Clients

Honnold Foundation Partnership Brings Solar to CA Wildfire Survivors

It was dark outside when Nakia and her sons, ages nine and thirteen, woke up to get ready for school on the morning of November 18th, 2018. As they drove to school, they looked up at the sky and saw what looked like snow falling.

It wasn’t until they pulled into the school that they realized the town was being evacuated. So, they rushed home to pack a few things and get their cats. Leaving their home for the last time, the air was thick with smoke and the ash was “raining down” as they saw the “flames and fire crews speeding past” them.  

Building Back Better with Solar + Battery Storage

In the years since California’s deadliest wildfire, GRID Alternatives North Valley has installed no-cost solar photovoltaic systems on 10 wildfire survivor’s new homes, including two solar + battery storage projects through our Disaster Recovery Initiative. What follows is a conversation with Richard Stone, a longtime Paradise resident whose family received a solar + battery storage system, lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Bank of America - GRID Alternatives Announces Clean Energy Workforce Development Partnership renewal with Bank of America

A $300,000 grant from Bank of America is helping to fund the SolarCorps Fellowship Program, which has up to 40 SolarCorps Fellows complete one-year, full-time paid positions focusing on solar installation, community outreach, and workforce development in GRID offices across the country. Throughout their year of service, participants from diverse backgrounds gain valuable experience and skills in the solar energy and nonprofit industries, helping to launch their renewable energy careers, while making significant contributions to the communities GRID serves.

Pv Magazine-Two ways to improve low-income community solar programs

To help remove barriers for LMI customers, Vote Solar’s Access & Equity Advisory Committee (AEAC) has released a policy brief outlining two key initiatives for more successful solar expansion programs: 1) automatic enrollment in community solar programs, and 2) grant support for more robust community engagement.

The AEAC includes energy leaders from Vote Solar and a rotating list of partner organizations, including nonprofit solar installer GRID Alternatives, the NAACP, and Nexamp

Solar Power World - GRID Alternatives receives $300k grant from Bank of America for diverse workforce development

“Partnering with GRID Alternatives on its workforce development program supports our commitment to the environment and access to clean energy jobs for Black, Hispanic-Latino, and Native American communities,” said Alex Liftman, global environmental executive at Bank of America. “At the same time, GRID Alternatives is doing important work to expand access to clean, affordable energy in communities that previously have not had access to such power sources.”

Powering Community Building Through Solar + Storage

Lynn moved to the Town of Paradise in 2012 to retire in a small town surrounded by nature. She quickly became a fixture in the local yoga community, where she taught popular yoga classes. The morning of the 2018 Camp Fire she was on her way to teach a class when a neighbor called to let her know how quickly the fire was spreading and to evacuate immediately. What was normally a 20-minute drive down the hill took over 4 hours with backed up traffic; people trying to evacuate on the same small road.