Nola Reporter

City relaunches program to make clean energy accessible and affordable for homeowners and businesses. 

NEW ORLEANS — Mayor LaToya Cantrell today announced the third campaign of Solar for All NOLA, a clean-energy initiative available to all New Orleans homeowners and small businesses.

The program underscores the City’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, create high quality “green” jobs and make New Orleans more resilient to the impacts of the climate crisis.  

“Thank you to the Bunny Friend Neighborhood Association for hosting us in their beautiful rain garden, an innovative green infrastructure project with the ability to hold 20,000 gallons of rainwater, making our people and our neighborhoods safer,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “New Orleans has been fortunate to receive multiple federal grants that will ensure our facilities are equipped with solar infrastructure to act as resilience hubs. Solar for All NOLA is a perfect example of how we are adapting to the changing climate and making sure our residents are prepared.” 

Solar for All NOLA is aimed at increasing awareness and access to affordable solar energy and battery storage options for all residents of New Orleans. The initiative is a partnership between the City of New Orleans, the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF) and locally based solar installation companies PosiGen and Solar Alternatives. By partnering with local solar developers, the program offers free feasibility studies to all interested households and businesses, provides leasing and financing options and low-cost energy efficiency upgrades for those ready to make the switch to solar.  

In addition to increasing access to solar energy, Solar for All NOLA aims to support the expansion of the green workforce in New Orleans. For every successful install through Solar for All NOLA, $400 is given to GNOF’s Green Workforce Development Fund – a newly created reserve that aims to fill the gaps in supporting the green economy.  

“The Greater New Orleans Foundation believes that each of us can play a role in implementing climate solutions, and Solar for All NOLA will engage some of our most vulnerable neighbors, helping them secure energy cost reductions while lowering emissions,” said GNOF President and CEO Andy Kopplin. “By partnering with the City on this initiative, as well as working to establish a green infrastructure industry sector partnership, the Foundation aims to ensure that our community's residents receive the training and support they need to secure jobs created by Solar for All NOLA and similar programs.” 

“The residents and business owners of New Orleans are a resilient cultural gift to planet Earth, and they deserve reliable affordable power that is as resilient as they are – and friendly to the planet as well," said Solar Alternatives President Jeff Cantin. "Solar Alternatives is incredibly proud to support our community with this initiative."

“PosiGen’s mission is simple. We aim to democratize solar and make it an option for families that never had access before," said PosiGen Executive Chairman Tom Neyhart. "We are proud of our roots in the New Orleans market and are equally as proud to be a part of the Solar for All NOLA initiative to continue to bring clean, reliable energy to residents that need it most."

Mayor Cantrell made the announcement today with Katherine Prevost, President of the Bunny Friend Neighborhood Association, who reduced her energy bills by hundreds of dollars a month by installing solar in 2022 after witnessing the extended power failure following Hurricane Ida. Katherine and the Bunny Friend Neighborhood Association hosted the launch event in their Upper 9th Ward Intercommunity Connection space, a former blighted lot that has been turned into a green infrastructure space with rain gardens and bioswales that can hold 20,000 gallons of rainwater. Construction at the Upper 9th Ward Intercommunity Connection was made possible through funding from the Institute for Sustainable Communities and the Kresge Foundation.   

Solar for All NOLA was first launched in 2020 and follows other similar successful City-led initiatives across the country to encourage the adoption of solar power. Interested customers should visit www.solarforallnola.com or contact the City of New Orleans Office of Resilience and Sustainability at (504) 658-4965 or ors@nola.gov.

Original source can be found here.