Gallery: Three Ways to Bring Solar Power to the People Who Need It Most

  • Image may contain Electrical Device and Solar Panels
    Cait Oppermann
    01

    low-income-solar.png

    This past summer, locals put up solar arrays for low-income families in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
  • This image may contain Helmet Clothing Apparel Human Person Electrical Device and Solar Panels
    Cait Oppermann
    02

    CaitOppermann-2016-09-16-WIRED-Solar-Steamboat-2325.jpg

    Colorado utilities must set aside 5 percent of each solar garden for low-income users.
  • Image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Sunglasses Accessories Accessory Helmet Hardhat and Hat
    Cait Oppermann
    03

    CaitOppermann-2016-09-16-WIRED-Solar-Steamboat-2098.jpg

    Solar energy advocates assemble solar panels in Steamboat Springs.
  • Image may contain Electrical Device and Solar Panels
    Cait Oppermann
    04

    CaitOppermann-2016-09-16-WIRED-Solar-Steamboat-2211.jpg

    Last year Colorado spent $1.2 million on new solar gardens.
  • Image may contain Human Person Electrical Device and Solar Panels
    Cait Oppermann
    05

    CaitOppermann-2016-09-16-WIRED-Solar-Steamboat-2565.jpg

    Colorado is the US leader in community solar, where households can buy a share of a "solar garden" and get credit on their bills.
  • Image may contain Siding and Roof
    Cait Oppermann
    06

    CaitOppermann-2016-09-06-WIRED-Solar-Sacramento-1071.jpg

    In Woodland, California, a new complex's solar panels send power to the local grid, and proceeds are credited back to each household's utility bill.
  • Image may contain Human Person Vehicle Car Transportation Automobile Wheel and Machine
    Cait Oppermann
    07

    CaitOppermann-2016-09-06-WIRED-Solar-Sacramento-1131.jpg

    Even the carports are covered with solar panels.
  • Image may contain Roof and Tile Roof
    Cait Oppermann
    08

    CaitOppermann-2016-09-06-WIRED-Solar-Sacramento-1047.jpg

    The Woodland complex boasts the nation's first affordable zero-net-energy-certified rental units, and they're just for farmworkers.
  • Image may contain Transportation Vehicle Automobile Car Tire and Siding
    Cait Oppermann
    09

    CaitOppermann-2016-09-19-WIRED-Solar-Fargo-2637.jpg

    At the Leech Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota, solar panels are mounted on the south-facing sides of houses to produce heat during the winter.
  • Image may contain Nature Outdoors Building Housing Countryside Shelter Rural House Neighborhood Urban and Hut
    Cait Oppermann
    10

    CaitOppermann-2016-09-19-WIRED-Solar-Fargo-2691.jpg

    The sun's low arc across Minnesota's winter sky means the solar "furnaces" get direct rays when they need it the most.
  • Image may contain Banister Handrail Building Housing and Railing
    Cait Oppermann
    11

    CaitOppermann-2016-09-19-WIRED-Solar-Fargo-2629.jpg

    The Rural Renewable Energy Alliance has installed solar furnaces for 400 low-income households.
Read More
The Best Greens Powders for Drinking Your Veggies
I did the research and taste-testing to find the best greens powders worth your money. Bloom Nutrition’s Superfood Greens Powder is my tried-and-true pick.
Louryn Strampe
The Best Automatic Litter Boxes Tested by Our Spoiled Cats
With these high-tech automatic litter boxes, gone are the days of scooping and smells. Welcome to the future.
Molly Higgins
Give Your Back a Break With Our Favorite Office Chairs
Sitting at a desk for hours? Upgrade your WFH setup and work in style with these comfy WIRED-tested seats.
Julian Chokkattu
The Best Mattresses You Can Buy Online in 2026
WIRED has tested 100-plus bed-in-a-box mattresses for a week each. Our top pick, the Helix Midnight Luxe hybrid, is the best bed you can buy online.
Julia Forbes
The Best Drip Coffee Makers Now Rival Café Pour-Over
The old-fashioned drip coffee maker has come a long way. These impressive machines can turn your barista into a stranger.
Matthew Korfhage
The Best Qi2 and MagSafe Wireless Chargers for Your Phone
Top up your Qi2 Android phone or MagSafe iPhone with a magnetic wireless charging stand, pad, car charger, or power bank.
Simon Hill
20 Best Gifts for Men, Manly Men, and Menly Man Men
When you need something that’s as mannishly masculinized as you can get for the Man™ in your life, we have you covered.
Matthew Korfhage
Give Your Back a Break With Our Favorite Office Chairs
Sitting at a desk for hours? Upgrade your WFH setup and work in style with these comfy WIRED-tested seats.
Julian Chokkattu
Give Your Back a Break With Our Favorite Office Chairs
Sitting at a desk for hours? Upgrade your WFH setup and work in style with these comfy WIRED-tested seats.
Julian Chokkattu
The Best Portable Power Stations for Blackouts, Camping, or Van Life
Whether you’re going off-grid or safeguarding against blackouts, these beefy, WIRED-tested batteries can keep the lights on.
Simon Hill
The Best Wi-Fi Routers to Reach Every Corner of Your Home
Don’t suffer the buffer. These WIRED-tested home routers will deliver reliable internet across your home, whatever your needs or budget.
Simon Hill
I Tried 12 of the Most Popular Indoor Gardening Systems
Grow a backyard’s worth of greens and vegetables in your house with a vertical hydroponic garden. Here are a few that might be worth the investment.
Kat Merck