Everybody Solar

FAQ

What does Everybody Solar do?
- Everybody Solar works to protect the environment and strengthen U.S. communities through solar energy projects. We achieve this by partnering with local non-profit community-based organizations to help them install solar power systems at their facilities.
What types of organizations does Everybody Solar help?
- Our partner non-profits benefit the greater good of the local community. We currently provide solar energy systems to 501(c)(3) non-profits. We also require the beneficiary organization to own the building that we solarize in order for the solar system to belong to and benefit the charity and its community over the long term.
How do I know my donation will go to a community I care about?
- If you choose to donate to a specific project, the donated funds will go to that project and will directly benefit the organization and community you chose. If you would rather give to Everybody Solar’s Solar Fund we will allocate funding for the project on your behalf equally among all of our
  current solar energy projects.
Why not give the money directly to the non-profit organization that you're trying to help go solar?
- We encourage you to do this too! We link to each nonprofit that we sponsor not only so our donors can learn more about the organizations we work with, but also so they can directly give to these organizations if they choose to.
- Double your impact: The advantage of giving through our solar projects program is that the savings generated for the nonprofit will benefit it for years to come, helping the organization not just today but in the long run!
How much C02 and pollution does solar PV negate?
- Just $25 dollars keeps 350 pounds of C02 out of our air.
- The average U.S. household uses about 830 kWh (kilowatt hours) of electricity per month. On, average producing 1,000 KWh of electricity with solar power reduces emissions by nearly 8 pounds of sulfur dioxide, 5 pounds of nitrogen dioxide, and more than 1,400 pounds of carbon dioxide.
- If the average household were to produce its own 830 KWh per month of electricity with a solar system, they would save approximately 80 pounds of sulfur dioxide, 50 pounds of nitrogen dioxide, and 13,944 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) from being released into the air each year.
- That means over the first 20 years of the solar system, about 280,000 pounds of C02 will be averted. Not bad considering that many people including the charities we help will also save money with solar.
- (Source National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
How much of my donation goes to specific solar energy projects?
- More than 80 cents of every $1 goes directly to solar projects for non-profits. Approximately 20 cents of every $1 is spent on fundraising and administrative expenses.
Where does the other 20% go?
- The other 20 cents or less go to help us pay for organizational costs, such as website hosting fees, community outreach, and compliance fees with local and federal governments.
What is your organization's privacy policy?
- Everybody Solar will never share or sell your email address, period. If you donate you can allow us to share your name and donation amount, but this is completely optional. No other personal information of yours will ever be sold or shared.
Is my donation to Everybody Solar tax-deductable?
- Everybody Solar is a 501c(3) tax-exempt organization. Donations to Everybody Solar and our projects qualify as tax-deductable. We cannot provide you with tax advise, however if you have made a donation in the past and need us to confirm any of the details please do not hesitate to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Is Everybody Solar affiliated with a specific solar company?
- Everybody Solar is not affiliated with a specific solar installer or solar manufacturer. Because solar is the cheapest form of clean energy available for deployment on an individual decentralized scale, we are focused on using Solar PV and Solar Thermal technologies in our clean energy Projects for communities. We work with NABCEB certified solar installers who provide the highest quality solar product and service at the lowest price, with preference given to installers who use solar panels manufactured in the U.S.
Why the focus on Solar and not other types of renewable energy sources?
- Other renewables such as wind and geothermal are great, but they are not as safe, easy and efficient for small businesses and individuals as solar.
Doesn’t the amount of energy produced by solar panels depend on where they are?
- Absolutely! You’re not going to get any solar energy out of panels if they’re in your basement! The more exposure they have to direct sunlight the better. However, solar panels are still capable of producing energy even on cloudy days. Currently, the leading solar energy producing country in the world is, not always sunny, Germany.
- Here’s a useful chart that shows data on the solar insolation levels for various cities across the U.S. Solar insolation is the amount of solar radiation that hits a particular square meter of surface area in a day. The higher the number, the more solar radiation there is in that location and the more solar energy a solar panel could potentially produce.
How much energy does it take to make solar panels?
- Solar panels take far less energy to make then what they output over their lifetime. Solar panels will typically make enough energy to recoup the amount that it took to produce them within the first 4 years of service. Given that most solar panels come with 25 - 30 year warranties, that’s a lot of free and clean energy!