October 7, 2002—The US Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced an award of $1.5 million in grants to state and local partnerships to install 1 million solar roofs on buildings across the nation by 2010. These grants will be awarded to thirty entities in nineteen states. DOE has obtained one million preliminary pledges to install solar energy systems as a result of the Million Solar Roofs Initiative.
The new partnerships will combine the DOE grants with private funds, allowing them to conduct a variety of activities ranging from working with local and regional home builders to construct solar roofs on new homes to working with local lending institutions to develop financing options.
Other partnership activities include developing and setting up marketing and consumer education plans and working with local officials to develop standard building codes and practices for solar installations. Funds also will be used to develop training programs for inspectors and installers.
