Solar Panels for Habitat Homeowners
Homeowners earning less than 60% of Area Median Income already experience a larger housing cost burden than their middle-income neighbors. In recent years, rising electricity prices have further burdened these low-income homeowners, forcing them to choose between paying for electricity and providing basic necessities for their families. In response to these increasing cost burdens, Habitat for Humanity Virginia and GiveSolar are partnering with state and local-level Habitat organizations to expand families’ access to solar. Families who install solar arrays through the Virginia Solar Program and the National Habitat Solar Program, run by Habitat Virginia and GiveSolar, will experience significant savings on their monthly energy bills, freeing up more of their income for housing payments, food, and medical bills.
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Thus far, we have raised $3.8 million for the Virginia and National Solar Programs, which will contribute to solar panel installations on Habitat homes in Virginia, Kansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Alabama, Maine, and North Carolina.
Habitat for Humanity volunteers hand a solar panel to a team of professional solar installers at a solar "barnraising" event in Harrisonburg, Virginia​
Virginia Solar Program
In 2021, Habitat for Humanity Virginia and GiveSolar began partnering with local Habitat organizations across the Commonwealth to install rooftop solar arrays at a low cost to Habitat families. The project has since been supported by the American Institute of Architects and several other foundations and individuals. To date, the Virginia Solar program has installed solar panels on 92 Habitat homes in the state, saving families an average of $73 per month on their electricity bills.
In line with Habitat’s vision of offering families “a hand up, not a handout,” Habitat families with solar pay $15-25 per month over 10 years to lease the panels from Habitat Virginia. After 10 years, Habitat Virginia sells the panels to the family for $1. Families never pay more than 30% of their average monthly energy savings on lease payments.
National Habitat Solar Program
Habitat for Humanity Virginia is partnering with GiveSolar and 20+ other Habitat State Support Organizations to launch the National Habitat for Humanity Solar Program in January 2026. The program has a goal of helping 10,000 Habitat families benefit from solar panels. Habitat for Humanity International is supportive of the program.
Habitat Virginia’s solar project managers will work with state and local-level Habitat organizations to…
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Educate local Habitat organizations and families about solar
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Coordinate with solar companies to install solar panels on Habitat roofs
Our Solar Partner
Founded by Jeff Heie in 2018 through the support of the Merck Foundation, GiveSolar’s primary mission is to make solar accessible for Habitat for Humanity families across the U.S. Since 2021, GiveSolar has worked with Habitat for Humanity Virginia to develop both the Habitat Virginia Solar Program and the National Habitat Solar Program. GiveSolar operates as a project of New Community Project, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
Solar Stats
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US Department of Energy data shows that households earning low incomes spend an average of 8.6% of their total household income on energy bills, while middle-income households spend only 2%.
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Solar greatly reduces energy burden for 25-30 years, the expected lifespan of a solar system.
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Habitat roofs are small. In Virginia, the average 4.8 kW solar system produces approximately 6290 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, saving homeowners an average of $73 per month (based on 21 homes that have been in service for 1+ years)