Families Can’t Afford Higher Energy Bills: Federal Rollbacks Are Making It Worse
By: Sach Constantine
America is at an energy crossroads. After decades of relatively flat demand, electricity use is surging – driven by the growth of energy-hungry data centers, the revival of U.S. manufacturing, and the electrification of cars, buses, and buildings. On the surface, that growth signals progress. But without the right solutions, it could also drive up bills for families. The good news is we have proven tools, like local solar, that can turn this moment into an opportunity to lower costs, strengthen communities, and build a more reliable grid.
Households across the country are already feeling the squeeze. One in four families spends a dangerously high share of their income just to keep the lights on and the air conditioning running. For low-income households, that “energy burden” can climb past 10%, forcing impossible tradeoffs between paying the utility bill or buying groceries and medicine. And the factors pushing bills higher – volatile fossil fuel prices, extreme weather, and an aging grid – show no signs of slowing.
Against this backdrop, programs like Solar for All have been critical – bringing the benefits of solar energy like lower monthly bills, cleaner air, and local jobs to households who need relief the most. That’s why recent moves to roll back Solar for All funding are a major blow to what is already an affordability crisis. At the very moment we need to double down on affordability solutions, policymakers are pulling support from the communities who stand to benefit most.
Why Energy Is Becoming Unaffordable
The business model of most investor-owned utilities (IOUs) plays a big role in rising bills. Utilities make their profits not by providing affordable service, but by building expensive infrastructure (think new gas plants or transmission lines) because regulators guarantee them a return on those investments. By contrast, local resources like rooftop or community solar don’t pad utility profits. That gives utilities little incentive to embrace them, even though they are often the cheaper, faster solution for families and businesses.
Add in global fossil fuel price swings, inflation, and repeated grid repairs after climate-driven disasters, and the result is predictable: higher bills for everyone, but especially crushing costs for vulnerable households. Meanwhile, utilities are raking in record profits. In 2023, U.S. utilities had their most profitable year in a decade.
This growing imbalance – households tightening their belts while utilities reward shareholders – is why affordable alternatives matter so much.
Local Solar: The Fastest, Cheapest Relief
Solar energy is the most cost-effective new source of electricity available today. But it’s not just about cost, it’s about speed. Building a new gas plant or long-distance transmission line can take a decade. A community solar project can be up and running in months, delivering immediate bill savings.
Local solar also makes the grid more reliable. When thousands of rooftops and neighborhoods generate their own power, the system is less vulnerable to single points of failure. During New England’s June 2025 heat wave, solar panels and batteries kept air conditioners running and saved consumers millions by reducing the need for expensive fossil fuel generation.
For families, local solar offers stability in a world of rising bills. Instead of being at the mercy of global gas markets, households can count on predictable, often lower energy costs. And for renters and those who can’t install solar at home, community solar programs open the door to the same savings.
Why Cutting Solar for All Hurts Families
Rolling back Solar for All funding undermines one of the few targeted tools we have to fight energy burden head-on. Without these programs, the households most vulnerable to high bills lose access to clean energy savings. Worse, these communities are often the ones living with the worst impacts of pollution and the least reliable service due to historic underinvestment in local infrastructure.
By pulling back now, policymakers risk locking in decades of higher costs across the board. Instead of scaling up low-cost, local energy, the U.S. could end up doubling down on expensive fossil fuel plants whose costs will keep flowing back to consumers. In the name of “energy dominance,” Federal leaders will end up making the crisis worse.
A Better Path Forward
Affordability isn’t just about cutting costs on paper – it’s about investing in solutions that deliver long-term savings and stability. Local solar and storage are proven tools for keeping bills down, avoiding costly grid upgrades, and creating local jobs that strengthen communities.
States like Illinois and Massachusetts show what’s possible. By adopting strong community solar programs focused on affordability, they’ve expanded access to solar for low-income households while driving down overall costs. Illinois’ Solar for All program, launched under the landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, is already delivering free solar and guaranteed savings for families who need them most. Scaling programs like these nationally should be a no-brainer.
Instead of cutting Solar for All, we should be expanding it. Every dollar invested helps lower bills, create jobs, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. And every family that gets relief strengthens the political case for more affordable, sustainable energy policies in the future.
What’s at Stake
If we stay on the current path – prolonging fossil fuel plants, delaying clean energy, and undercutting affordability programs – millions of families will pay the price through higher bills and deeper inequities. But if we lean into solutions like local solar, we can bend the cost curve back in favor of consumers.
Vote Solar has spent nearly 25 years proving this model works: by pushing for state-level policies that accelerate local solar deployment, cut energy burdens, and build resilience. We know how to fight for programs like Solar for All, and we know that without them, the affordability crisis will only grow worse.
The stakes are clear. Energy decisions being made today will determine whether American households face decades of rising bills, or whether they can look forward to stable, affordable, locally powered energy. Rolling back Solar for All moves us in the wrong direction. Now is the time to protect and expand these programs, not cut them.
Because at the end of the day, affordability isn’t just about numbers on a bill. It’s about whether families can thrive, whether communities can invest in their future, and whether our clean energy transition works for everyone.