Movement for Solar Capacity and Leadership
The Movement for Solar Capacity and Leadership (“MSCL”) program is a great opportunity for free training in one of society’s most important and rapidly growing fields - solar development. Additionally, the program enables meaningful engagement with other highly-motivated solar learners to cross-pollinate ideas and strategies, and it is a vehicle to connect with national partners.
Program Summary
I. The program offers a small intimate learning community/cohort – with an upfront in-person retreat, weekly evening online seminars, and additional opportunities to learn and connect. II. More specifically, the MSCL program involves:
- Education and training regarding solar energy, and particularly “community solar” focused on serving LMI (low and moderate income) communities;
- Learning about the new federal climate programs offering millions of dollars to LMI and communities of color;
- Building community with a select group of other trainees;
- An “each-one teach-one” approach with participants having the opportunity to give back by relaying their education and training to their community-based organization;
- Connecting with national partners engaged in promoting climate, racial and economic justice.
III. Who should apply:
- People who can demonstrate some connection to a community-based organization that has some interest in developing solar projects;
- People seeking deeper training in solar development;
- People who, ideally, already possess some basic knowledge of energy policy and solar energy (and indeed, a brief online self-study intro course is available for those who wish to gain this familiarity or simply brush up prior to entering the MSCL course).
IV. What’s expected of MSCL participants:
- A strong interest in learning about community solar and its potential community benefits (jobs, discounted energy bills, clean air, eventual ownership and economic development);
- Active participation in the weekly seminars and other possible cohort activities (which may include online chat spaces, meetings, and/or buddy pairings, depending on participant preferences);
- Engagement for the full period.
V. What participants will gain from the key components of the MSCL program:
- Technical assistance with organizing and developing community solar projects;
- A learning community made up of peers with similar interests/experience in solar development;
- Connections with national and regional experts.
VI. To Apply:
- Now accepting applications on a rolling basis. Even if you don’t meet every single qualification, we encourage you to apply (see above link)!
- For questions, contact Jessica Iniguez, Jiniguez@psef.network.