Akron hopes to put solar panels on as many as 370 homes in the city, part of a federal grant won by a coalition of Midwestern cities to add the panels to houses in low-income areas.
Akron expects to get $2.8 million of the total $156 million award the Industrial Heartland Solar Coalition won from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Solar for All program. The $7 billion program aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help people save on electric bills.
The White House budget office ordered a freeze Jan. 27 to federal grants and loans to bring programs in line with President Donald Trump’s priorities; the order was lifted Jan. 29 after it was paused by a federal court. Environmental programs were among those targeted by the freeze, and it’s not clear whether Trump’s administration will rescind the funding.
In a statement, Mayor Shammas Malik called the reversal of the freeze a win for Akron, saying it had the potential to be “incredibly harmful” to the city.
If the project goes forward as planned, the money will help the city reduce greenhouse gas emissions while lowering the cost of energy bills for residents, said Casey Shevlin, Akron’s director of sustainability and resiliency. She said households could save close to $500 annually.
“It’s likely your bill is going to go down because you’re producing your own energy,” Shevlin said of recipients of the grant. “Akron is a fine place for solar.”
Northeast Ohio’s often-gray weather doesn’t mean solar panels don’t work here, Shevlin said. She also said light snow doesn’t keep light from reaching the panels and providing energy.
The city is still determining what its eligibility requirements will be for residents to apply for the solar panels, Shevlin said. Under federal rules, most city residents would be eligible for the program, but she intends to target low-income areas in particular.
The program is likely to be open for interested applicants later this year. The grant is for five years; the city is set to adopt it as part of its capital budget.
Very few residents in Akron have solar panels, Shevlin said, so there’s “so much room for growth there.” She said her plan is to educate people about the benefits of solar power this summer to increase residents’ comfort with the idea.
“I hope it kind of kickstarts other households to look into it,” she said. “It could kickstart a broader adoption, leveraging private resources.”
