characteristics
Bonneville
Environmental
Foundation
(BEF)
Multistate
Nonprofit
Idaho,
Montana,
Wyoming
Low-income,
tribal, and
disadvantaged
communities
Rooftop solar,
community solar
Planning and
design phase
Rural focus; utility
coordination
emphasis
People's Solar
Energy Fund
(PSEF)
Nonprofit
Multiple states
(Coalition model)
Low-income
households,
CBOs
Community
solar, financing
innovation
Supporting
planning/design
phase
Financial
innovation focus;
CBO support
GRID
Alternatives
Multistate
Nonprofit
Nationwide
Affordable
housing,
low-income
households
Rooftop solar,
affordable/
public housing,
workforce
development,
community solar
Early design
phase
Largest award;
affordable
housing
specialist
Energy Trust of
Oregon
Nonprofit
State-wide
Low-income
households
Community
solar, rooftop
solar, affordable/
public housing,
workforce
development
Planning with
stakeholder
engagement
State integration
model; existing
program
infrastructure
Massachusetts
Solar for All
Coalition
State-led
Coalition
State-wide
Low-income and
disadvantaged
communities
Community
solar, rooftop
solar, affordable/
public housing,
workforce
development
Launch planned
late summer
2025
Community
engagement
innovation
Indigenized
Energy
Tribal
Nonprofit
Coalition
of 14 tribal
communities
(Midwest and
Plains)
Tribal
communities
Rooftop solar,
workforce
development
Most advanced
– 2 installations
complete,
installs planned
on 12 other
reservations
Early
implementation
success; cultural
integration
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Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025
Critical Coordination Infrastructure
Solar for All's implementation revealed that large-scale federal investments require dedicated
intermediary organizations to translate federal resources into implementable state and
local programs. The Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) emerged as essential coordination
infrastructure, functioning as what researchers termed "missing infrastructure" for federal
program success.
COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT MODEL
Bringing 50+ grantees together
several times per week, sharing
best practices and resources
CESA COORDINATION
REAL-TIME ADAPTATION
Convenes the Solar-for-All network
weekly/bi-weekly to provide crisis-
responsive coordination during federal
policy upheaval
TRANSLATING FEDERAL RULES
Provides targeted trainings, design
support, template contracts, and
guidelines
Figure 4: CESA Coordination
Grantees and partners noted that CESA "serves as the connective tissue among its network
of over 50 grantees, regardless of CESA membership, ensuring they are well-informed,
bringing them together several times per week for discussions, and sharing best practices and
resources to support program design and implementation."
This coordination model built on proven approaches from other contexts, including the
Weatherization Assistance Program's 40-year track record and Regional Energy Efficiency
Organizations' success at the nexus of federal, state, and local governments, while scaling
to unprecedented complexity. However, CESA's coordination operated at different scale by
coordinating 60 diverse grantees nationally across multiple program types, compared to
regional organizations' sector-specific focus or one-time stimulus coordination.
Persistent Implementation Barriers: Community-Specific Insights
Implementation experiences varied significantly across different community contexts,
revealing the importance of tailored approaches.
Affordable Housing: Navigating Complex Structures
Massachusetts provided detailed analysis of affordable housing barriers that extend beyond
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Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025
simple split incentives between landlords and tenants. Utility allowance complications arose
when solar savings triggered utility allowance reassessments that eliminated intended
benefits for tenants. Multiple funder coordination challenges emerged because affordable
housing properties typically involve multiple lenders and funders who must approve solar
additions, creating lengthy approval processes. Infrastructure prerequisites meant many
properties needed roof repairs, electrical panel upgrades, and other improvements before
solar installation became feasible. When direct savings weren't achievable, programs had to
develop alternative benefit delivery through tenant services or building improvements.
Multistate Programs: Balancing Scale and Localization
GRID Alternatives' nationwide approach and PSEF's Community Power Coalition model
faced unique challenges coordinating requirements across multiple state jurisdictions while
maintaining community-centered approaches. Solutions included regional hub models
providing localized support within multistate frameworks, collaborative learning networks
among grantees facilitated by CESA, standardized compliance checklists adapted for local
regulatory environments, and community advisory boards shaping program tools and
implementation approaches.
