Vice President Kamala Harris Visits Baltimore, Highlights Climate Action with Kristal Hansley

In a pivotal moment for climate and energy action, Vice President Kamala Harris visited Baltimore to promote the Biden-Harris administration’s climate agenda and underscore the importance of building a clean energy future. Among those featured during her visit was Kristal Hansley, CEO of WeSolar, a trailblazing community solar company bringing affordable, renewable energy to underserved communities.

Vice President Harris visited with a focus on the administration's commitment to decarbonizing disadvantaged communities. As part of this push, billions of dollars are being allocated to green banks, which will help fund clean energy projects in neighborhoods historically overlooked by renewable energy initiatives. This strategy is critical for ensuring that the benefits of clean energy reach those who need it most, something that Kristal Hansley has been championing through her work with WeSolar.

During her time in Baltimore, Vice President Harris met with local leaders, including Hansley, to discuss how initiatives like community solar can reduce energy costs, create jobs, and fight climate change. Hansley, the first Black woman in the U.S. to own a community solar company, has been a leading voice in making solar power accessible to low- and moderate-income families. WeSolar’s community solar model allows households to benefit from clean energy without needing individual solar panel installations, a game-changer for families living in apartments or homes where traditional solar panels aren’t feasible.

Vice President Harris praised the work of companies like WeSolar, emphasizing that the future of clean energy needs to be both equitable and inclusive. “We must ensure that every community, especially those that have been historically underserved, has access to clean, affordable energy,” Harris stated during her visit. This message aligns perfectly with Hansley’s mission to democratize access to solar energy, especially in urban areas like Baltimore, where the impacts of climate change disproportionately affect communities of color.

The visit comes as part of a broader effort by the Biden-Harris administration to accelerate clean energy investments and combat climate change nationally. The administration has made strides in allocating funding for green energy projects through landmark legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act, which aims to create millions of new jobs in clean energy while making significant progress toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As part of this agenda, the Vice President’s tour has highlighted innovative solutions—like those being developed by WeSolar—that ensure energy equity is at the forefront of the climate conversation.

Hansley’s work has not gone unnoticed. Featured in multiple interviews and articles, she is helping to shape the national narrative on how community solar and green energy policies can transform disadvantaged communities. She is also playing a critical role in advancing the Biden-Harris climate agenda, which seeks to decarbonize the U.S. economy while ensuring that the clean energy transition leaves no community behind.

The Vice President’s visit to Baltimore reminds us of the administration’s commitment to building a sustainable, equitable future. It also shines a spotlight on leaders like Kristal Hansley, who are helping make that future a reality.

For more information on the Biden-Harris climate agenda, check out this article from Forbes, or learn more about the impact of green banks from Route Fifty.

References:

1. Forbes: The Biden-Harris Climate Energy Agenda

2. Route Fifty: Green Banks and Decarbonizing Disadvantaged Communities

3. Vice President Kamala Harris on Twitter

4. Baltimore Sun: Vice President Kamala Harris Visits Baltimore