More than 800 households can get free rooftop solar at “no cost, ever” through a new program launched through nonprofit coalition Georgia Bright and led by Capital Good Fund.
Notably, the program provides full rooftop installations through fully prepaid leases owned by Capital Good Fund, so the homeowner is not responsible for maintenance costs, monthly costs nor upfront costs. At the end of the lease term, Capital Good Fund will transfer the ownership to the homeowner, enabling the homeowner to own the system outright. Participants also do not need to provide a credit score to be approved or to qualify. Design and installation is handled by the program’s monitored contractor network.
“The No-Cost Solar Plan is just like it sounds: an opportunity for families in Georgia to get solar panels for their homes with no cost, ever,” Marsha Gosier, a community engagement specialist for the Capital Good Fund said during a presentation for the program.
Eligible homeowners are those who
- earn no more than 80% of the median income in the county, or 200% of the federal poverty level, adjusted for household size;
- are current or nearly current on their mortgage and property taxes; and
- have a roof or yard with good sunlight (about 300 square feet to 500 square feet).
For example, a single-occupant homeowner in the Atlanta area (Fulton County) is eligible if they make less than $63,950 per year.
Spearheaded by the Capital Good Fund, the initiative is funded by a $156 million federal grant awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Biden administration. The grant was part of the $7 billion Solar for All program, which funded solar projects in lower income communities and provided solar workforce development.
The program will randomly select about 400 applicants through a drawing in September. A second drawing will be held for an additional 400 systems in the spring of 2026. Qualifying households have until Sept. 7 to register.
Georgia Bright began as a pair of pilot programs, which aimed to prove equitable solar is not only possible, but scalable and sustainable.
One of the pilot’s participants, Christine Difeliciantonio spoke at an event celebrating the new program’s launch on Monday, and said the panels installed on her 1958 home became operational in May. Since then, Difeliciantonio said her power bill dropped from $224 in June 2024 to $50 in June 2025. Difeliciantonio, whose sister in Asheville, North Carolina was “hard hit” by Hurricane Helene last year, said her solar installation gives her peace of mind during storms.
The No-Cost Solar Plan is Georgia Bright first of four upcoming programs. The other upcoming programs include:
- The Residential Solar Savings Plan, available September 2025, will lease solar panels at no upfront cost, with low monthly payments that guarantee day-one savings of at least 20%, net of monthly payments.
- The Community Benefit Solar Plan, available early 2026, will provide solar installations for businesses that agree to share the savings with their community, such as through grocery gift cards, utility assistance, discounted daycare and rental assistance, for five years.
- The Utility-Led Community Solar Plan, available in 2026, will provide grants to local utilities to offer shared solar programs to low-income households.
The Capital Good Fund is a Rhode Island-based nonprofit that uses financial services to tackle poverty and environmental injustice. Along with Georgia Bright, Capital Good Fund is also helping finance green home improvements for clients in other states through its DoubleGreen and HomeGreen loan programs. According to Capital Good Fund, it has financed more than 16,000 loans totaling over $52 million to clients in 11 states since it was founded in 2009.
Also read: Georgia Power agrees to give community solar a path forward
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