Solar United Neighbors
| Company type | Nonprofit organization |
|---|---|
| Industry | Renewable energy |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Anya Schoolman |
Area served | United States (including Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia) |
| Products | Solar cooperatives, community solar initiatives |
Solar United Neighbors (SUN) is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to organizing solar cooperatives that facilitate collective purchasing of residential solar panel systems.
History
The origins of SUN trace back to 2007 when two twelve-year-olds, Walter Schoolman and Diego Arene-Morley, motivated by the documentary An Inconvenient Truth, encouraged their parents to install solar panels. Walter’s mother, Anya Schoolman, played a key role in founding the Mt. Pleasant Solar Cooperative as a response to the steep retail prices of solar installations. By 2009, this cooperative had successfully installed solar arrays on 45 residences within Washington D.C.’s Mt. Pleasant area.
Anya Schoolman later launched the national organization that would become Solar United Neighbors in 2011. By March 2021, SUN had assisted with solar installations on over 5,200 homes throughout the United States.
In 2018, SUN collaborated with the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) to support the US National Solar Tour, an event highlighting operational solar power systems and broadening SUN’s reach within the market.
Advocacy
Solar United Neighbors (SUN) actively engages in shaping public policies around solar energy deployment, with a strong focus on equitable and socially responsible implementation. In 2021, SUN joined forces with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and the Initiative for Energy Justice to initiate the 30 Million Solar Homes campaign, which strives to increase fair access to solar energy nationwide.
Locations
SUN maintains operations across numerous strategic regions including Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. The organization promotes solar cooperatives and community solar initiatives that accelerate residential solar adoption and expand market presence. Collaborations with partners such as RMI strengthen SUN’s business framework and competitive positioning.
Among its notable projects is Houston’s Sunnyside Energy Community Solar, which enhances energy resilience during severe weather conditions, underscoring SUN’s commitment to reliable and sustainable energy solutions tailored to evolving market needs.