Join a community crafting an equitable energy transition.
Why we care
1 in 5 American households suffer from energy poverty, defined as spending more than 6% of one's income on energy each month.
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While solar energy could be an affordable and empowering solution for most consumers of the power grid, it remains out of reach due to high upfront costs and complicated financing.
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Emrgi is using the tried and tested cooperative model to rethink where the profits from energy markets are directed - to the benefit of our members.
Emrgi's cooperative structure
All those using Emrgi services are member-owners of the Emergi Cooperative. Fees collected by the cooperative are used to cover the ongoing costs of operating those services, and any remaining funds are passed back to members as dividends.
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Members earn points based on their energy usage (in kWh) each month, and the value of those points is deteremined by the collective wealth of the cooperative. Members can choose how many points to "stake" in the pooled fund by default, and how to use their points - either by reducing the cost of their energy bills, as direct cash withdrawals, or toward additional clean energy investments. ​​
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The Emergi Cooperative structure is intended to be equitable by design, creating avenues to address the systemic injustices of the current power grid. We welcome thoughts and feedback as we continue developing this community. ​​
Providing relief through the Emrgi Equity Fund
​​For every $1 that Emrgi's member-owned cooperative earns through fees, $1 is donated to support families experiencing unaffordable energy bills. This donation is to the Emrgi Equity Fund, powered by the Emergi Foundation, a 501c3 not-for-profit that ​provides free upgrades and energy assistance to families experiencing unaffordable energy bills.
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Our aim is to ensure that no one pays more than 6% of their income on their energy bill. The power of the sun is free and abundant. With the right infrastructure, no one should have to limit their energy usage.
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As we build this fund with our early cooperative members, we are interested in learning from partners working in this space. Please reach out if you would like to partner with us or provide program advisory services.
Driven by research
Our work is backed by cutting-edge research on energy poverty, energy burden, and net energy return, driven by the work of our founders. Stay tuned for continued exploration of the best ways to make the energy transition more equitable.