White House Solar Plan Aims at Low- and Middle-Income People
By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS
JULY 7, 2015
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Tuesday will announce an initiative to help low- and middle-income Americans gain access to solar energy, part of a series of steps President Obama is taking to tackle climate change, according to administration officials.
The administration will announce that it intends to triple the capacity of solar and other renewable energy systems it installs in federally subsidized housing by 2020, make it easier for homeowners to borrow money for solar improvements and start a nationwide program to help renters gain access to solar energy, the officials said.
The actions are to be announced in Baltimore by Brian Deese, Mr. Obama’s senior adviser for climate issues, and Representative Elijah E. Cummings, the Democrat who represents the city.
Mr. Deese, in a conference call with reporters, called the moves “part of a bigger-picture effort to try to drive innovation” toward cleaner, low-carbon energy solutions.
Also to be unveiled on Tuesday are commitments totaling more than $520 million from charities, investors, states and cities to pay for solar and energy-efficiency projects for lower-income communities.
Mr. Cummings said that he routinely receives calls at his congressional office from constituents who cannot pay all their utility bills, and that the programs would not only help the planet but also save money for those who could not otherwise gain access to renewable energy.
“The difference in a monthly bill of $10 or $15 means a lot to the people who live on my block,” Mr. Cummings said.
By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS
JULY 7, 2015
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Tuesday will announce an initiative to help low- and middle-income Americans gain access to solar energy, part of a series of steps President Obama is taking to tackle climate change, according to administration officials.
The administration will announce that it intends to triple the capacity of solar and other renewable energy systems it installs in federally subsidized housing by 2020, make it easier for homeowners to borrow money for solar improvements and start a nationwide program to help renters gain access to solar energy, the officials said.
The actions are to be announced in Baltimore by Brian Deese, Mr. Obama’s senior adviser for climate issues, and Representative Elijah E. Cummings, the Democrat who represents the city.
Mr. Deese, in a conference call with reporters, called the moves “part of a bigger-picture effort to try to drive innovation” toward cleaner, low-carbon energy solutions.
Also to be unveiled on Tuesday are commitments totaling more than $520 million from charities, investors, states and cities to pay for solar and energy-efficiency projects for lower-income communities.
Mr. Cummings said that he routinely receives calls at his congressional office from constituents who cannot pay all their utility bills, and that the programs would not only help the planet but also save money for those who could not otherwise gain access to renewable energy.
“The difference in a monthly bill of $10 or $15 means a lot to the people who live on my block,” Mr. Cummings said.
