Congresswoman Lee Announces Over $218 Million in Local and Regional Solar Energy Investments on Earth Day
LAS VEGAS – Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) announced over $218 million in local and regional solar energy investments from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support residential solar installations, targeted outreach, technical assistance, and workforce development to help transform the Nevada solar market into a vibrant and self-sustaining industry — as well as enable disadvantaged and Tribal communities to deploy and benefit from solar.
The investments were made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, which Congresswoman Lee helped pass last Congress. The funding has two major components:
- $156,120,000 for the Nevada Clean Energy Fund: This targets single-family homeowners, affordable housing properties, and residential-serving community solar to enable equitable solar access in Nevada. The program will leverage its diverse network of partners across the state to meaningfully involve communities in program design and conduct targeted outreach, education, technical assistance, and workforce development in rural, urban, suburban, Tribal, and persistent poverty communities. The Nevada Clean Energy Fund is Nevada’s nonprofit green bank.
- $62,450,000 for Grid Alternatives’ Western Indigenous Network Solar For All (WIN-SFA): This program is designed to maximize Tribal household benefits and energy sovereignty while addressing environmental destruction and climate change. The benefits include expanded access to solar and storage in Tribal Nations; vastly improved and more affordable integrated energy solutions; job training and inclusive workforce development opportunities for Tribal members and businesses; increased resilience against climate change impacts and other harms; and community-centered engagement and participatory governance based on relationships of respect and trust. Operating nationwide, WIN-SFA will prioritize Tribal communities in Nevada and the West.
“Nevada has long been among the leading states for solar industry jobs in the nation, and it’s investments like these that will continue to propel us forward,” said Congresswoman Lee. “This will be critical to combating the climate crisis and building our clean energy economy right here at home. I was proud to have helped get the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law to bring these investments to our community.”
These local and regional investments are part of a broader EPA announcement of 60 selectees nationwide that will receive $7 billion in grant awards through the Solar for All grant competition to deliver residential solar projects to over 900,000 households across the country.
###