By Alicia B. Hill

For Montgomery County Green Bank

A little over two years ago, Groundswell, Montgomery County Green Bank, and a host of local partners gathered to celebrate Montgomery County’s first community solar project built to serve low and moderate-income households. Since then subscribers to the community solar project at Paddington Square have made a profound difference for our community and the environment with SharePower™ by Groundswell community solar subscriptions.

Thanks to SharePower subscribers and committed partners like the Montgomery County Green Bank, 28 Montgomery County households that might not otherwise be able to afford clean energy are now able to save up to $500 a year through solar energy produced in Silver Spring, Maryland. In fact, low to moderate-income subscribers under Groundswell’s subscription management have saved more than $6.8 million to date. This savings is automatically deducted from SharePower subscribers’ electricity bills at absolutely no cost to them! In recognition of this impact on local households, a portion of SharePower subscribers’ subscription fee is considered an eligible tax-deductible donation in support of equitable clean energy access in Montgomery County.

In addition to advancing access to affordable clean energy – particularly for communities that have historically been left out – SharePower subscribers are also taking climate action with their subscriptions. Thanks to SharePower subscribers, the community solar project at Paddington Square has prevented about 234 metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution this year alone. That is the emissions equivalent of 599,525 miles driven by an average gasoline-powered passenger vehicle! Knowing that the negative impacts of pollution and climate change disproportionately impact already impoverished communities and communities of color, SharePower subscribers are able to make a profound impact through every kilowatt of energy generated – while seeing solar energy credits on their monthly PEPCO bill.

If you would like to make a difference for your community and the environment by subscribing to SharePower by Groundswell, learn more or subscribe at SharePower.Groundswell.org. For questions about SharePower, please reach out to us at customerservice@groundswell.org or (202) 505-3051.

About Groundswell: Groundswell is a 501c3 nonprofit that builds community power through equitable community solar projects and resilience centers, clean energy programs that reduce energy burdens, and pioneering research initiatives that help light the way to clean energy futures for all. Groundswell leads clean energy programs and projects in five states, including the District of Columbia, providing low and moderate-income households more than $6.8 million in clean energy savings to date. Learn more at Groundswell.org or @grndswell.