Executive Summary

On the path to becoming carbon negative by 2050, all 130 million single- and multi-family U.S. homes will need to be fossil free. However, existing approaches that rely on families paying up-front costs or taking on debt fail to reach over half the population -- renters and low- and moderate-income households. Upgrade Everyone scales the proven Pay As You Save® (PAYS®) inclusive utility investment system that enables energy upgrades to pay for themselves, with no credit check, debt, or up-front cost. In partnership with a dozen utilities in nearly a dozen states, along with community organizations and key federal agencies, this project will accelerate existing programs to upgrade and connect 25% of homes as virtual power plants by 2025, serving as models for national replication everywhere by 2030. Through this project, America’s utilities become drivers of decarbonization and equitable engines of the transition to clean energy communities.