The Washington Order of Discalced Carmelite Friars Project Blessing

by Groundswell

On Monday October 21, 2019, Groundswell hosted a blessing event to celebrate the completion of our 151 kilowatt community solar project located at the Monastery of Washington Province of Friars of the Discalced Carmelite. The project was born out of the Discalced Carmelite Friars desire to establish a greater connection with the community surrounding the monastery and make a positive contribution to it as part of their mission of service. The event also served as the official launch of Groundswell’s Share Power™ Community Solar Program.

November 07, 2019

Faith in Place Green Team Summit

by Nina Lobo

On a clear, sunny weekend in mid-September, our community partners at Faith in Place hosted the fourth annual Green Team Summit at Chicago’s Field Museum. People from across Illinois joined together for an energizing exchange of knowledge, questions, and ideas around how to promote environmental stewardship within organizations, engaging in a series of workshops focused on action within communities of faith.

October 22, 2019

Our Road to Groundswell: The Monastery of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

by Fr. Salvatore, O.C.D.

The Monastery of Our Lady Mt. Carmel in northeast Washington, DC is located on a serene, 5-acre campus that is home to the Discalced Carmelite Friars. The Discalced Carmelite Friars of Washington, DC are called to a quiet life of prayer, contemplation and service. They are seeking to establish a greater connection with the community surrounding the monastery and make a positive contribution to it as part of their mission of service.

September 25, 2019

O-Zones for Clean Energy

by Julia Parzen

With over 30 years of experience supporting teams, advising projects, and writing reports on urban sustainability; Julia Parzen is a thought leader in the field. Julia wrote for Groundswell about various Opportunity Zone initiatives that are bringing affordable solar energy to economically diverse communities across the country. We’re excited to share Julia’s comprehensive research on a few of the numerous economic incentives available to help inform the urban sustainability field nationally, and connect solar project developers looking to offer similar programs with the resources to do so.

August 27, 2019

Groundswell Strategic Planning Retreat

by Bernhard Kluger

As people around the world celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of Apollo 11, the team at Groundswell gathered to develop a strategic plan for our very own moonshot, the achievement of community power for all. Groundswell’s annual strategic planning meeting is a chance for our leadership and board members to take a step back from our daily work to consider how far Groundswell has come from our founding a decade ago, reaffirm our vision and goals, and plan for the future.

July 31, 2019

LIFT Solar Research Collaborative Update: June/July

by Chris Nichols

The DOE awarded Groundswell and its partners Elevate Energy, Southface, and Clean Energy Works funds for a research collaboration. The project, called Accelerating Low-Income Financing and Transactions for Solar Access Everywhere or “LIFT Solar Everywhere” will determine the optimal financing and program elements (customer experience factors) that community solar projects need to best serve every member of our communities, and especially our energy burdened neighbors. LIFT will use data from energy efficiency, solar and community solar programs nationwide to analyze how best to serve low-income families.

July 04, 2019

Fostering a Culture of Belonging

by Kristal Knowles

While I wear many hats as Manager of Business Operations and HR for Groundswell, one role that I am particularly passionate about is centered around Groundswell’s commitment to creating, and maintaining, a culture for our staff that is both inclusive and fosters a sense of belonging.

July 03, 2019

Community Solar Kick Off: St. Luke Baptist Church, D.C.

by Becca Eiland

Celebrations were in order as Groundswell kicked off its second community solar project in D.C. at the 100-year-old St. Luke Baptist church in Ward 4’s historic 16th Street Heights neighborhood. The 55 kW roof installation will deliver 100% of the electricity it generates to 15 low-income families in the community at no cost as a part of the District of Columbia’s Solar for All program, cutting each family’s utility bill in half.

June 17, 2019

Solar in Bloom at LaGrange Housing Authority

by Becca Eiland

Groundswell recently collaborated with the Solutions Project, a nonprofit that funds renewable energy projects that build public will and interest, to install a solar Smartflower at the LaGrange Housing Authority (LHA). A first of its kind in area, the Smartflower will produce energy that will help reduce the monthly utility bill of LHA’s administrative office. Those savings will then be earmarked to fund future, youth afterschool programming and education.

June 12, 2019

Groundswell named the winner of the Bronze Stevie® Award

by Groundswell

Groundswell was recently named the winner of a Bronze Stevie® Award in the Energy Industry Innovation of the Year category in The 17th Annual American Business Awards®. The American Business Awards are the U.S.A.'s premier business awards program.

May 09, 2019

Community Solar Kick Off: Dupont Seventh Day Adventist Church, D.C.

by Becca Eiland

Thanks in part to Solar For All DC, a program of the Department of Energy and Environment, Groundswell broke ground on two landmark solar projects totaling 168kW of capacity at the 100-year-old DuPont Park Seventh Day Adventist Church located in DC’s historic Ward 7 neighborhood.

April 18, 2019

Black Green History: Growing Opportunities from Within

by Groundswell

Brad Boston, Suncatch Solar Construction owner and 4th generation electrical contractor, shares about his experience in electric and solar construction. With SunCatch, Brad makes Black Green History by advocating and facilitating opportunities for workforce development within the local community.

February 26, 2019