Solar Equity Campaign
Centering on clean energy education and advocacy, PODER’s Solar Equity Campaign is founded on the energy cost burden, unreliability, and clean energy inequity that is faced by East Austin’s low-income communities of color. Energy poverty studies conducted across Texas have highlighted the disparate burden these demographics face, compounded by the climate change and affordability crisis Austinites are enduring. In tandem with the ever-increasing cost of living in Austin, just a few years ago, City Council District 3 experienced the highest increase in Austin Energy rates (23%). Lived and shared experiences during extreme weather events (winter storms Uri and Mara, the recent microburst, record-breaking summers, etc.) highlight the lack of reliability that our energy grid desperately needs.
Solar installations & batteries that produce reliable, clean and affordable energy at all times have the potential to remediate these issues. Unfortunately, many Austinites lack access to solar energy because they are renters, cannot afford the steep upfront costs, lack awareness, insufficient property standards, etc. PODER and its partners believe that we must use creative mechanisms to foster greater deployment of solar energy projects within our most disadvantaged communities in Austin.
Educational tools such as our Solar Loteria give our communities the opportunity to familiarize themselves with relevant terms, phrases, and concepts, packaged in an enjoyable, culturally meaningful way. For more information about PODER’s Solar Equity campaign, contact mariansan.poder@gmail.com.
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/solarpoder