Commercial, Solar, Sourcing Renewables  -  June 20, 2022 - By Abayomi Lowe, BOSS

Supporting a Just and Equitable Clean Energy Transition

The global transition of the energy sector from fossil fuels to clean energy marks one of the largest and most necessary shifts in the world today. A complete and successful transition is only possible if the transition to clean energy is a just and equitable one.

In the United States and abroad, many historically marginalized communities have been left behind by environmental policies and advances in the clean energy sector. However, there is an immense opportunity to change this historical precedent and ensure that all communities are included in this transition. In particular, there is immense opportunity for energy equity in the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, which has seen rapid growth in the last decade. Solar, which can be cheaper and cleaner than traditional energy sources, is not only beneficial for the environment, it also presents communities with tremendous environmental, economic, and health benefits. If solar can be distributed across communities in a just and equitable way, then all can benefit from this transition.

While there are many systemic barriers preventing the benefits of clean energy from being shared equally by all communities, there is an effort to ensure just and equitable distribution of clean energy. Amongst those at the forefront of this effort are Black-owned solar businesses working to provide solar services for all communities.

BOSS (Black Owners of Solar Services), the largest community of African Americans working in the solar PV space, is committed to supporting this effort by providing the resources that Black-owned businesses need to thrive in the clean energy sector. The mission of BOSS is to combine and leverage the collective power of its members — entrepreneurs, financiers, veterans, attorneys, engineers, contractors, developers, and other peer partners — to lead actionable solutions for sustained access to equitable opportunities in clean energy production, distribution, and storage for Black-owned businesses. BOSS possesses deep knowledge, experience, and strategic access to the multi-trillion dollar, emerging solar and clean energy technology marketplace that is fast reshaping sustainability, infrastructure resilience, and livelihoods in our country and across the globe.

Since its inception in September 2020, BOSS’s collective efforts have been making communities more resilient, sustainable, and economically powerful. On Juneteenth, 2021 BOSS released a policy brief outlining federal policy priorities and recommendations and provided an overview of national policy developments and opportunities that will galvanize a more equitable clean energy economy where Black-owned businesses are central to helping America reach its climate resilience goals. In the spirit of Juneteenth, 2022, we want to continue to recognize and utilize the liberating power of solar to support and uplift communities.

Moving forward we must all continue to push for justice and equity within clean energy as that is the only way to guarantee a successful energy transition for all communities. Solar presents a unique opportunity to rewrite some of the systemic environmental and economic injustices in the United States and abroad. We will continue to work towards creating an equitable clean energy future and we call upon all who work within the clean energy sector and related industries to contribute to this noble effort.

Email [email protected] for more information. 

Abayomi Lowe is Communications Manager at BOSS, the largest community of African American professionals working in the solar photovoltaic (PV) space. We are entrepreneurs, financiers, veterans, attorneys, engineers, contractors, developers and other peer partners. We possess deep knowledge, experience and strategic access to the multi-trillion dollar, emerging solar and clean energy technology marketplace that is fast reshaping sustainability, infrastructure resilience and livelihoods in our country and across the globe. We have established roots and relationships in all communities, and particularly those disproportionately impacted by climate change —in the United States and abroad. Our collective efforts are making communities more resilient, sustainable and economically powerful.

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