By Scott Hancock December 31, 2024
The solar workforce can be seen in the field flexing their skills. (Hit Me with Your Sun Shot Photo Competition 2017, Credit: Ann Crehore)
As of August 2024, we’ve seen 15 consecutive months of record-breaking temperatures across the globe.
In 2024, Phoenix, Arizona reached temperatures warmer than 100°F for 100+ days, breaking a 1993 record of 76°F. Delhi, India saw its highest temperature ever of 121.8°F, surpassing a milestone set in 2022.
This trend is alarming, considering extreme heat is deadlier than hurricanes, floods and tornadoes combined. Heat-related deaths have been on the rise, with estimates suggesting thousands of heat-related fatalities occur annually in the United States alone.
This past summer, nearly 250 million Americans endured 90-degree-plus temperatures, resulting in widespread heat-related illnesses and fatalities — the impact of which won’t be known for some time due to record-keeping delays for heat-related health impacts.
The consequences of extreme heat, particularly in developed areas where concrete, asphalt and other heat-absorbing surfaces combined with reduced vegetation, create “heat islands” of elevated temperatures. Heat islands increase local temperatures, often disproportionately affecting our low-income communities. Heatwaves strain electrical grids as air conditioners work overtime, threatening grid stability, increasing costs and exacerbating the climate crisis through increased emissions.
Yet, within this challenge lies opportunity: Solar and battery storage can transform our approach to heat resilience. By harnessing solar energy during sunny days, we can generate power for cooling needs. In the face of rising temperatures, solar technology isn’t just an option – it’s our brightest path forward.
Solar for Humanitarian Relief
When temperatures spike, cooling access becomes a matter of life and death. Solar technology can provide immediate relief to vulnerable populations during heatwaves. By powering cooling centers, emergency services and mobile relief units, solar energy can be a literal lifesaver.
Solar-powered cooling centers are one of the most important of these resilience technologies, serving as crucial refuges during extreme heat events. These facilities, when designed as local microgrids with both solar panels and batteries, can operate independently, ensuring reliable cooling even during power outages.
A prime example are the resilience hubs developed by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) in Puerto Rico. In several communities, they’ve transformed local public spaces into multifunctional centers that provide essential cooling and other services during emergencies. The combination of solar-plus-storage avoids the drawbacks of gas-powered alternatives such as supply shortages and delivery delays.
Mobile solar units take this idea further, bringing cooling and power directly to those in need. In Atlanta, Georgia, a group of nonprofits has adopted this innovative solution by acquiring a mobile microgrid trailer to provide power in the aftermath of severe storms or other disasters. Less than a year later, it supported relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Yet, within this challenge lies opportunity: Solar and battery storage can transform our approach to heat resilience. By harnessing solar energy during sunny days, we can generate power for cooling needs. In the face of rising temperatures, solar technology isn’t just an option – it’s our brightest path forward.
Solar for Humanitarian Relief
When temperatures spike, cooling access becomes a matter of life and death. Solar technology can provide immediate relief to vulnerable populations during heatwaves. By powering cooling centers, emergency services and mobile relief units, solar energy can be a literal lifesaver.
Solar-powered cooling centers are one of the most important of these resilience technologies, serving as crucial refuges during extreme heat events. These facilities, when designed as local microgrids with both solar panels and batteries, can operate independently, ensuring reliable cooling even during power outages.
A prime example are the resilience hubs developed by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) in Puerto Rico. In several communities, they’ve transformed local public spaces into multifunctional centers that provide essential cooling and other services during emergencies. The combination of solar-plus-storage avoids the drawbacks of gas-powered alternatives such as supply shortages and delivery delays.
Mobile solar units take this idea further, bringing cooling and power directly to those in need. In Atlanta, Georgia, a group of nonprofits has adopted this innovative solution by acquiring a mobile microgrid trailer to provide power in the aftermath of severe storms or other disasters. Less than a year later, it supported relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Larger solar projects are reimagining urban spaces. Solar canopies over parking lots and atop buildings not only generate power but also provide shade over heat-absorbing materials contributing to lower surface temperatures.
Benefits extend beyond city limits. In rural areas, raised solar arrays provide valuable shade for livestock. This symbiotic relationship (known as solar grazing) creates a win-win scenario: livestock maintain solar fields by eating vegetation, while the panels provide shelter and a protected grazing environment, reducing landscaping costs and enhancing soil health.
