Biden announced $7 billion to help low-income households install rooftop solar

Joe Biden celebrated Earth Day by announcing $7 billion in funding for residential rooftop solar projects to power nearly a million low-income homes.

The announcement was followed by a series of events aimed at promoting the Biden administration's achievements on climate change.

Biden mentioned the funding during a speech in Virginia where he also announced that he was accepting applications for the American Climate Corps, a program that prepares young people for jobs in climate-related industries.

Biden plans to face former President Donald Trump in the November 5 presidential election. Therefore, he must capture these key voters, namely young people who are more concerned about climate issues.

The $7 billion in funding will come from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Solar for All grant competition, a key component of the Inflation Reduction Act’s greenhouse gas reduction funds. According to the White House, this will create 200,000 jobs and families participating in the program will save approximately $400 per year.

Biden said universal solar power would bring huge benefits to the environment and climate. He also pointed out that low-income households can spend up to 30% of their wages on energy.

Sixty state and local agencies and nonprofits have programs to help residents in poor communities go solar and save money on their energy bills. Winners include organizations planning to bring solar energy to Native American homes in states such as Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado.

It has long been recognized that low-income Americans have difficulty taking advantage of the benefits of residential solar because of high upfront costs and the majority of residents choosing to rent or live in apartment buildings.

This project coincides with Biden's goal of directing 40% of federal clean energy investments to poor communities.

The first cohort of the program will start in June

The White House said the Climate Services Corps aims to put more than 20,000 young people on the job, training on installing solar panels, operating lidar cameras that detect methane emissions and restoring mangrove ecosystems.

Biden noted that by partnering with North America's Building Trades Unions, program participants will have the opportunity to receive pre-job training and hopefully enter federal government employment.