GRID Alternatives continues to make a huge impact on the communities we serve, despite this challenging Covid-19 pandemic year. Here’s an overview of GRID Alternative Inland Empire’s (GRID IE) accomplishments in 2020:
TCC ONTARIO
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GRID IE signed a partnership agreement with the City of Ontario in January of this year and launched TCC Ontario Solar Homes Initiative & Neighborhood Empowerment (SHINE) Program. To date, there have been over 50 active solar projects in Ontario. Sixteen single-family solar installations, four approved for construction, 18 approved single-family applications, and 19 pre-screened qualified/homeowner applications are being processed.
COMMUNITY | MULTIFAMILY | TRIBAL SOLAR
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California’s first low-income community solar project was installed in June of this year: CSD Santa Rosa Community Solar Project, a 1 MW solar electric system on the Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians reservation.
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The first Ontario Multifamily Solar Project: Vista Verde, a 190 kW of rooftop solar and 164 kW of carport solar, broke ground in the fall of 2020 and is slated to be complete by the end of this month.
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GRID Alternatives was awarded $1.7 million to install solar with a backup battery (microgrid) on the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians in the City of San Jacinto (55kW DC). Carport and resilient batteries last 6-10 hours in case the power shuts off. The fire station will be an emergency source of power for the tribal community.
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The first solar ever installed Tribal Solar Accelerator fund (TSAF) funded project, The Big Pine Water Pumphouse Well, for Big Pine Paiute Tribe (370 kW DC) was installed.
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Two TSAF awarded ground mount tribal solar projects for the Cahuilla Band of Indians and Torres Martinez Cahuilla Band of Indians were installed.
EV/BATTERY STORAGE
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GRID signed an agreement for California Public Utilities Commission Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP, a CA battery storage program) in partnership with Swell Energy Inc. and Sunrun for battery storage. GRID IE will be doing marketing and outreach to procure applicants.
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The Clean Vehicle Assistance Program-Clean Mobility Pilot was funded to promote the clean vehicle access program and installation of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations for the Torres Martinez Cahuilla Band of Indians.
WORKFORCE & VOLUNTEER/JOB TRAINING
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Three SolarCorps fellows completed their AmeriCorps service in September.
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100 Solar Futures students were onboarded for the 2019-2020 school year.
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Five tribal trainees, members of the Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indian Tribe, were hired for 5-weeks of intensive paid training as general laborers on the CSD 1MW solar project.
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GRID IE hosted 14 Interns:
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Seven paid interns through Riverside County Department Public Social Services and College of the Desert Solar Training Cohort program, with two continuing as part of our newest SolarCorps fellows who started in October 2020.
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Four paid interns through TCC Ontario, and with one incoming intern to join our team before the end of the year.
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Four volunteer interns to support Photovoltaic (PV) Design, Communications and Workforce & Volunteerism
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Thank you to all of our supporters in 2020! GRID IE Partners & Supporters
We look forward to a bright 2021 and continuing to make affordable solar technology and solar job training accessible to communities everywhere!