Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: Solar for All

The Inflation Reduction Act amends the Clean Air Act to include Section 134 (42 USC § 7434), which authorizes the EPA to make competitive grants for Zero-Emissions Technologies. EPA awarded $7 billion in competitive grants to implement Clean Air Act Section 134 (a)(1) through the Solar for All program, which will prioritize residential and community solar projects, as well as storage technologies and upgrades related to these projects. In FY 2025 sixty (60) grant recipients will create new or expand existing low-income solar programs which will enable over 900,000 households in low-income and disadvantaged communities to benefit from distributed solar energy. This program will deliver on the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s objectives by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollution, delivering cost savings on electric bills for overburdened households, and unlocking new markets for distributed solar in states and territories that have never had a statewide low-income solar program before.

States, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible recipients, as those terms are defined in the Clean Air Act, are eligible for grants from this competition. The term “state” is defined in Section 302(d) of the Clean Air Act to include the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Marianna Islands. “Tribal governments” include Federally recognized Tribes, consistent with Section 302(r) of the Clean Air Act. “Municipality” is defined in Section 302(f) of the Clean Air Act to include a city, town, borough, county, parish, district, or other public body created by or pursuant to State law. Definitions of states, municipalities, and Tribal governments include agencies or instrumentalities of states, municipalities, or tribes. Section 134(c)(1) defines “eligible recipient” as a nonprofit organization that (A) is designed to provide capital, leverage private capital and provide other forms of financial assistance for the rapid deployment of low- and zero-emission products, technologies, and services; (B) does not take deposits other than deposits from repayments and other revenue received from financial assistance using the grant funds; (C) is funded by public or charitable contributions; and (D) invests in or finances projects alone or in conjunction with other investors. As described under the "Assistance Listing Description" above, these funds must benefit low-income and disadvantaged communities, which will be defined in the NOFO. In the NOFO, EPA may limit which eligible recipients may apply for the competitive funding opportunity under this assistance listing, consistent with EPA’s Policy on the Competition of Assistance Agreements.

This program will have widespread benefits to residents of the United States in low-income and disadvantaged communities across the country through the deployment of zero-emissions technologies, including residential and community solar, associated storage technologies, and related upgrades.

EPA reviewed and evaluated applications in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the NOFO. The competition was conducted in accordance with EPA's Policy for the Competition of Assistance Agreements.