The Project

The Solar Commons Project has created the tools for a new, commons-based model of community solar ownership. The twenty-first century energy transition will generate billions of dollars in energy savings from solar technologies. Our goal is to ensure that these savings stay in the hands of local communities to build community wealth. We work in “living labs” with community partners who use our legal and digital dashboard tools to transparently share solar energy savings through community trusts. The community stewards use school participatory budgeting and other forms of distributive justice to share the trust funds for long term community benefit. We are making available a free, robust solar commons toolkit so that, just as the sun shines for everyone, the sun’s common wealth can be claimed and distributed by solar commoning communities for decades to come.

Value and Scalability Studies

The Solar Commons Project embeds solar technology in social and ecological relationships that support equitable local livelihoods for low-income communities in rural and urban regions. Research from Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) has demonstrated the capacity of the Solar Commons Model to iterate across the US within the span of a decade. RMI found that the Solar Commons could produce a positive net present value to donors as it proliferates across the US. Read the RMI Solar Commons Financial Analysis here or the RMI Solar Commons Scalability Analysis here.

Research Team

The Solar Commons Project is hosted by the Minnesota Design Center at the University of Minnesota’s College of Design. The project is led by legal anthropologist Prof. Kathryn Milun. who collaborates with community and university researchers from several disciplines including law, public art, architecture, engineering, economics, and computer science. Learn about the team.

Partners

From hot and cold climates, our partners work with the research team on Solar Commons legal, economic, and governance tools. Partners include community and tribal groups in Minnesota and Arizona as well as the University of Arizona School of Art, the Sustainable Economy Law Center in California, and the solar manufacturing company Heliene, Inc. in Minnesota. Learn more about our partners.

Funders

This Project has been supported by financial contributions from many: the US Department of Energy which awarded the Tucson Solar Commons a “Sunny Award for Equitable Community Solar.” In Arizona we received grants from the Pulliam Charitable Trust, the Lodestar Foundation and the US Green Building Council (Arizona Chapter). In Minnesota, the Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota and the MN Department of Commerce Solar on Public Buildings Program and others. Learn more about our funders.

Connect

This work involves a growing network of collaborators. If you would like to learn more or explore collaboration, please email Prof. Kathryn Milun or call +1-218-726-7071.