Three solar developments proposed by an environmental justice co-op will make energy costs more affordable for low- and moderate-income households and Black and brown communities just west of Chicago.
The co-op, Green Energy Justice Cooperative, is an extension of Blacks in Green, a national network for environmental justice and economic development. The Illinois Power Agency recognized the co-op for its community-driven solar project, prompting GEJC to apply for $12.5 million in renewable energy credits.
This solar project stands out because it allows households without ownership or rooftop access to use solar power and save money on energy bills. With the co-op model, residents become co-owners and have a say in how the solar energy is managed and share in profits generated.
"I've seen disenfranchised communities that are usually at the receiving end of various programs where you have the imposition of models," said Wasiu Adesope, the project manager at Blacks in Green. "But this model … every member has equal decision-making ability."
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The passing of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act in 2021 made GEJC's community-driven solar program possible. The program's goals include hiring BIPOC contractors and getting communities of color involved in a solar training program to facilitate installation.
This type of grassroots effort directly addresses how communities of color are disproportionately affected by climate change and how we can overcome racial disparities that exist with air quality, natural disasters, and clean energy access.
Although the renewable energy credits will provide critical funding for the solar project, GEJC is seeking investors who share the co-op's mission.
In the meantime, it's working alongside other community-based organizations and nonprofits to lead the solar workforce training program and ensure that BIPOC contractors benefit from the transition to clean energy. The program requires that communities initiate renewable energy development and that projects are locally based in those communities.
"If we're talking about creating jobs that are going to move people out of poverty into the middle class, particularly with BIPOC people, then we have to be involved in big projects that could hire people at scale," Rev. Tony Pierce, GEJC's vice president, explained.
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