Meet a retiree in rural OR and a group of millennials in WA who are spreading community owned solar projects across their states.
Most community solar in the US benefits corporations more than communities, with a large percentage of the economic benefit extracted as profit.
A retired scientist in Talent, OR organized the first participant owned community solar project in his state.
A group of young people in Olympia WA figured out how to work around the state's lack of virtual net metering and install community funded solar on non-profit and community buildings.
Both groups are now working statewide on projects with partners including tribes, high schools, fire departments, county governments, and irrigation districts.
Mason Rolph, Dan Orzech, and Ray Sanchez Pescador explain why we don't have to wait for utilities, big investors, or politicians to expand solar access in our communities.
Music: Scott Holmes, Marca Quechua, Josh Woodward and Silent Partner
Cool Solutions is a monthly 28 minute show with stories about people taking climate action from the bottom up.