By Macy Floyd
Macy is a junior at UNC-Chapel Hill from Faison, NC. She is majoring in Global Studies and Political Science with a minor in Spanish for the Professions.
Expanding Access to Clean Energy
At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a student-run nonprofit is proving that young leaders can play a transformative role in the clean energy transition. SolarEquity is dedicated to expanding access to renewable energy by bringing rooftop solar systems to affordable housing and underserved communities across North Carolina.
Founded on the principle that clean energy should not be a luxury, SolarEquity serves as a bridge between affordable housing developers and residential solar energy installers. The organization’s model removes the most significant barrier to clean energy access, upfront cost, by securing funding and equipment for the installation of solar systems on affordable housing units. Through this work, SolarEquity is helping to create a more equitable and resilient energy future, one project at a time.
“Our mission is to drive an equitable energy transition,” said Kaya Johnson, SolarEquity’s current president. “We focus on solar installations, improving energy efficiency, and advancing policy change all while building lasting community partnerships.”
For Johnson, the organization’s mission is personal as well as professional. Reflecting on her time with SolarEquity, she shared:
“I came into SolarEquity as a freshman in college, only knowing that I wanted to be involved in the affordable housing and environmental space. Now, as a senior, what I’ve gained from SolarEquity is more than I could have possibly imagined as I have met professionals and students who are so passionate about helping bring renewable energy to communities that are historically left out of the energy transition. Being the president of the organization has allowed me to foster the same environment for younger students as well as increasing the amount of projects and people SolarEquity is able to work with!”
Making an Impact at the Local Level and Across North Carolina
Over the past few years, SolarEquity has translated its mission into real-world impact. One of its early projects supported the installation of rooftop solar panels on 17 Habitat for Humanity homes on Odie Street in Chapel Hill. The organization secured donated panels from Strata Clean Energy, worked alongside East Chapel Hill Rotary and Southern Energy Management to raise $10,000 to support the system’s deployment, easing the financial burden on both the developers and future homeowners.
SolarEquity’s efforts have only grown since then. In one of its largest initiatives to date, the organization raised more than $100,000 in collaboration with EMPOWERment Inc. to fund the installation of a 32-kilowatt solar array at PEACH Apartments, a 10-unit affordable housing complex in Chapel Hill’s Northside neighborhood. The project, expected to be completed this year, will significantly lower energy costs for residents while contributing to the broader push for neighborhood sustainability.
Beyond residential projects, SolarEquity is also working to solarize community-focused organizations. In collaboration with St. Joseph CME Church in Northside, the team secured over $50,000 in grant funding for the installation of a 23-kilowatt rooftop solar system. Another recent partnership with Table, a Carrboro-based nonprofit addressing childhood food insecurity, will bring an 8-kilowatt solar system to the organization’s facility — helping reduce operational costs so more resources can be directed toward feeding local families.
Looking ahead, SolarEquity is preparing to expand its impact beyond the Triangle region. The organization is currently planning a new installation in Western North Carolina in partnership with the Footprint Project. Through this collaboration, SolarEquity aims to strengthen community resilience against future climate-related disruptions, like those seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
As SolarEquity continues to grow, its impact grows as well, both in terms of megawatts installed and students empowered. The organization is not only lowering energy costs for residents and nonprofits, but also building a generation of student leaders dedicated to a fair and just energy transition.
To learn more about SolarEquity’s mission or contribute to its ongoing fundraising campaign — which will help support upcoming solar installations in Western North Carolina — visit SolarEquity’s website. Together, we can help ensure that clean, affordable energy reaches every community.
