It’s record heat during a late summer’s afternoon in the Ward 7 River Terrace neighborhood. The sun is shining bright on Cathy Howard’s home. Luckily, Ms. Howard can take advantage of the extra sunshine because she has a rooftop solar system on her home. A DC native, Ms. Howard has taken advantage of the DCSEU’s Solar for All and HVAC Replacement programs to make her home more comfortable and her energy bills lower for years to come.
Solar for All, a program of the District of Columbia’s Department of Energy and Environment, seeks to provide the benefits of solar electricity – including reducing energy bills by half – to 100,000 low-income households by 2032.
Ms. Howard was referred to the program by her cousin who had noticed a significant change in his utility bills after participating in the program himself. After finishing the application process, Greenscape Energy completed the installation in August 2022. With a year’s worth of solar benefits under her belt, Ms. Howard exclaimed, “It’s a big difference in the bills. It’s helped tremendously!”
After a positive experience with Solar for All, Ms. Howard also qualified for the HVAC Replacement Program (Now the Affordable Home Electrification Program), which helps residents make the switch from natural gas and electrify their home heating and water heating systems. This program helps residents reduce emissions, increase comfort and air quality in their home, and, when combined with Solar for All benefits, keeps energy bills in check.
Since many River Terrace homes consist of brick construction with little to no insulation, the HVAC replacement upgrades were not only a huge help but were necessary to keep Ms. Howard’s home comfortable throughout the seasons. “I’m cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter!”