California Governor Jerry Brown’s budget revisions include spending more than $2 billion dollars from the state’s cap and trade program. But money from the greenhouse gas reduction program is already helping some homeowners this fiscal year.

University of Nevada, Reno, were in town to perform community service by installing solar panels on the homes of two local, low-income families. At the same time, they were here to learn about solar installation and the benefits using solar energy can have for the environment—not to mention the pocketbooks of homeowners.

While most Bostonians battled the cold last week, a group of Northeastern University students headed to Chico to enjoy the warm sunny weather and to help harness it too.

A total of 11 students from Northeastern will install 12 solar panels on a home in Hamilton City. For the estimated 20 year life of a solar panel system, that will be a $26,000 cost savings for the family.

A group of young adults shed heavy winter coats worn at their Boston-based college for T-shirts and hardhats this week in Northern California as an alternative way to spend spring break.

College students at Northeastern University were more than happy to trade beaches for hard hats and help families in need during their Solar Spring Break trip with GRID Alternatives North Valley. 

GRID Alternatives North Valley partners with the Butte Environmental Council (BEC) to be Energy Upgrade Ambassadors and educate community members on energy efficiency practices. 

For Fay and Russell Landry, one sunny day leads to another, for on Tuesday, November 18 they received a free photovoltaic solar energy system that not only will nearly eliminate their electrical costs while contributing to a greener planet, but offered the opportunity to River City High School students to be part of their solar system installation.

Volunteers from Beale Air Force Base spent their Veterans Day installing solar for a low-income Live Oak family.

What nonprofit asks low-income people to don hard hats and safety harnesses and scramble up on roofs? GRID Alternatives does.