Two years after the Inflation Reduction Act was passed, Washoe County is still reaping the benefits of grant money awarded for clean-energy projects.
In 2022, The Empowerment Center opened its doors in Reno as the only affordable housing complex that provides permanent support for those recovering from substance abuse.
Representatives from multiple agencies, including the Nevada Clean Energy Fund, the Washoe County Board of Commissioners, and the Nevada Wildlife Federation gathered at the center to discuss the impacts of clean energy across Washoe County.
Washoe County Commission Chair, Alexis Hill, emphasized the importance of finding ways to lower the cost of living, starting with lower energy bills.
“We know so many Nevadans are on the edge of whether they can stay in their house, and their energy bills are part of the reason that they may or may not be able to stay in their home.”
For those seeking recovery from addiction and substance abuse, that challenge is even greater.
Two years after the property opened, grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency going towards ‘Solar for All’, is helping several organizations work together to expand the property.
That expansion is expected to give the organization more room to help those in need.
“The Empowerment Center noticed as individuals were completing our program, they were finding it very challenging to go out and find housing that was safe, where they would be surrounded by individuals that had a common goal of being clean and sober,” said Roxanne DeCarlo, Executive Director of The Empowerment Center.
The extended location will be powered completely through solar energy, with 557 solar panels installed on its roof and carport, in addition to the 118 panels helping to run the first location.
By saving money on the cost of energy, the organization can focus on recovery efforts across the county.
“Phase two will have a clinic where primary care will be provided, in addition to psychiatric care. So, we are really excited to be able to step up our kind of game, so to speak, and serve our community and just a bigger and better way,” said DeCarlo.
This is only one of several future projects planned.
Each organization plans to continue working together to increase clean energy across Northern Nevada, even to the extent of making sure natural land habitats are not impacted by any solar installations.
“We really are advocating for having things done in a smart way, because we are going to be setting a precedent for the rest of the country on putting solar on our public lands. So, we want to be just really careful knowing the impact that, when solar is being developed, that’s going to have on wildlife habitat,” Natasha Majewski with the Nevada Wildlife Federation said.
The extended development is expected to be completed by April of 2025.