A Decade of Technical Assistance: CEG Reaches $2 Million Milestone

This year, Clean Energy Group celebrates 10 years and $2 million in small grant support to build local energy resilience in historically underserved communities through the Technical Assistance Fund (TAF). Over 150 community-serving organizations, representing 375 facilities across 33 states and territories, have received the early, individualized technical and small grant assistance they need to develop resilient power systems – solar photovoltaics paired with battery storage (solar+storage) – at community facilities. To date, with Clean Energy Group’s assistance, 77 solar+storage projects have been completed, and many more are in progress. Over 50 percent of 2024 TAF support has gone to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) led organizations. 

The results of this pre-development support speak volumes. Affordable housing developers have installed resilience hubs in community spaces, while simultaneously instituting community solar programs to reduce energy costs for their residents. With solar+storage, community health clinics can now remain open and operational through power outages, providing health services within a community that would otherwise have had to travel long distances to reach a hospital that still has electricity. First responders can better deliver emergency services resources during crises. During regular grid operations, these facilities will benefit from the environmental and economic advantages of solar+storage, including reduced emissions, utility bill savings, and revenue generation from providing grid services. 

Clean Energy Group’s resilient power funding programs have an amplified impact in the communities we work with. Every dollar spent through the TAF leverages $127 in external capital, supporting the development of clean, resilient power for communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis.  

It took seven years for Clean Energy Group to reach $1 million in Technical Assistance Fund awards, and only three more years to reach the $2 million milestone. Demand for our services has grown as community-serving organizations increasingly require solar+storage to provide essential services to vulnerable communities through a disaster, ensuring access heat and air conditioning, water, and outlets to charge phones and medical equipment during power outages.  

Looking back on the past decade, it’s not hard to understand why. Severe weather events and extended power outages are increasing at an alarming rate, yet only 1 in 7 households have access to reliable backup power. Energy costs continue to increase, leaving over a third of the country (most of which are low-income) with a high energy burden.   

Despite the cost effectiveness of Clean Energy Group’s programs, our current budget cannot meet the critical demand for our services, leading to delays in supporting the work of our dedicated community partners. Last year, Clean Energy Group had to create its first ever waitlist for TAF support, as more communities sought resilient power pre-development assistance than we had the resources to support. Having to place communities in need onto a waitlist isn’t acceptable – we need to be able to support every community partner in their mission to be climate resilient.  

In an effort to ensure that we won’t have to turn away eligible communities, Clean Energy Group estimates that $1 million in technical assistance funding will be needed over the next two years. Our team and partners are at the ready, but we urgently need more resources to meet the ever-growing demand for our services and ensure that communities are ready for the next power outage emergency. 

If you’re interested in supporting community-serving organizations in their efforts to local, reliable, and resilient power resources, please consider donating today.