Women in Solar

Marissa Torres sits at the reception desk at GRID Central Valley eagerly typing away. She is always quiet and polite but one should not mistake the dynamic force that lingers within this young woman. She is a queen on the rise with a mission to serve. GRID Alternatives is very proud to make her a permanent part of the family after her year of service through SolarCorps.

Champagne, gifts, flowers, and party favors - that’s how most people picture a bridal shower. Instead, Leslie imagined hardhats, harnesses, ladders, and power tools. Leslie and her bridesmaids participated in GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic’s new Solar Champions program, raising money for GRID to install a solar system that will save a DC homeowner approximately $700 a year, and prevent about 100 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere.

This year, Darlin Velasco found herself in a situation that nearly every high school student experiences as graduation draws near: weighing numerous future career pathways and post-graduation options. Darlin knew she was interested in a career in engineering, but still felt apprehensive about her future.

Guest Blogger Anandi Gandhi: I joined GRID as an intern, part of their solar installation/construction team at the Inland Empire office in Southern California. I find that it is important to mention that I am a woman of color since it directly ties into my experience of the world, and GRID's goals.

Is there someone in your life who gives and lives 100% of their life to inspire everyone around them? For her community, that person is Pat. Watch as we partnered with 100%.org & Life Changing Ministries to celebrate her on "Pat's Day!"

“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 know that one day, people will tell your story and say that you have changed the world” – Beatrice Sonfack at TechWomen

The first day I ever spent on the roof with GRID Alternatives, I happened to look across the freeway and see a few tall houses with all black solar arrays in a row. I realized the GRID customer community - low-income families with access to solar - is small compared to the relatively more privileged community with easy access. GRID’s mission started to resonate, make solar practical and accessible to the people who could truly use it. It’s the reason I became a GRID Team Leader, finishing 14 installs in the last 12 months.

More women now than ever are giving the boot to customer service and clerical jobs, putting on hard hats, and picking up the tool box.

The women of WE Build were preparing ourselves for a volunteer workday in Steamboat Springs. We headed out for the 148 kW array at Yampa Valley Electric Association, where we filled up on breakfast and coffee to charge us up for the day.

In September, a group of 50 women from around the country joined GRID Alternatives Colorado for GRID’s first-ever WE Build retreat. Over two days of camping and comradery, the women installed 200 panels on a low-income community solar array in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.