Congressman Bennie Thompson Announces over $ 62 Million Awarded to Hope Enterprise Corporation

Today, United States Representative Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) announced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $62,450,000 in funds through the Solar for All grant competition to Hope Enterprise Corporation (HEC) to deliver residential solar projects to households statewide. The grant competition is funded by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda through the Inflation Reduction Act, which created EPA’s $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

Hope Enterprise Corporation will advance affordable and resilient solar energy access for low-income and disadvantaged households across Mississippi, utilizing a multi-pronged approach. The "Residential Rooftop Solar for Low-Income Households" strategy targets the development of a residential rooftop solar leasing market in areas served by state’s investor-owned utilities, aiming to ensure savings for every low-income household while enhancing the local solar installer ecosystem. The second approach, "Multifamily Behind-the-Meter Solar for Low-Income Tenants," focuses on multifamily buildings, seeking to lower energy costs for low-income tenant households through strategic financial mechanisms and partnerships with local housing developers. All strategies hinge upon innovative financing, strategic partnerships, and HEC’s experience and expertise in serving disadvantaged communities in the state.