On November 1st 2023, Mana Pacific became one of six initial Phase 2 winners in the American-Made Program Community Power Accelerator Prize, a competition organized by the U.S. Department of Energy and its National Community Solar Partnership. This achievement recognizes Mana Pacific’s mission-driven solar development efforts, specifically regarding their community solar projects in American Samoa and Moloka’i, Hawaii.
The competition offers a $10-million prize competition that awards and accelerates solar developers deploying innovative community solar projects. Developers are awarded based on the strength of their mission and team, as well as their incorporation of five meaningful benefits to their projects: low-to-moderate-income household access, greater household savings, resilience and grid benefits, community ownership, and equitable workforce development.
This prize is administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and is part of the larger Community Power Accelerator program by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). It brings together investors, philanthropic organizations, developers, community-based organizations, and technical experts to accelerate capital deployment to drive a more equitable clean energy transition.
Based on their work throughout the competition so far, Mana Pacific has been awarded $250,000 and is advancing to Phase 3 for an opportunity to win an additional $150,000. In this final phase of the Community Power Accelerator Prize, Mana Pacific is committed to securing final investments to power their pipeline of community solar projects in American Samoa, Moloka’i, HI, and other U.S. Territories in the Pacific. This recognition highlights Mana Pacific’s role in accelerating renewable energy development and equitable access to community solar across Pacific Island Countries and Territories.
Read more about the prize and Mana Pacific’s work towards expanding equitable access to community solar: https://www.herox.com/CommunityPowerAccelerator/update/610
