What We Do –      Who We Are –      AIRE’s History –      Our Office

AIRE was formed in January 2007 as an initiative of the Appalachian Coalition for Just and Sustainable Communities, a 501(c) 3 non-profit educational organization. The fusion of two events led to the idea for AIRE:

1. Organizing the “Coalfield Delegation to the United Nations” to participate in a 2-year dialogue on sustainable energy
2. The failed attempt by a local family to secure a permit for their envisioned 50MW wind project in the mountains of North Carolina.

By mid 2008 AIRE had become an autonomous organization with a fiscal sponsor (Inquiring Systems Inc),  and  had begun to hone in on a specific niche and focus. With the observation that the high price associated with renewable energy is an unwieldy barrier, particularly for nonprofit and community organizations organizations, AIRE began to research and develop methods of affordably financing renewable energy. A model of “innovative social finance”, also known as the “flip” model, became the central subject of study. The “flip” model was pioneered in Minnesota as a means to allow farmers to own multimillion dollar wind turbines. John Deere Corporation was the initial tax-equity investor, meaning they covered the upfront cost of the systems and then used tax write-offs to make a return on their investment, at which point the turbines were donated to local farmers.

AIRE has adopted the “Minnesota flip” model and adapted it for community-owned solar projects. We have developed our financial model to accommodate tax credits specific to North Carolina, but plan to diversify our Project Development program across other states in the near future.

In Summer of 2010, the Kendeda Fund, a private foundation with a demonstrated commitment to principles of sustainability, awarded AIRE a planning grant to write an in-depth strategic plan. Throughout the rest of 2010 and into the New Year AIRE engaged in a thorough planning process. In March of 2011 AIRE met with Diane Ives, the manager of the Kendeda Fund to present the Strategic Plan. Kendeda decided to fully fund AIRE by granting two years of operational expenses, provided that AIRE meets certain milestones.

Some of these milestones include securing funding from other foundations, developing organizational infrastructure, and arranging strategic partnerships. Primarily, however, the milestones pertain to Project Development. AIRE has set out to become a self-sustaining organization, by serving as a consulting agency for community based renewable energy. AIRE ultimately seeks to operate as a mission-oriented business, or social enterprise, that uses its financial success as leverage to promoting sustainability across Appalachia, the southeast, and beyond.