Note: We experienced technical difficulties that resulted in audio issues during this episode. We apologize for the inconvenience!

Happy Halloween from Exact Solar! I’m interested to hear how you’ll be celebrating in the comments. I’ll personally be officiating my friend’s wedding in Oaxaca, Mexico.

What’s new

YEAH Philly, a youth empowerment nonprofit in Philadelphia, just switched on a 12-kW rooftop solar array that will cover 100% of its electricity needs.

The project was funded through a RE-volv partnership with Good Energy Collaborative and GreenBrilliance, boosted by a Changemaker Program grant from Billie Eilish and REVERB, with support from the Solar Moonshot Program.

Why it matters

Anytime a nonprofit goes solar, they free up budget to spend on the things that actually matter, instead of ever-rising energy bills.

Now, YEAH Philly has more money for their core mission: supporting youth with jobs, advocacy, and community care.

YEAH celebrated their new solar energy system with music, food, a local resource fair, and a ribbon-cutting.

Kendra Van De Water, YEAH Philly’s co-executive Director, had this to say:

“Solar energy is the future for nonprofits, not just because of the cost savings, but because this is a way for us to invest in our communities.”

If you or someone you know works for a non-profit in the Philadelphia area, get in touch with us at Exact Solar! We love building projects with social impact.

New Jersey Expands Commercial Building Program to Make Adding Solar Easier

What’s new

New Jersey greenlit RETROFIT NJ, a grant program that helps bankroll building upgrades, including solar plus batteries.

Why it matters

Awards range from $2.5 million to $12.5 million for projects costing at least $5 million and bundling three or more clean-energy measures. Grant funds will cover design through commissioning.

Nonprofits and tax-exempt institutions can get up to 60% of the cost of these upgrades reimbursed; commercial owners up to 50%.

Applications will open in the first few months of 2026 and will be accepted on a rolling basis. If you’re a commercial building owner in New Jersey, please contact us, and we’ll get the process started!

Solar is The U.S.’s Top Renewable Energy Source

What’s new

EIA’s latest Electric Power Monthly report (through August 31, 2025) shows solar is now the top renewable electricity source in the U.S. Wind+solar provided 19.1% of U.S. power in the first eight months of 2025, exceeding coal by 16.2% and nuclear by 11.7%, while renewables overall climbed to 26.1% of generation.

Why it matters

Storage additions are accelerating, natural gas output edged down, and coal capacity continues to retire. Cleaner, more flexible resources are scaling and increasingly setting the pace for reliability and long-term cost control.

Solar is now financially “too good to say no to,” and we’re deploying it at record speed.

Sources:

Billie Eilish grant program makes solar project possible for West Philadelphia youth organization

Billie Eilish grant program makes solar project possible for West Philadelphia youth organization - Energy News

YEAH Philly

New Jersey expands building retrofit grant program to cover solar + storage upgrades

Solar beats wind, hydro for top renewable electricity source in US

Electric Power Monthly - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit exactsolar.substack.com