Community Solar Program Hits Its Stride

Imagine a community where each apartment building is equipped with solar panels and benefits from the power of the sun.

The Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) program was created to help make that possible and is one way Southern California Edison is working to create a future where everyone, including renters, can take advantage of residential solar.

The Knolls in Orange, a 260-unit apartment complex, is one of the communities already benefiting. It has been part of the SOMAH program since 2023 when 1,596 solar panels were installed throughout the property, providing 65% of the community's electricity needs.

"We have wanted to use solar power for quite some time and didn't know how to participate," said Knolls resident Judy Ortiz. "We were happy when the property management company told us about the project and we joined in, helping lower our monthly bill, which makes a difference for us."

Within the five years since SOMAH began, SCE has achieved more than 10 megawatts (MW) of solar generating capacity in its service area, helping about 4,800 customers.

That's enough energy to:

• Power 10 large sports stadiums simultaneously.
• Keep 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools warm.
• Run 5,000 treadmills in a gym.
• Operate 100 stadium scoreboards.

SOMAH is a statewide program that provides rebates to property owners who install solar systems for qualified low-income or disadvantaged community housing. Tenants and building owners receive credits on their electric bills from the energy generated by the solar panels.

The program also offers information on implementing energy-efficiency measures at home, solar installation job training, workforce development and tenant education and engagement.

"We are so pleased to see SOMAH hitting the 10 MW milestone because this program transforms the lives of low-income tenants and property owners, providing them with access to clean, renewable energy and significant savings on their electric bill," said Rene Valencia, SCE's manager of Customer Generation Incentive Programs. "By offering financial incentives for the installation of solar panel systems, SOMAH is making clean energy accessible to those who need it most and otherwise would not have access to the benefits."

This milestone is a big step toward an ambitious goal. By Dec. 31, 2030, the program aims to install and interconnect at least 300 MW of solar generating capacity on qualified multifamily affordable housing across California. Remarkably, the state is almost halfway to that goal with 132 MW installed or in progress.

For more information about community solar, visit SCE's Community Renewables Program page.