SOULARDARITY

Movement Building. State-Level Energy Democracy- a series of campaigns and coalition work to achieve affordability, health, and community-owned clean energy aimed at DTE, the MI Public Service Commission, and the legislature. Soulardarity is the only community-based organization with a strong legal presence at the MPSC fighting and building toward goals of racial and economic justice. We have leveraged legal intervention with public campaign work to win material victories to rate payers of SE Michigan including stopping regressive rate hikes, getting concessions from DTE to build low-income benefitting solar projects, and getting public health considered in energy decisions.

Asset Development: Highland Park Campaign Team-a campaign to make Highland Park, MI a global model of sustainability and self-determination, targeted at the City of Highland Park, organized around the Blueprint for Energy Democracy, the product of seven years of community organizing, research, and democratic practice and guide for our multi-issue work. Grow Solar Highland Park-Detroit-a public education and bulk purchasing program that makes going solar easier and more affordable. Creates access to energy-related products and services for Low-to-Moderate-Income ratepayers and members in support of a just transition to clean energy. Eligibility extends to property owners throughout the Detroit metro area and Wayne County. Once per year we offer the MREA sponsored RiseUP Training course established in 2020 to support workforce development efforts and expand employment access in advanced energy by providing solar training scholarships and facilitation paid solar internships. Graduates of the RiseUP Training Program provide students with free, hands-on solar training that can take them from "square one" all the way to their NABCP PV Associate Exam. We are currently working with Polar Bear Sustainable Energy Co-op to implement a home solar bulk purchase program and weatherization/home repair program as case studies of community wealth building through clean energy. Under this program we are preparing to launch a Loan Loss Reserve program - a credit enhancement approach commonly used by state and local governments to provide partial risk coverage to lenders--meaning that the reserve will cover a pre-specified amount of loan losses for those looking to weatherize, electrify, and participate in the bulk purchase or solarize their homes.