The North Valley Office of GRID Alternatives was working in Yolo County last month to install two solar systems for families in the small town of Winters California. We are always excited to bring the benefits of the SASH program to a new town in the state. Together these systems will provide 6.3kw of clean power and save two families over $50,000 in electricity costs. These systems will reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to planting over 4,100 trees.
We were excited to have Karen and Stephen from SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District) lend a hand on the installation! Aside from a strong commitment to renewable energy, SMUD has pioneered an innovative community solar program called SolarShares. This program allows renters and people who normally could not afford a PV system to invest in large scale solar energy.
Additionally we had a few students from Sierra Colleges photovoltaic training program come out as volunteers. Sierra College in Rocklin has a commitment to providing students with relevant technical education to succeed in a changing job market. Sierra College has one of the highest pass rates for the solar industry standard NABCEP entry level examination. Students from Cosumnes River Colleges architecture program also supported the installation. As an office, we hope to continue to develop relationships around Sacramento and provide hands on solar training to interested students.
Our client, Mr. Aracil, had an interesting story behind how he obtained his home. Back in 2004 the City of Winters held a raffle lottery to determine which qualified families would be able to purchase a home in The Cottages affordable housing development. When Mr. Aracil got to the event he didnt think he stood a chance because there were so many eligible people. It was decided that the children in the audience would choose the raffle tickets. Luckily, Mr. Aracils granddaughter chose his ticket! Now his home will be mostly powered by renewable energy. Considering he is on a fixed income the savings on his electricity bill from the solar system will go a long way in helping him pay other bills. This is especially important because Mr. Aracil also currently cares for his disabled son so he has to keep the home at a stable temperature and run a chair lift.