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Our energy futures...

Clean, local, affordable.
Equitable, resilient, restorative.

Groundswell is building community power.

Here's How

Illustration by Ngadi Smart

Groundswell is a 501c3 nonprofit that builds community power through equitable community solar projects and resilience centers, clean energy programs that reduce energy burdens, and pioneering research initiatives that help light the way to clean energy futures for all. Groundswell leads clean energy programs and projects in five states including the District of Columbia, serving more than 5,500 income-qualified customers with more than $2.75 million per year in clean energy savings.

 

Sharing from abundance.

The sun’s energy is plentiful, but access to power from the sun is often exclusive — available only to the financially privileged. We believe that’s wrong and that there’s a better way, so we asked ourselves how can we “love our neighbors as ourselves” through the abundant energy available from the sun? That’s why we build solar projects that share power, devote 100% of solar savings to those who need them most, and are deeply connected to the economic vitality of the communities they serve.

Whether you rent or own your home, if you live in one of the communities Groundswell serves, you can sign up and subscribe to SharePowerTM for locally-produced solar energy.

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News & Events

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Highlights

  • LIFT Toolkit Provides Insight Into Successful Solar Development Focused on LMI Households

    LIFT Toolkit Provides Insight Into Successful Solar Development Focused on LMI Households

    On October 31, Groundswell, in partnership with Clean Energy Works, Elevate, and Southface, released a free online toolkit designed to help utilities, municipalities, and solar developers establish new and expanded solar programs to serve low to moderate-income (LMI) families nationwide. This toolkit was created through the Low-Income Financing and Transactions (LIFT) for Solar Access Everywhere collaboration. It features the largest searchable database of community solar projects serving LMI families in the US – the first of its kind. 

  • Rural Energy Burden Georgia

    Rural Energy Burden Georgia

    While Georgia has lower electricity rates than the national average (of 14.12 ¢ / kWh), Georgia’s statewide average energy burden for low and moderate-income households is 19.4%. The average energy burden for Georgia households living at 50% of the Federal Poverty Level is 30% -  five times that of Georgia households earning $55,500 (or 200% of the Federal Poverty Level) or more per year. Rural counties across Georgia carry the heaviest energy burdens across income brackets - driven by rural poverty, unemployment, and the prevalence of older, single-family rental housing.

  • Atlanta community resilience project seeks to become model for energy equity

    Atlanta community resilience project seeks to become model for energy equity

    The 30314 ZIP code of west Atlanta, home to the neighborhood of Bankhead, is one of the most energy-burdened zip codes in the city. Residents pay five times more for electricity and gas than their neighbors in Buckhead in north Atlanta do, despite making an average annual income that is five times less, according to a 2021 report by Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance.

  • Solar Array To Bring Community Solar to Chicago Heights

    Solar Array To Bring Community Solar to Chicago Heights

    On Sunday, the Christ for Everyone Ministries congregation celebrated the soon to be installed Bishop Kenneth Franklin’s Christ for Everyone Community Solar along with Groundswell, Sunlight General Capital, and Supreme Solutions. The community solar project will bring energy savings and economic empowerment to low-income households of Cook County as a part of the Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) program. 

  • Baltimore is hooking up a Black megachurch with some serious solar battery power

    Baltimore is hooking up a Black megachurch with some serious solar battery power

    Empowerment Temple, a predominantly Black megachurch in Baltimore’s Park Heights area, is a place neighbors can often go for free meals, school supplies, and drive-thru COVID-19 tests. Soon, they’ll also be able to visit the long, beige building to charge cell phones, refrigerate medications, and cool off (or warm up) during the next power outage.

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Groundswell is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Donations help us to serve more people and get more good work done. Please consider supporting our mission through a tax deductible one-time or recurring donation.

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