ICAST Community Solar Efforts

ICAST (International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology) is working nationally with disadvantaged communities (DACs) to develop their solar and battery energy storage systems (BESS) assets.

ICAST offers them our award-winning one-stop-shop services including project planning and design, site and vendor selection, construction management and commissioning, financing, workforce development, etc. One of our unique value propositions is the assistance we provide in accessing various grants and incentives through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), including applying for bonus tax credits, monetizing the tax credits, and accessing low-cost green financing through our sister organization, Triple Bottom Line Foundation (www.tblfund.org).

These projects provide numerous benefits to our DAC clients, including reducing energy costs, decarbonizing the existing energy usage, local jobs, and the advancement of energy equity and resiliency.

To learn more about our efforts and how we can help you, please contact Sam Lipman at saml@icastusa.org.

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Download Guidance for MFAH Community Solar Programs

ICAST currently has multiple community-scale solar PV and BESS projects in various stages of planning and execution with its Tribal and utility clients. A few samples are provided below.

Utilities (Rural Electric Cooperatives and Municipal)

Municipal Utility, City of Aztec, New Mexico: The City of Aztec, which operates its own electric utility, selected ICAST to help it design and implement a 2MW solar PV plus 4MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) project. Aztec is located in San Juan County, New Mexico (NM), which has been heavily impacted due to the closure of a coal mine and a large coal-fired power plant and thus qualifies for the 10% bonus Energy Community Investment Tax Credit (ITC). The site is secured and NEPA conducted along with geotechnical and engineering studies. We are awaiting the IRS decision on our 10% bonus ITC for the low-income community before commencing construction.

Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC), NM: ICAST has partnered with KCEC and Taos Pueblo, a federally recognized sovereign nation in New Mexico to design and install a 5 MW solar and 10 MWh BESS on Taos Pueblo lands. The US Dept. of Energy (DOE) recently selected ICAST for its Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas program awardee, with a $10M grant that is currently in negotiation. The team is awaiting the results of its IRS filing for a 10% bonus ITC for the project being on Tribal Land. The project is already eligible for a 10% bonus energy community tax credit. Project activities will commence once the DOE award negotiations are completed.

City of Socorro, NM: This project entails the installation of a 5MW solar and 10MWh BESS for the City, which is in middle of a plan to establish its own municipal utility. ICAST is helping the City negotiate with the private landowner for the site for the solar and BESS facility and a new sub-station for the City utility. Socorro will own the solar and BESS assets. ICAST is working on the filing for bonus ITC and other incentives and grants for this project.

Due to non-disclosure agreements, we are unable to name any other utility projects in our pipeline.

Tribes

Due to non-disclosure agreements, we are unable to name any other Tribal projects in our pipeline.

Testimonials

"We're thrilled with all the new federal funds coming out, we have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in the clean energy transition. We're looking forward to this project increasing energy reliability and resiliency and reducing energy burdens for our residents."

- Denver B. DeWees, Director for the City of Aztec, Electric Department.