By the mid-1900s, energy powering our homes became the norm rather than the exception across the United States, from cities to rural America. Yet nearly 33% of Americans still ask themselves whether they will be able to keep their lights on or heat their homes according to the latest Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) conducted by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in 2024. The negative effects of energy insecurity go even deeper. Research published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Preventing Chronic Disease journal looked further into previous RECS results and found that states with a higher percentage of energy insecurity also had a greater prevalence of diabetes diagnoses compared to states with a lower percentage. The 2024 study explains that being able to power heating and air conditioning during times of extreme temperatures has a role in helping our bodies stay within a normal temperature range, reducing the risk of chronic disease-related complications. The CDC reports three in four Americans suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and asthma. Resilient, dependable, and affordable energy has a direct effect on American’s health.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are currently 44 states and localities, including Washington, D.C., with at least one community solar project. 24 states have passed legislation that encourages or mandates community solar development. Delaware is one of those states. In 2021, Delaware passed legislation to accelerate the development of community solar programs to allow all residents to reap the benefits of solar power – lowering electricity costs without requiring the need for people to own rooftops or invest a large amount of money upfront. The 2024-2028 Delaware State Energy Plan expanded on this legislation by making it a foundational goal to address disparities linked to energy affordability, including exposure to extreme temperatures, air pollution, and ultimately, health issues. During the summer of 2025, a group of university students and recent graduates each studying data and geosciences at their respective universities worked with the state’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) as part of the NASA DEVELOP program. DEVELOP takes aspiring scientists and technology leaders and connects them with communities and partner organizations to conduct a 10-week feasibility research project applying NASA Earth observations to real-world problems while gaining valuable workforce experience. This DEVELOP team, out of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, utilized the NASA Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources (POWER) project’s solar data to map out the best locations to establish community solar generating facilities where low-income residents can opt-in to earn energy credits that go toward their energy bill.
The DEVELOP team obtained POWER data through the Data Access Viewer, a web-based, interactive application that allows users to view and download data for any location around the world, to observe 20 years of solar irradiance data (2001–2020) and create a typical year for their analysis. This historical data derived from NASA’s Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System Synoptic 1‑Degree (CERES SYN1deg) project helped them determine the optimal tilt and orientation for solar panels that would be placed on the rooftops of public buildings such as schools, city facilities, and community centers. With this data, the DEVELOP team decided the optimal tilt for each solar panel is 30.5 degrees, oriented southward. They then assessed the amount of solar irradiance that would be captured and projected the power generation the solar cells could produce if panels were placed on the rooftops at their recommended tilt.
The solar irradiance data from POWER enabled the DEVELOP team to identify 838 rooftop hotspots. They compared these hotspots with U.S. Census Bureau data indicating which city blocks had the highest numbers of households struggling to afford their energy bills. Using both datasets, they ranked each block based on where the greatest overlap occurred.
Their findings were presented to the Wilmington City Council’s Environment Committee in October 2025. In spring 2026, the DNREC Geographic Information System (GIS) team began identifying contact information for the owners of the buildings highlighted by the DEVELOP team, preparing for the project’s next phase: outreach and site assessments. With this progress, Wilmington is on track to become the first city in Delaware to pilot rooftop community solar and battery storage.
“The POWER data and the analysis the DEVELOP team produced are what got us to this point, it's the foundation everything else is being built on,” said Shaleen Munuhe with DNREC.
DNREC plans to continue to work with POWER data throughout the project in Wilmington as it assesses rooftop sites and determines solar panel and battery storage sizing. Wilmington is just the beginning though. The office is currently conducting a statewide solar market potential study to determine locations for similar community solar projects. DNREC said POWER data could strengthen this analysis and welcomes continued collaboration.
In the case of the DEVELOP team and DNREC’s utilization of POWER data, the impact is twofold. First, POWER served as an educational tool, playing a role in teaching future leaders how to use Earth observation satellite and modeling data to inform decisions that shape a community’s energy infrastructure and planning.
“The lesson that had the biggest impact on all of us was, when considering the implementation of energy solutions anywhere in the world, one must consider the hard numbers and the ideal fit in terms of environmental factors hand-in-hand with concerns of the impact on human wellbeing,” said the DEVELOP team.
“The lesson that had the biggest impact on all of us was, when considering the implementation of energy solutions anywhere in the world, one must consider the hard numbers and the ideal fit in terms of environmental factors hand-in-hand with concerns of the impact on human wellbeing,” said the DEVELOP team.
The second factor, and most essential, is that impact on human wellbeing the DEVELOP team mentioned. POWER’s solar and meteorological parameters deliver more than accurate time series data – they empower state energy offices to design effective community solar programs and strengthen their energy portfolios. These insights help make energy more reliable and affordable, supporting safer, healthier communities across the country.