Development of Community Solar Index (CSI) To Maximize Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) Population Participation In Community Solar Projects

Payne Institute and Mines Advanced Energy Systems student Amogh Thatte writes about how a community shared solar system is a solar-electric system that provides power and financial benefits to its subscribers. Recently, constant steady growth in installed shared solar capacity but abysmal participation from the low-to-moderate income (LMI) community has alarmed the researchers about the execution of the community solar. The literature review highlights a need for a specific quantitative metric that would combine technical, social, and economic aspects of community solar development. This paper formulates the community solar index (CSI) based on the location-specific net-zero PV panel size, the LMI population, and annual savings from solar energy. The CSI helps us maintain the focus on energy justice by identifying high-impact states whose LMI population would benefit the most from installing community solar. May 26, 2021.