Solar Neighbors

Photo Credit: Rubén Salgado Escudero

The price of being poor in Detroit is this:

Households with lower income spend three times more for utilities than those with higher income levels.

Solar Neighbors brings friends and neighbors together to take advantage of significant savings on solar for their homes. Residents of North End Woodward, Hamtramck, Highland Park and surrounding communities have the opportunity to learn about solar, get their questions answered by a trusted and vetted installer, and gain access to solar incentive programs.

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Households with low income spend up to 20 percent of their earnings on energy costs, greatly impacting their ability to cover basic needs like food, shelter, and medical expenses. These same households disproportionately bear the burden of environmental and climate shifts that create not only unreliability in energy access, but also price spikes. As a frontline organization committed to creating sustainable communities NEWCC’s Solar Neighbors is spearheading an effort to transition homes in three neighborhoods to renewable energy. Our work will create pathways to resiliency through improved climate preparedness, increased energy security, renewed infrastructure, and heightened economic prosperity.

The goal: 1000 households of low-income families equipped with solar solutions by 2024.

Informational Meeting

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Do you own a commercial property in the North End, Hamtramck or Highland Park?

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR FIRST ANNUAL SOLAR TOUR!

October is Solar Awareness Month, National Energy Awareness Month, Black Energy Awareness Month AND Children’s Environmental Health Month. On October 1, 2022, NEWCC and Solar Neighbors hosted our first annual “Making the Motor City a Solar City Tour.” Participants had opportunities to participate in both in-person and virtual events, along with the opportunity to win a solar generator,among other solar-themed prizes. Lnks to the videos from two of our virtual sessions are below.

Making the Motor City a Solar City Guided Tour (Virtual Session Video)

Financing Your Solar Project (Virtual Session Video)

Charging Stations

To date, NEWCC has installed four solar-powered, WiFi-equipped charging stations throughout the North End. The wifi at these charging stations is accessed anywhere from 200 to more than 500 times each month. They have become neighborhood gathering spots, cultivating community. NEWCC plans to install several more stations throughout the North End in the coming months, ensuring equitable internet and energy access for the community.

Bike Repair Stations

In Spring and Summer of 2022, NEWCC plans to install at least four bike-repair stations throughout the North End, as a complement to the charging stations. The bike-repair stations will be fully equipped with tools, an air pump, and instructional videos on common bike repairs. Our goal is to make biking more accessible for the community and subsequently reduce reliance on high-emission modes of transportation. At least two additional stations are planned for Highland Park, with hopes of expanding into Hamtramck in 2023.