45. Increasing Solar Access Among Disadvantaged Communities and Nonprofits
Sunwealth has partnered with PowerOptions to develop solar for housing, arts, human services, religious organizations, and other nonprofits in the PowerOptions consortium.
Our 17 kW solar project developed in 2020 for The Community Builders in Northampton, MA — a nonprofit providing mixed-income housing for community members.
Sunwealth is excited to announce a new partnership with PowerOptions to extend the benefits of solar to low-income communities, low-income residential buildings, energy justice communities, and other nonprofits. PowerOptions is a nonprofit energy buying consortium that delivers cost savings and predictability to nonprofits and the public sector in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
“Sunwealth has experience delivering value to low-income and affordable housing and will ensure our communities can take advantage of the crucial wave of increased funding supporting these segments.”
Sunwealth was selected by PowerOptions through a competitive RFP procurement, which included a proactive effort to drive value for certain PowerOptions member sectors. Under this partnership, Sunwealth will serve low-income residents through housing authorities and community development corporations, houses of worship, senior living facilities, human services organizations, and centers for performing arts.
“We are committed to accelerating clean energy equity, access, affordability, and resiliency for disadvantaged communities and smaller nonprofits typically left behind, using the strength of the PowerOptions aggregation and consortium model,” said PowerOptions CEO Heather Takle. “As a leading and local solar and resiliency provider, Sunwealth has experience delivering value to low-income and affordable housing and will ensure our communities can take advantage of the crucial wave of increased funding supporting these segments.”
Sunwealth has financed and developed 575 projects totaling 37 megawatts (MW) worth of solar capacity that benefit communities across 16 U.S. states and D.C.
“For nonprofits and community organizations, money saved on energy costs is money that can be reinvested into their mission-driven programs,” said Jon Abe, CEO of Sunwealth. “PowerOptions has been providing its members with energy savings and sustainability solutions for over two decades. Sunwealth is proud to forge this new partnership to help deliver long-term access to solar and energy savings to impactful organizations across New England.”
By partnering with PowerOptions, Sunwealth leverages its in-house solar development expertise to increase access to solar, bringing impactful community-based projects to life and delivering long-term energy savings and sustainability to nonprofits and housing authorities. We are excited to be trusted alongside PowerOptions in our efforts to bring solar to more of our communities and ensure that everyone has a stake in the better energy future we’re working to create.
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Darreck Mitchell is Vice President, Director of Capital Markets at Sunwealth. He has over a decade of experience in financial services, sales management, and asset management distribution. When he’s not helping investors put their money to work, he can be found spending time with his wife and two young daughters.