​WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 14, 2021) – Pepco and NHT Ingenuity Power – a joint venture of National Housing Trust and Urban Ingenuity – have announced a major solar energy initiative as part of Pepco's effort to bring more clean energy to District of Columbia residents and help the city achieve its leading solar and climate change goals. The project includes a new community solar facility that is owned and operated by NHT Ingenuity power at Pepco's Benning Service Center and will provide both clean energy and financial benefits to Pepco customers through the District Department of Energy and Environment's (DOEE) Solar for All program. 

As the District of Columbia and the nation continue to be impacted by the challenges of COVID-19, Pepco is taking important steps to support its customers during this difficult time, including working with organizations such as National Housing Trust, Urban Ingenuity, and the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU), which currently operates the Solar for All program for DOEE, to identify and implement actions that can save customers money. The company also continues to take essential steps to address another important global challenge – the impacts of climate change. 

"We recognize the important impact clean energy has on helping to achieve the climate reduction goals in the District and beyond," said Dave Velazquez, president and CEO of Pepco Holdings. "We are committed to helping local solar thrive and are looking for opportunities to expand the benefits of clean energy for all customers. This includes building a modern energy grid to foster more solar and clean energy development, enabling the advancement of large-scale transportation electrification, and supporting new programs to help all customers, from our largest buildings to our corner stores, use energy more efficiently."

Pepco's support for this community solar project includes providing space at the company's Benning Service Center in Ward 7 to NHT Ingenuity Power (NHTIP) to develop free community solar for income-qualified District residents. NHTIP is a partnership between National Housing Trust (NHT), a national and local non-profit leader in preserving and creating affordable housing that anchors equitable and sustainable communities, and Urban Ingenuity, a District small business and mission driven financier of clean energy projects that promotes social equity and community development. With support from the DCSEU through the Solar for All program, NHTIP is installing a 1,156-kilowatt community solar facility at Pepco's property that is projected to produce 1.38 million kilowatt hours annually, a value of $178,000 per year in energy. As a result of this effort, 330 income-qualified households will see up to $500 in annual savings on their Pepco electricity bill over a 15-year period. The community solar project builds upon Pepco's relationship with NHT, which includes the Channel Square Apartments in Southwest, D.C., where the two worked to connect one of the largest privately-owned solar arrays in the District.

"This project embodies NHT's commitment to equitable clean energy solutions that share financial, environmental and health benefits with all DC residents," said Priya Jayachandran, CEO of National Housing Trust. "We are grateful for our continued partnership with Pepco, DC DOEE's Solar for All program and Urban Ingenuity to advance an equitable carbon neutral future."

This new community solar facility, like others across the District, will provide clean energy to the city and bill savings for low-to-moderate income households through the District Department of Energy and Environment's Solar for All program, which has a goal of providing 100,000 low-to-moderate income families with the benefits of locally generated solar energy. This new community solar facility is among the largest under the Solar for All program. Qualified residents can sign up for Solar for All by calling 202-299-5271 or online at doee.dc.gov/solarforall.

"The Solar for All program ensures that everyone in the District can benefit from the clean energy transition, said Tommy Wells, director of the department of Energy and Environment. "The community solar facilities built through Solar for All are critical to achieving the District's ambitious climate goals, but they also make solar free and accessible to any income-qualified resident who pays an electric bill. The Solar for All program is rapidly expanding and creating opportunities for thousands of District residents to go solar and reduce their electric bills."

"As America and the national capital region move rapidly toward a 100 percent clean energy economy, this project showcases the value of strong utility partnerships to benefit ratepayers, residents, and the local economy," said Bracken Hendricks, president and CEO of Urban Ingenuity. "The Benning Road Solar Project demonstrates that clean energy can create good jobs, lower housing costs, and improve the environment all at the same time. We salute Pepco's leadership vision in making this socially just and zero-carbon energy project possible."

Late last year, Pepco announced a major climate change commitment, launching a multi-faceted, action-oriented effort to help the District of Columbia achieve its leading greenhouse gas and climate change goals.  As part of that effort, Pepco is in the process of assessing all company property in the District, as well as in Maryland, to identify additional opportunities and partnerships to expand solar and clean energy opportunities. To learn more about Pepco's climate commitment, visit pepco.com/Climate.

In addition to providing property to help expand clean energy opportunities across the company's District of Columbia and Maryland service area, Pepco is working to streamline the solar interconnection process for customers and installers, launched a solar calculator and toolkit that can help customers further explore rooftop and community solar opportunities, and is partnering with DOEE to help raise awareness of the Solar for All program. Customers in the District and Maryland should visit pepco.com/Solar for information and resources.  

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