See what some of our SolarCorps are up to: 

Thank you to Emerson Collective for creating this incredible video.

Current Projects

Maya Anthony: Multi Family Outreach Fellow  

Within her first month with GRID, Maya was tapped to help out with a 628 kW ground mount solar array. This project is estimated to have $647,237 in energy savings over 20 years, which will lower operating costs for the community housing group and allow residents to save on their energy bills! Read more about Maya's project here. 

Claire Laurentine: Workforce Development Fellow

In GRID’s North Valley office, Claire has been hard at work planning for a COVID-19 safe Installation Basics Training in partnership with Sacramento non-profit, Women’s Empowerment. Alongside the workforce development team at the GRID North Valley office, Claire has been working to plan a hybrid distance and hands on training session in partnership with the Sacramento non-profit, Women’s Empowerment. The mission of Women’s Empowerment is: "Women’s Empowerment educates and empowers women who are experiencing homelessness with the skills and confidence necessary to get a job, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and regain a home for themselves and their children." This will be one of three hands-on cohorts the North Valley office will host before the end of 2020.  

Beginning November 16th, up to 15 people from WE will be able to participate in two weeks of distance learning to familiarize themselves with GRID, the basics of solar, roof and tool safety, electricity basics, installation, and employment readiness. Following the distance learning portion of the training, 6 participants will be able to participate in 2 weeks of Hands-On training in the North Valley Training Center. Using individual work stations and a mock roof, participants will gain in-person experience in installation including everything from PV placement to conduit bending. Additionally, they will gain OSHA-10 and First Aid/CPR certifications. The Hands-On session will end with a digital Solar Showcase where hiring employers will present current opportunities at their companies, open positions, answer questions from trainees, and watch a live installation on the mock roof. Participants who complete all 4 weeks of the training will be awarded a graduation certificate and a stipend. This partnership with Women's Empowerment furthers GRID's mission of supporting Women in Solar and building an environment where everyone can thrive in a career in renewable energy.

Garrison Davis: Construction and Outreach Fellow 

In Loleta, California Garrison joined GRID’s North Coast construction team, including two new interns, for a residential installation. In addition to lending a hand with this 3.204 kW system, Garrison helped capture the interns’ experience through video. 

In October, Garrison assisted with a 3.204 kW system in Loleta, California. This system has an expected output of 3,951 kW per year, which is anticipated to provide a $18,111.81 of savings over the lifetime of the project. Garrison captured the installation on camera and interviewed two of GRID’s new interns about their experience with the installation, which happened to be on their neighbor’s home! 

Past Projects: 

Luis Amar, SC’20

What happens to solar panels when they’ve reached the end of their life? During his SolarCorps term, Luis sought to answer this question for GRID. With six of GRID’s eight regional offices located in California, Luis realized the importance of properly disposing of solar panels (PV modules) in accordance with California law. Luis found that because PV modules contain cadmium, tellurium and other metals California considers them to be hazardous waste. Luckily, Luis shared, about 90 to 100% of the materials can be separated and recycled at recycling facilities throughout the US. Through his research, Luis provided valuable information to GRID on where and how to recycle PV modules. 

Felimon De Jesus, SC’20 and SC’21

Partnering with students at his alma mater, California State University - Fresno, Felimon analyzed GRID’s marketing strategies and found new ways to engage volunteers. 

By working with CSU Fresno students, Felimon was able to provide GRID with an in-depth analysis of the organization’s marketing strategies as a Service Learning Project. Felimon and his peers reviewed GRID’s services, products, distribution, and promotion using a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis. The team worked with a local radio station to advertise GRID’s work and pushed for additional volunteer opportunities during weekends to accommodate more student volunteers.