Expand Access to Solar in Austin
Austin City Council
Local solar goals for Austin Energy have been vital for spurring the creation of programs at the utility to support customers wishing to utilize solar at their homes and businesses. The programs have been very successful and solar adoption is growing rapidly with the recent steep decline in costs and increase in financing options. However, Austinites who are lower-income, rent or live in multi-family housing have mostly been unable to utilize solar. The recommendations that were sent to Council include no expansion of the local solar goals, even though the utility is on track to meet the existing goals early
Please ask the Austin City Council to increase local solar goals and adopt new programs to expand to access to solar for all.
Sponsored by
To:
Austin City Council
From:
[Your Name]
Solar energy is carbon-free, requires little or no water, and is creating good-paying local jobs. Solar prices have declined dramatically in the past several years, making the technology accessible to middle-income households and many businesses. I support the following policies to keep the use of solar energy expanding in Austin:
- Fair Value of Solar rates for all customers that include the social cost of carbon
- Increasing the local solar goal to 300 MW by 2027
- Make solar an option for multifamily housing by enabling fractional billing
- Implement an enhanced rebate for affordable housing
- Deliver direct benefit to low-income customers by implementing a utility-managed rooftop solar program that requires no investment from customer participants
- New community solar options that promote long term savings for customers
- Maintain at least the current solar budget to fund current and new initiatives