An indication of the solarpunk thing becoming ‘mainstream’ is when it is featured by a publication such as the Rolling Stone magazine – who have done just that this week in their post on How Community Leaders and Innovators Are Making Climate Equity Possible. And as Rolling Stone does these pieces, we look at some good specific examples of what this solarpunk phenomenon means:

Solarpunk: a movement that envisions a future where humanity lives in harmony with nature, using sustainable technology and renewable energy to create an equitable, regenerative world.

By Melissa Jun Rowley January 24, 2025

Imagine a future where communities, schools, municipalities and studios can generate and sell their own clean energy, and creatives can partake in this new value creation. That’s the vision of Christina Chu, cofounder of Solarpunks, a group of innovators setting out to eliminate fossil fuels across music, film, art and fashion events. They teamed up with DER Taskforce to power Brooklyn’s first-ever fully solar-powered concert featuring performances by Nation of Language and Model/Actriz. Through this project, they wanted to show the viability of running a full concert production on the sun’s power while supporting a community microgrid benefiting low- and moderate-income residents. 

Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, the health and human services nonprofit Westcare adopted solar power through a partnership with the climate justice group Re-volv and installed a 13kW solar system that will save Westcare more than $44,000 off the electricity bills. In rural Pennsylvania, Solomon’s United Church of Christ is putting savings it’s accumulated through going solar into community programs, including one that provides meals for children of food-insecure families. Through a partnership with Re-volv, the church has a new solar system of 30 panels designed to produce 100% of the building’s electricity. These two cases illustrate when tax credits are applicable. According to Re-volv, the organization saw a 138% increase in solar leads from 2022 to 2023. They suspect that Direct Pay, the federal solar tax credit made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act, was a key factor driving the leap. 

So, how can businesses get in on the action and contribute to an equitable energy transition? For starters, if they have any unused capacity in their buildings, such as their rooftops, to produce solar for their benefit, they can also use it to supply energy for the surrounding communities. They can partner with organizations like Re-volv to contribute to locally owned clean energy generation for neighborhoods. If companies offer workforce development programs, they can create job placement initiatives to help underrepresented groups enter clean energy industries. When expanding to different locations, businesses can fund projects that improve climate resilience, such as energy-efficient housing, EV charging stations or cooling centers for extreme heat events. They can also prioritize local procurement for materials and labor when undertaking renewable energy projects. 

Taking a cue from Solarpunks, companies can test and advocate for more innovations in mobile battery technologies. According to the Solarpunks team, this would have a critical effect on increasing the viability of more community-owned clean energy generation, which can keep jobs and funds circulating locally rather than going to oil and gas stakeholders. 

There’s no shortage of ideas, creativity or leadership along the road to climate equity. When business intersects with the needs and hopes of local communities in the name of building a more just and resilient world, creating value becomes the default and energy sovereignty for all can become the norm.

How about Exeter’s IKEA intersecting with the needs and hopes of local communities?

Superstores can help the environment and their bottom lines by installing solar panels

Businesses, it’s time to think on top of the box

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