Advocacy & Giving Back
Increasing access to clean energy, while making a positive
impact in our communities and the environment are more than
just talking points, they’re priorities.
At Everyday Energy, we “walk the talk” and here
are just a few of the ways we’re making a difference:
Advocacy
We are committed to supporting the solar energy needs of the affordable housing community. We work closely with local, regional, statewide and national organizations, community leaders, legislators, HUD, utilities, and affordable housing property owners and managers to ensure financial support, incentives, and energy guidelines support the needs of low-income and affordable housing communities. In May of 2014, we met with President Barack Obama and committed, with 16 of our clients, to install 30% of this administration’s 100 MW of renewable energy goal on affordable housing by 2020.
State Policy Leadership
The story of multifamily solar in California is one of ever-increasing access and benefits for low-income residents and the affordable housing properties they call home. And Everyday Energy has been at the center of it.
- Proving the concept. Entering the market behind a long list of projects that had languished on the SDG&E MASH wait lists for up to two years, Everyday Energy was the first to successfully interconnect tenants to solar, completing the first virtual net metering installation in the state.
- Closing the loopholes. Everyday Energy preserved millions of dollars of solar rebates for true deed-restricted affordable housing by blowing the whistle on improper rebates claimed by unrestricted mobilehome park operators.
- Creating the pathway. Everyday Energy executives were on TCAC’s technical advisory committee that made it possible to unlock tenant savings through the California Utility Allowance Calculator.
- Guaranteeing direct tenant benefits. Everyday Energy proposed the 50% direct tenant benefit eventually codified in the MASH 2.0 program decision.
- Providing 100% free tenant solar. Everyday Energy originated the concept, enlisted the legislative support and championed the SOMAH program, which will allow affordable housing owners and residents to go solar cost-effectively for years to come.
Climate Action Plan
We are committed to install 30% of President Obama’s 100 MW of renewable energy on affordable housing by 2020.
In 2009, President Obama made a pledge that by 2020, America would reduce its greenhouse gas emissions below 2005 levels if all other major economies agreed to limit their emissions as well. To help fulfill the pledge, his 2013 Climate Action Plan included a formal goal to install 100 megawatts of renewable on federally assisted affordable housing. Today, the President remains firmly committed to that goal as he executes a series of actions that will create jobs, reduce carbon pollution and cut energy waste.
Through projects committed by 16 client partners, Everyday Energy will bring 30 MW of solar energy online affecting approximately 39,000 low-income residents. In addition to helping each unit realize an average savings of 80 percent off their energy bill, Everyday Energy solar systems also reduce the operating cost of each affordable housing property. The National Climate Assessment validates that we need to expedite the country’s transition to renewable energy—and solar power is the most economically viable option. The multifamily affordable housing segment continues to be the most promising market in the U.S. for solar power. In California we’ve found that when compared to single-family affordable housing, multifamily solar projects not only reduce energy costs for a
significantly higher number of people, but have greater scalability resulting in much lower acquisition cost.
Our company expects that within two years we will achieve our commitment of bringing 30 MW of solar power online, well in advance of President Obama’s 2020 deadline. The projects to achieve this goal are all located in California, and are spread across the state from San Francisco and Monterey to Los Angeles and San Diego.
We’re proud to play a big role in achieving President Obama’s 100 MW goal—and our 30 MW commitment is only based on projects we already have on the books over the next 18-24 months. We expect to contribute beyond 2018 and provide much more than 30 MW of solar power toward the Administration’s goal by 2020.
Giving Back
We have had the honor to provide design, installation, electrical, and financial consulting services to several non-profits and community organizations.
Donated Systems
Everyday Energy has always aligned its mission with affordable housing. We’re very proud to donate solar services and electricity for several projects and its mission-driven clients. A partial list of the projects where the electricity generated has been donated so far as follows, and we are currently working with several housing organizations to donate the electricity generated while we continue to operate and maintain the solar asset so it delivers the donated electricity.
| Project Name | Housing Organization | System Size (kW DC) |
|---|---|---|
| Centertown | EAH Housing | 42.30 |
| Hamilton | EAH Housing | 124.32 |
| Riveria | EAH Housing | 66.74 |
| Craig Gardens | First Community Housing | 44.88 |
| El Paseo Apts | First Community Housing | 46.92 |
| Farley | EAH Housing | 9.87 |
| Turina | EAH Housing | 34.31 |
| West Marin | EAH Housing | 29.14 |
| Belovida | EAH Housing | 132.02 |
| Pollard | EAH Housing | 71.30 |
| Arbor Court | EAH Housing | 15.28 |
| Servite High School | 39.96 | |
| American Lung Association in California | 10.5 | |
| El Oasis Orphanage | 9 | |
| Total Donated |
676.53 |
