Solar for Households, Small Business, and Nonprofits: Solar Energy Innovation Network Round 3
In the third round of the Solar Energy Innovation Network (SEIN), representatives from low- to moderate-income neighborhoods, small businesses, and nonprofits explored new approaches to solar energy development in residential and commercial-scale settings.
SEIN Round 3 was active 2021–2024 and focused on photovoltaic (PV) solar that is sited in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods, with both residential and commercial applications. The eight teams were divided into two cohorts: one that focused on residential solar and one that focused on commercial-scale solar. Teams collaborated frequently with others in their cohort, focusing on peer-to-peer exchange and learning from others who face similar challenges. The SEIN program structure also created opportunities for frequent peer exchange across cohorts.
In December 2021, eight teams were selected from across the United States to participate in SEIN Round 3. These teams received direct funding and tailored analytical support from U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories, collaborated frequently with local stakeholders and other teams in workshops, and tested their resulting solutions in their jurisdictions. Ultimately, each team published its findings and the process that resulted in its solutions in detail, paving the way for other jurisdictions in different contexts to adapt and expand upon the solutions.
Elevating Innovation in Residential Solar Deployment
This cohort focused on developing solutions that expand access to residential, behind-the-meter solar deployment. Teams considered workshops, solar ambassadors, and workforce development programs—among many ideas—to highlight how the different benefits of solar energy can match the unique needs of each jurisdiction.
Lead Organization: Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute
Location: Austin and Carrizo Springs, Texas
This team identified opportunities to deploy solar to properties owned or rented by low-income families by leveraging utilities' low-income energy efficiency programs and Weatherization Assistance Program funding. This team collaborated to identify, refine, demonstrate, and evaluate strategies to widen access to residential rooftop solar and developed guidelines and implementation approaches to apply identified pathways.
Multistakeholder Team Members: AEP Texas, Austin Energy, Community Services Agency of South Texas, Frontier Energy, Houston Advanced Research Center, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Austin, Texas Solar Energy Society, and Travis County
Lead Organization: ReThink Energy Florida Inc.
Location: Tallahassee, Florida
This team sought to enable low- to moderate-income (LMI) neighborhoods to choose solar PV by evaluating technical potential, economic feasibility, and financial tools and programs. The project aimed to identify potential solutions to enable solar PV at a neighborhood scale that could be replicated in other LMI neighborhoods.
Multistakeholder Team Members: City of Tallahassee, Debra Swim (Attorney, PLLC), Greater Bond Neighborhood Association, Greater Frenchtown Revitalization Council, Griffin Heights Neighborhood First Plan, Jacobs Law Office, Public Private Partnership for Sustainable Community Development, and Solar Energy Loan Fund
Lead Organization: Energy Trust of Oregon
Location: Portland, Gresham, Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Tigard, Oregon
The team addressed solar deployment barriers and disproportionately low solar awareness in several neighborhoods of Portland, Gresham, Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Tigard, Oregon. The team worked to identify innovative mechanisms to fund solar PV through energy retrofits and home upgrades. The team also built a network of "Solar Ambassadors" to educate homeowners.
Multistakeholder Team Members: Adelante Mujeres, African American Alliance for Homeownership, Community Energy Project, Portland Community Reinvestment Initiative, Solar Oregon, Unite Oregon (Clackamas Chapter), and Verde
Lead Organization: Pecan Street Inc.
Location: Austin, Texas
This team addressed energy affordability and reliability in several neighborhoods in Austin. The team conducted local research and leveraged peer-to-peer information exchange to define mechanisms for adapting and expanding low-to-zero-percent interest solar loans for neighborhoods in Austin, Texas.
Multi-Stakeholder Team Members: Austin Energy and GAVA (Go! Austin/Vamos! Austin)
Publications:
Safely Exploring Solar: A Guide for Austin Energy Customers, NREL Subcontract Report (2024)
Austin Solar Guide (Flyer): Wondering If Solar Is Right for Your Home? NREL Subcontract Report (2024)
Elevating Innovation in Commercial-Scale Solar Deployment
This cohort focused on commercial-scale solar PV, including for offices, warehouses, hospitals, hotels, retail stores, schools, nonprofits, and higher-education facilities. Many of these teams sought to improve the solar financing options available to small businesses and nonprofits while expanding solar workforce development opportunities.
Lead Organization: Houston Advanced Research Center
Location: Port Arthur, Texas
This project team addressed the lack of knowledge and affordability—and the capital barriers—to commercial-scale solar in Port Arthur, Texas. The team developed an effective, replicable, and scalable approach to implement solar-plus-storage microgrids in Port Arthur and other towns.
Multistakeholder Team Members: City of Port Arthur, Clean Energy Fund of Texas, Community In-Power and Development Association, Digital Workforce Academy Golden Triangle Empowerment Center, Entergy Texas, Lamar State College, Port Arthur Independent School District, Port Arthur Transit, Renewable Energy Partners, Social Wealth Partners, and Solar Energy Loan Fund
Publication:
Evaluating Utility Costs Savings and Resilience: A Case Study in Port Arthur, Texas, NREL Presentation (2024)
Lead Organization: Salt Lake City Department of Sustainability
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
This team developed a framework to enable customer options for commercial building solar and storage by engaging community and business stakeholders, hosting listening sessions, and developing outreach tools and resources. Resources developed by this team included findings from listening sessions, solar and storage case studies, battery storage incentive program recommendations, and best practices for financing commercial solar.
Multistakeholder Team Members: Rocky Mountain Power, Suazo Business Center, and Utah Clean Energy
Project Advisory Partners: Centro Civico Mexicano, Intermountain Healthcare, McKinstry, Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs, Utah Office of Energy Development, and Zions Bank
Publications and Blog:
Financing Solar + Storage for Small Businesses in Underserved Communities, NREL Fact Sheet (2024)
Utility Programs Supporting Customer-Sited Battery Storage: Program Design to Ensure Mutual Benefits, NREL Fact Sheet (2024)
Lead Organization: Lake Street Council
Location: Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota
This team engaged small businesses about whether solar PV could make electricity more affordable in business districts of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The team developed solutions to increase consumer choice, lower electricity bills, and improve business resilience.
Multistakeholder Team Members: City of Minneapolis, City of Saint Paul, Great Plains Institute, Neighborhood Development Center, Northside Energy Opportunity Network, Weber Consulting, and Xcel Energy
Lead Organization: RE-volv
Location: Multiple
This team sought to enable consumer choice and lower electricity bills at houses of worship. The team streamlined the solar project process by identifying promising locations, providing technical assistance, and highlighting successes.
Multistakeholder Team Members: Green The Church and Interfaith Power & Light
Publications and Data:
Impacts of Non-Residential Solar on Residential Adoption Decisions, Frontiers in Sustainable Energy Policy (2023)
Bringing Solar to BIPOC Houses of Worship, NREL Subcontract Report (2023)
Solar PV on U.S. Houses of Worship: Overview of Market Activity and Trends, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Technical Report (2024)
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Last Updated April 15, 2025