The City of Richmond, CA recently earned a special clean energy milestone as the Bay Area city with the most GRID-installed solar! Thanks to grant support from the City, Richmond also just became home to two new GRID-run clean energy programs for low-income families: solar roof retrofits, repairing roofs to become GRID-solar ready; and the installation of at-home electric vehicle chargers paired with GRID solar, helping reduce emissions and promote economic stability. Thank you, City of Richmond, for truly leading the charge for clean energy access!
Over the years, the City of Richmond has held many reputations: once known for shipbuilding and military industriousness - and still home to the beloved “Rosie the Riveter” museum - the City has also experienced real struggles. High rates of poverty, crime, and, with petrochemical refining and transportation activities inside the City, health issues like asthma have more recently dominated the narrative about this community. Today, however, the City of Richmond has earned a new reputation of excellence, particularly in helping low-income residents take part in the clean energy revolution.
For years, key goals of the City have included curbing air pollution, prioritizing solar energy installation and strengthening opportunities for green job seekers. Initiatives to accomplish these exciting and ambitious goals have included moving the city to MCE Clean Energy, a Community Choice Aggregation program that provides 50-100% clean energy to Richmond residents, green job training led by RichmondBUILD, and, among other efforts, a strong financial and programmatic partnership with GRID Alternatives Bay Area to provide access to clean energy for local low-income families.
To date, GRID has installed solar systems benefitting more than 400 low-income families in the City of Richmond, helping save more than $10 million dollars in energy costs and preventing more than 13,000 tons of harmful greenhouse gas emissions.This milestone already deserves celebration, yet today, we have two more reasons to celebrate, with EV charging and roof repairs now available to Richmond residents in partnership with GRID!
As the first family receiving a re-roof recently shared, “We still can't believe it, but it's true! We now have a beautiful NEW roof!! Thank you thank you thank you!! We are sooo grateful!” Next up? A solar system to serve as the cherry on top.
From all of us at GRID, we give a huge “thank you” to the City of Richmond for your leadership in making renewable energy truly accessible to everyone! Cheers to many more celebrations.