SolarCorps

“There are endless possibilities with solar careers,” said Andrea Luecke with the Solar Foundation, “sales, finance, permitting, policy, web development, market research, project development, installation…..” The list goes on and on. Job fair attendees discovered this when they attended the Solar Focus Job Fair on November 17th, at the Downtown Renaissance Hotel in Washington DC.

“I am happy that I was selected for this,” said Ms. Williams, beaming, “I’m elated!” Ms. Williams just received 14 solar panels on the roof of her house. The 3.43 kW system will save her an estimated $17,000 on her electric bill during the systems’ lifetime.

The new team of GRID IE's SolarCorps...

GRID IE welcomes three new SolarCorps construction team members...

This month, forty brand new SolarCorps Fellows are putting on hardhats and hitting the roof and the streets as they embark on a year of service with GRID.

Across the District of Columbia, 42 families are now benefiting from the financial savings that solar power provides, thanks to a partnership between GRID Alternatives and The DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU). GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic just finished up these solar installations in DC this summer through DCSEU’s Affordable Solar Program. GRID was chosen to be one of the program’s primary solar installers. The DCSEU’s Affordable Solar Program just completed its fifth year, and has already begun work on next year’s projects.

Meet Marine veteran Eric Plowman, one of GRID IE’s newest SolarCorps Construction Fellows.

After six whirlwind weeks of solar installations, workshops, trainings, canvassing and hot, hot weather, the Department of Energy and the Environment’s (DOEE) Green Zone Solar Plus Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) has drawn to a close. GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic was proud to lead, train and provide new experiences and opportunities to the 15 Green Zone job trainees.

GRID Alternatives Central Coast is pleased to announce the certification of 4 new team leaders working to install solar for low income families. The Team Leader program was developed for “super volunteers” – volunteers who attend repeated solar installations with our team- working towards mastery of a checklist of installation skills. It takes time, patience and dedication to achieve team leader status and these solar hotshots have certainly earned their coveted orange shirts!

"Gramma can you believe it? You got solar panels!" squealed eight-year old Diamond as her grandmother looked through pictures of the solar array that was just installed on her roof. Diamond's grandmother, Ida, heard about GRID Alternatives when its offices were only located on the West Coast and waited patiently for years hoping GRID would come to this area. Now that GRID Alternatives has a Mid-Atlantic Regional office in DC, Ida was finally able to get solar on her Baltimore home. People from the Baltimore community came together to make this installation happen: local volunteers, GRID Solar Corps fellows and staff members, AmeriCorps Members from Civic Works' Baltimore Energy Challenge program, and Ida's family members all had a hand in this project. This solar installation was one of the first of many to take place in Baltimore, a result of the shared mission and collaboration of multiple organizations.