Early Success: Tribal Leadership and Cultural Integration
Even amid federal policy uncertainty, Solar for All began demonstrating transformative
potential through early achievements. In January 2025, Indigenized Energy announced a
breakthrough: the Chippewa Cree Tribe and the Oglala Sioux Tribe completed the nation's
first Solar for All installations, delivering approximately 8 kW of clean, low-cost power to
participating homes on tribal lands.8
This early success represented more than infrastructure—it demonstrated how community-
centered approaches can overcome systemic barriers. Indigenized Energy's achievement
extended beyond installation to workforce development, successfully training 6 tribal
members subsequently hired by Freedom Forever, a major solar installation company. These
workers now install projects across the country while maintaining connections to home
communities, creating sustainable career pathways that build community wealth.
The tribal implementation model integrated several critical elements. Cultural practices were
woven into project timelines, with breaking ground ceremonies honoring tribal values while
embracing clean energy innovation. Solar developments were framed as advancement of
energy sovereignty rather than external assistance, aligning clean energy with broader goals
of community independence and self-determination.
Grassroots engagement proved essential, with direct participation in tribal meetings and
effective use of tribal Facebook pages for recruitment demonstrating the power of culturally
appropriate communication strategies. The focus extended beyond individual installations to
developing tribal renewable energy departments, ensuring sustained community capacity and
ownership rather than one-time projects.
Despite remote location challenges and limited utility support, tribal programs showed
the highest community engagement rates and most successful workforce development
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Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025
outcomes. The model demonstrates that when programs prioritize community ownership,
cultural alignment, and institution building, they can achieve breakthrough results even in
challenging circumstances.
Lessons Learned
Solar for All's implementation trajectory reveals insights about standing up large-scale energy
equity programs. Despite unprecedented federal policy upheaval, the program's early phases
demonstrated what works when building community-centered clean energy initiatives.
• Integration with Existing Infrastructure & Programs: Oregon's model showed that
building on established programs, contractor networks, and utility relationships accelerates
deployment and leverages existing trust. This approach can compress implementation
timelines significantly compared to building new systems.
• Community Partnership as Priority: Trust-building requires sustained investment in
authentic relationships with community-based organizations. Massachusetts' Education
and Outreach Grants demonstrated that funding local messengers directly creates more
effective outreach than top-down communication strategies.
• Adapting to Policy Uncertainty: The elimination of federal tax credits and termination
attempts forced rapid identification of alternative funding—including state appropriations,
utility ratepayer programs, green banks, Community Development Financial Institutions
(CDFIs), and philanthropic support. The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy's rapid deployment
of emergency grants ($50,000-$500,000) and convertible loans (up to $1 million) showed
how coordinated support networks can bridge some funding gaps.
• Administrative Simplification: Plain-language compliance materials, streamlined
reporting systems, and capacity-building support enabled smaller organizations to
participate effectively. Programs that created simplified checklists and provided technical
assistance alongside funding achieved better engagement.
• Workforce Development Integration: Connecting solar installation programs with career
pathway development created sustainable employment opportunities within communities
being served. Indigenized Energy's model of training workers who maintain home
community connections while gaining national experience demonstrated how to build
community wealth rather than extractive economic relationships.
The August 2025 attempt to terminate the program represents a significant setback for
the 900,000 households promised access to affordable clean energy, particularly tribal
communities that had achieved breakthrough implementation success despite systemic
barriers. Legal challenges to the termination have been filed by over 22 states and grantees.
However, grantees are not waiting for federal resolution. Tribes and organizations actively
seek philanthropy, short-term funding, and conventional financing to cover delays and gaps
in project costs. This demonstrates how state, regional, and local coordination infrastructure
becomes even more critical when federal support vanishes.
Moving Forward
These experiences extend beyond solar deployment to broader questions about designing
and sustaining energy programs serving historically excluded communities. The coordination
infrastructure, community partnership models, and strategies for adapting to changing policy
environments offer frameworks applicable across diverse energy program contexts.
19
Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025
Energy justice requires sustained commitment from states, communities, and organizations
that recognize energy affordability and access as essential to economic opportunity
and environmental justice. Federal support accelerates this work but cannot be its sole
foundation. Programs built on strong state and local partnerships will continue advancing
energy equity regardless of federal political conditions.
