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Get Free: Understanding the potential for Community Solar Power in Highland Park

Get Free: Understanding the potential for Community Solar Power in Highland Park

The concept of energy democracy allows people and communities to have control over their energy supply, with options such as choosing whether it comes from fossil fuels or renewables, and infrastructure considerations. Energy democracy focuses on poor and working class people of color, often most impacted by energy purchase decisions. The city of HIghland Park, MI has a majority of African-American and black population, with nearly half of residents living below the poverty line. Soulardarity and the Dow Fellows team collaborated on a community survey, that showed, among other findings, that approximately 40% of the population reported difficulty in paying their energy bills, with multiple people reporting illegal shut-offs. The results suggest a high and possibly unjust energy burden on the population.

Keywords: Energy democracy, Community Solar Calculator, Community Solar Power, Highland Park