Hola, everyone!
This summer, I'd love to share some of the inspiring work GRID has been doing alongside communities in Baja California, Mexico.
When people think about GRID Alternatives, they often think about our work across the United States. Fewer know that for nearly a decade, GRID has also partnered with communities in Baja California, expanding access to clean energy where it can transform daily life.
When I first joined the team at GRID, it was our work in Latin America that inspired me as a fundraiser. As a Latino professional, I was moved to find an organization that recognizes energy access and economic mobility as challenges that deserve attention regardless of geography.
If you're new to GRID's work in Mexico, here are the four questions I hear most often.
What does GRID's work in Mexico look like?
Families in rural Baja California and community organizations throughout Tijuana are using solar energy to power homes, preserve medicine, support children's centers, and strengthen local resilience. GRID's Mexico team partners alongside these communities to make those projects possible.
Led by one of GRID's longtime leaders, Gustavo, the team works with orphanages, migrant shelters, community health clinics, and off-grid communities across the region.
In just eight years, the four-person team has completed more than 140 projects — an incredible accomplishment made possible through close partnerships with local students, volunteers, and community members.
How urgent is the need?
Baja California faces unique energy challenges. Unlike much of Mexico, the region operates separately from the country's main electric grid and relies heavily on imported natural gas for electricity generation. While many communities have electrical service, reliable and sufficient access remains out of reach for many rural households.
According to the Institute of the Americas, more than 96% of rural communities have electricity coverage. However, access doesn't always mean reliable service. In Cataviña, one of GRID's partner communities, 60% of the town's 146 residents still rely on aging 300-watt solar systems installed more than a decade ago. The Baja California Energy Commission estimates that approximately 1,300 homes across the region still lack electricity altogether.
These ongoing challenges are why GRID began partnering with communities in Baja California in 2018—and why that work continues today. Our mission and geographic proximity make this region a natural extension of our commitment to expanding energy access.
If you'd like to explore Baja California's energy landscape in more detail, I highly recommend reading the Institute of the Americas report.
What's the impact?
The impact of these projects extends far beyond solar panels.
For homeowners in rural communities, reliable energy access helps families meet everyday needs while creating new opportunities for economic mobility. Many of our recent projects have focused on installing solar-powered home refrigeration systems.
These systems, though small, help families in several ways. Families can safely refrigerate food and medicine, reduce transportation costs by eliminating trips to purchase ice, power lights so children can study after dark, and support income-generating work through sewing, cooking, refrigeration, and small mechanical businesses.
Lower energy costs mean more resources can be directed toward the people they serve. Daniel Elizalde of Casa Infantil Uriel, a children's center in Tijuana that partnered with GRID last year, shared what those savings mean for the children in their care:
“Thanks to the solar system and electricity we will now be able to use, our children will be able to sleep better! During the winter, regardless of how many blankets we buy, they still end up taking off their blankets and they get sick easily. Now we will be able to keep our heaters on during the evenings. Similarly, we will be able to use our air conditioning system during the hot summer months without increasing our energy bill.”
How can I get involved?
This is my favorite question! One of the most meaningful ways to support this work is by making a gift to GRID. Every contribution enables us to continue addressing energy poverty challenges in Baja California.
So the simple, maybe cheeky, non-profit answer is of course make a gift to GRID! Your generosity enables us to continue addressing energy poverty challenges in Baja California.
But, if you really want a unique opportunity to learn about our work, meet the communities we are proud to partner with every day, and get a taste of Mexican culture, our work in Mexico offers service learning opportunities our team affectionately calls “volun-tripping”.
We offer this travel opportunity for individuals, but if you want to get your coworkers involved, we offer these trips for corporate groups as well. I'd also like to recognize IGS Energy, which has partnered with GRID since 2016 and completed several projects alongside our team.
Through our volunteer tours, you’ll spend about a week with our Mexico team working hands-on alongside our staff on an installation project, as well as learning and connecting with our beneficiaries in their communities. A frequent highlight for folks is visiting Caesar’s Restaurant in Tijuana, home of the legendary salad! Though a legendary bite of romaine is great, participants often tell us the most memorable part of the experience isn't the destination — it's the relationships they build with community members, fellow volunteers, and our team while volunteering together.
If you’re curious about learning more about these opportunities, visit this link to explore upcoming volunteer opportunities. I hope you now have a better understanding of what GRID does in Mexico, why it’s meaningful, and how you can support our mission.
Hasta luego!
Author Bio:
Oscar Berlanga serves as a Foundation Development Officer on GRID Alternatives’ HQ Regional Philanthropy, stewarding partnerships with foundation funders for programs in Colorado, the Mid-Atlantic region, and Mexico. Outside of work, Oscar spends his time salsa dancing, planning a trip to a new destination, trying new recipes, and dabbling in theatre production.