Today, Mayor Bowser kicked off the first cohort of Solar Works DC, a job training program that installs cost-saving solar energy systems on the homes of low-income residents. A joint effort between the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) and the Department of Employment Services, the program will provide on-the-job technical training to more than 200 DC residents between the ages of 18 to 24 and reduce energy costs for up to 300 DC residents by as much as $600 annually.
Last month, the D.C. Government launched Solar Works DC, a job-training program for low-income residents. GRID Alternatives will develop the training program and work with program graduates to install solar systems across the District.
I recently spent a day installing solar panels on the roof of a low-income housing development in a southeast neighborhood in Washington, D.C., sweating out the 90-degree heat and thinking about people who may not be able to afford to keep cool.
It was a beautiful, cool spring day - perfect weather for being outside and climbing up on a roof. Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of participating in an all-women residential solar installation at Bernice Rink's home in Northeast Washington, DC.
For years, solar installers in the Washington metropolitan area have grumbled about a shortage of qualified applicants for entry-level positions. They've also fretted about a lack of low-income customers. Now, a new program could address both of these concerns head-on.