The path forward requires acknowledgment that energy justice is not just about installing
technology—it's about reshaping power relationships, building community wealth, and
ensuring clean energy benefits flow to communities systematically excluded from economic
opportunity. Solar for All has begun this transformation through its community-centered
approach and comprehensive program model.
* For a comprehensive analysis of Solar for All implementation, read the full policy brief: Solar for All on the Ground:
Implementation, Innovation, and Uncertain Future
* Explore an interactive visual journey through the program's impact and implementation across the country in the Solar for All
StoryMap
1 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Solar for All," last modified August 16, 2024,
https://www.epa.gov/greenhouse-gas-reduction-fund/solar-all.
2 Ibid.
3 U.S. Department of Energy, "Low-Income Energy Affordability Tool," accessed August 13, 2025,
https://www.energy.gov/scep/slsc/lead-tool.
4 George C. Homsy and Jiyoung Kang, "Intersectional Energy Burden: Race, Income, and Energy Justice in US Communities,"
Energy Policy 142 (2025): 111523.
5 Ibid.
6 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Solar for All Program Requirements and FAQs," 2024, https://www.epa.gov/greenhouse-
gas-reduction-fund/frequent-questions-about-solar-all#national.
7 Kate Yoder, "Congress Is Killing Clean Energy Tax Credits," Grist, July 9, 2025, https://grist.org/buildings/congress-is-killing-clean-
energy-tax-credits-heres-how-to-use-them-before-they-disappear/.
8 PR Newswire, "Indigenized Energy Completes Nation's First Solar For All Kickoff Projects in Indian Country," January 30, 2025,
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/indigenized-energy-completes-nations-first-solar-for-all-kickoff-projects-in-indian-
country-302364806.html.
Lima Hossain is a Senior Policy Analyst at the Initiative for Energy Justice
(IEJ), where she tracks federal & state clean energy policies and program
implementation with a focus on equity outcomes. She brings a decade of
research experience in econometrics, GIS/spatial analysis, and qualitative
research methods to understand how climate, environmental, and energy
issues impact communities.
Prior to IEJ, Lima spent three years as an Associate at Cadeo (now
Resource Innovations), conducting energy efficiency program evaluations
and market research for utility clients, and developing data visualization
tools. She also spearheaded an internal cultural competency initiative,
creating an Energy Equity Readers group to elevate diversity and equity
considerations in energy projects. She holds an M.S. in Applied Economics
with a concentration in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
from Oregon State University and a B.A. in Mathematics-Economics from
Ithaca College.
20 | Energy Intel 4th Quarter 2025
The low- and
moderate-income
customer energy
assistance journey:
Key findings from
an E Source study with
seven US utilities
By Ben Nathan, Jamie Wimberly,
and Patrick Woodworth
We are entering into a turbulent period of
rising energy costs combined with threats
to LIHEAP and other assistance programs,
inflation, and other affordability challenges
caused by rapid growth in AI-driven data
centers, building and vehicle electrification,
and grid upgrades. Many households that
struggle to pay their utility bills, often low- and moderate-income (LMI), are increasingly
relying on energy assistance from utilities and local community action agencies (CAAs). But
seeking out and obtaining assistance can be frustrating, time-consuming, and costly for
customers, as well as for utilities and the CAAs that administer assistance programs.
At E Source, a research, advisory, and consulting firm that’s been working with utilities for over
30 years, we believe there is a clear business case, regulatory driver, and customer service
need to get this process right:
• Energy assistance helps struggling households stay current and in service, and avoid
disconnections and their associated risks to health, safety, and wellbeing.
• Energy assistance helps manage all utility customers’ rates, not just LMI households, by
reducing the need for all customers to cover struggling customers’ debt.
• Energy assistance helps drive down outstanding utility debt, enabling utilities’ operations
and upgrades, which are critical to meeting resource adequacy constraints.
To improve the LMI customer experience, we need to better understand the journey of LMI
customers to acquire assistance from utilities and CAAs. From October 2024 through April
2025, E Source worked with seven investor-owned and municipal electric and gas utilities
across the US on a comprehensive study of the LMI customer journey through the assistance
process and improvement opportunities.