Vote Solar

As we celebrate the Winter Solstice—a day of renewal and light returning—we’re thrilled to share Vote Solar’s 5-Year Strategic Plan (2025–2030). Our plan charts the course for: 🌟 Accelerating local solar deployment 🌟 Transforming energy systems to replace fossil fuels 🌟 Empowering frontline communities for equity-driven change 🌟 Building support for a just, people-first energy transition This solstice, we renew our commitment to a 100% clean energy future, powered by the sun and guided by equity. Read our plan:

This year, Vote Solar worked tirelessly to accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy across the United States. By championing equitable policies and bold advocacy, we delivered major victories that benefit both communities and our planet. These milestones are proof of what’s possible when we work together. 2024 Highlights: 🌞 12,208 MW of new solar demand, including 902 MW for low-wealth communities 🌞 10.6M tons of CO₂ prevented—equal to taking 2.1M cars off the road 🌞 14 fossil fuel plants shut down As we celebrate these achievements, Vote Solar remains committed to driving policies, expanding solar access, and empowering communities to achieve a brighter, cleaner energy future for all. Together, we’re transforming the future of energy. Thank you for being part of this movement. Read more about our impact: https://lnkd.in/eV7_ZEDA

Overall, Black, Latinx, and Native American households pay a higher percentage of their income in utility costs and bear a steeper energy burden than white households. These communities also bear the brunt of pollution from the fossil fuel industry as well as the worsening harms of the climate crisis. To promote energy justice and a sustainable, livable future, we must fundamentally transform the energy system. This means going beyond simply increasing participation in the current utility regulatory framework; we must also change decision-making structures and center the needs of those most impacted to truly advance energy justice. 📝Learn more and download our utility regulation guide here: https://buff.ly/4gj8htt

We are facing an energy affordability crisis. The families and communities hit hardest by the impact of dirty fossil fuels are also the ones facing the biggest energy costs. A staggering 38% of people in the U.S. are dealing with high energy burdens, spending too much of their income for essential services. Local solar solutions can reduce household energy burden. It offers a new pathway to shift economic and power structures and reimagine a clean energy future that puts people first.

We’re at a pivotal moment where we are witnessing the increasing impact of climate change and the need for a faster energy transition. The U.S. is starting to phase out polluting fossil fuel power plants and replace them with affordable clean energy options, including solar power. Moving toward a future powered by 100% clean energy — at least 50% from solar — can boost public health, create economic opportunities, and help build a more equitable energy system for everyone, all while meeting our electricity needs. But to truly harness solar energy as a positive force, we need to confront past injustices built into our current energy system and work intentionally toward a clean energy future that’s equitable and inclusive. It’s crucial that every community in the U.S. has access to and can benefit from this energy transition, which means we need policies and processes specifically designed to make that happen.

Next year, Michigan will have a divided legislature, which will make legislating much harder. That's why it's critical Michigan legislators pass community solar and other clean energy solutions NOW. With rising energy costs and power outages affecting hundreds of thousands of Michiganders, now is the time for state-level lawmakers to take action and ensure a clean, reliable and affordable energy future. Michigan families deserve energy justice. Take action: https://buff.ly/3CYJIno

Are you ready to empower communities in utility decision-making? Don’t miss our upcoming webinar Amp Up the People: A Practical Guide for Energy Justice Advocates in Utility Regulation.” In collaboration with Vote Solar, we’ll share key strategies and tools from the guide to help advocates and communities engage in utility regulation and advance energy justice. 📅 Date & Time: Thu, Dec 5, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST 📍 Where: Virtual 🎟️ Attendance is free, but registration is required. 🔗 Register now: https://lnkd.in/grcQ7Z-t This is your chance to learn actionable steps for advancing utility justice and creating equitable energy systems. #EnergyJustice #UtilityJustice #CommunityPower #Webinar

Everyone deserves clean, dependable, affordable power -- and we need to make sure everyone shares in the benefits of solar. Local solar and energy storage are the keys to this resilient future. But with President-elect Trump hoping to roll back progress on solar and energy justice, the stakes are too high, and it’s our own families and communities that are at risk. We can rise to the challenges from the Trump administration. We must. But we cannot do it without your help. That’s why Vote Solar has set this Giving Tuesday goal. We need to raise $10,000 by midnight Tuesday. Make your Giving Tuesday gift, and every dollar you give will help expand solar access in 2025. Donate now: https://lnkd.in/d-ygzKcr

Our statement on the passage of House Resolution 9495: The passage of House Resolution 9495 is a devastating blow to free speech and the essential work of advocacy organizations Nationwide. This resolution was introduced under the guise of fighting terrorism and has been further driven by reactionary Islamophobia in response to broad and legitimate public demands for peace in Palestine. As passed, this law will give the President unchecked power to label organizations as “terrorists” without due process, allowing the Treasury Secretary to revoke their tax-exempt status. Such power is ripe for abuse and represents a clear attempt to silence dissenting voices, particularly those likely to challenge President-elect Trump. Nonprofits play a pivotal role advocating for environmental justice, equity, and other social progress—work that depends on the protections of free speech. This resolution puts that critical work at risk. Vote Solar remains committed to an equitable 100% clean energy future and we stand with our partner advocacy organizations across the country. Together, we can ensure that the movement for a more equitable and sustainable future continues unhindered.

Redlining was a discriminatory practice that limited access to housing and financial resources for Black Americans in the 1930s. Its effects persist today, creating inequities in energy access and infrastructure investment. Our latest issue brief, Wiring the Divide: The Impact of Redlining on Electric Infrastructure, explores: ✔️ The origins and ongoing effects of redlining. ✔️ How electric infrastructure reflects these disparities. ✔️ Case studies highlighting challenges in California and the Midwest. ✔️ Policy solutions to address and repair these inequities. Achieving energy justice requires collective action. This brief is a must-read for advocates, policymakers, and community leaders committed to equity in the clean energy transition. 🔗 Download and read: https://lnkd.in/eYnTtC4w