The emerging field of agrivoltaics combines solar power with agriculture, creating partially shaded environments that benefit certain crops, reducing water evaporation (and use), and creating cooler microclimates for the plants, panels, and animals all sharing space.
By integrating solar infrastructure thoughtfully into our urban and rural environments, we’re not just generating clean energy – we’re supporting communities and creating more livable spaces in a warming world.
The Sunny Side of Economics: Solar’s Financial Benefits
Solar resilience isn’t just about staying cool – it’s about keeping economies running smoothly during heat crises. As temperatures rise, so do the financial advantages of solar adoption.
During heat emergencies, solar-equipped communities see reduced strain on public resources. With businesses and homes generating their own power, local governments can focus on the most vulnerable populations.
For residents and businesses alike, solar installations offer a hedge against heat-driven energy price spikes. While traditional utility costs rise during peak demand, solar users enjoy stable, predictable energy expenses. This price stability is particularly crucial for low-income households and small businesses operating on tight margins.
Moreover, the expanding solar sector is a quality job creation engine. In 2023, the clean energy sector outpaced overall economic growth, creating high-quality jobs at twice the rate of traditional energy, with significant gains for unions, veterans and Latino workers, while easing hiring challenges for employers.
From installation and maintenance to research and development, the industry offers a diverse range of careers. It can also provide family-sustaining jobs in geographies that may have lacked or lost such opportunities.
Solar not only builds careers but also hones long-term capacity, empowering communities with the expertise to manage and expand their own renewable infrastructure. As demand for heat-resilient solutions grows, local skillsets become increasingly valuable, fostering economic resilience from within.
By investing in solar, communities aren’t just preparing for a hotter future, they’re investing in local economic resilience.
Paving the Way: Policy and Implementation for Solar Resilience
As we face increasing heat challenges, integrating solar solutions into policy frameworks is valuable for community resilience and public health. Heat action plans at all levels of government should explicitly include solar and storage solutions as key strategies.
Building codes and urban planning must evolve to prioritize solar readiness. New construction should be designed with solar integration in mind while retrofitting programs can help existing structures adapt appropriately.
However, implementing these policies comes with challenges. The initial investment costs for solar and storage can be significant, even with incentives. Solar and storage incentives should target vulnerable communities first.
The federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) programs are steps in the right direction. These initiatives, including Solar for All, the National Clean Investment Fund and the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator, offer funding opportunities for communities to enhance their energy resilience. It’s crucial that complementary financing options and subsidies are structured to ensure equal access to these technologies across all income levels, particularly in disadvantaged communities.
Grid integration presents another hurdle. As more distributed solar comes online, utilities and grid operators must adapt to manage this new, dynamic energy landscape. Challenges exist, but technologies such as smart inverters and updated regulations to ensure their use will be key to maximizing the benefits of solar while maintaining grid stability.
Despite hurdles, opportunities outweigh obstacles. As temperatures rise, solar is an essential tool in our climate adaptation toolkit to prepare our communities for possibly even worse summers to come.
Embracing a Solar-Powered, Heat-Resilient Future
Solar energy is a multifaceted tool in our fight against extreme heat. From powering cooling centers and easing grid strain to creating jobs, shading environments, and even potentially providing passive income, solar technology offers a promising and humanitarian approach to heat resilience. The time for action is now.
Policymakers and community leaders must prioritize solar integration in their heat adaptation strategies. In addition to the funding programs listed above, technical assistance can help communities prepare for the deployment of solar in a strategic manner. Luckily there are federal programs that can help make this a reality.
One of those programs is SolSmart, a free technical assistance program supported by the U.S. Department of Energy that offers vetted guidance and resources to help communities take full advantage of solar benefits.
SolSmart and similar technical assistance programs can help local governments remove barriers, taking important steps such as updating building codes, incentivizing solar adoption in vulnerable areas, and reimagining our landscapes with solar promise in mind.
Picture cities where solar canopies shade our streets, where solar-powered grids remain stable supporting peak cooling demands, and where every rooftop contributes to our collective resilience. In light of solar advancements and federal support, this vision is more than a dream – it’s an achievable reality.
About the Author
Scott Hancock, senior program manager at Interstate Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), also manages the SolSmart program, assisting local governments in their solar market goals. With an MBA/MPA in Sustainability, this Arizona native brings expertise in renewable energy and community resilience. Scott’s background focuses on clean energy transitions.