Thumbs up: Solar power for low-income families

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.desertsun.com/story/opinion/editorials/2014/11/01/grid-solar-power-families/18305473/

[font face=Serif][font size=5]Thumbs up: Solar power for low-income families[/font]

10:56 p.m. PDT October 31, 2014

[font size=3]Solar power shouldn’t be just for the wealthy. GRID Alternatives, a nonprofit solar installer, is helping that dream come true by providing free solar power to low-income homeowners.

Bambi Tran, GRID’s regional director for the Inland Empire, says many homeowners believe the offer is too good to be true. “People just don’t believe it,” she said.

But it is. The bulk of the funding comes from the state’s Single-family Affordable Solar Homes program, but it also gets help from Hot Purple Energy and SunUp, installers based in Palm Springs. GRID has installed nearly 250 solar systems in the Coachella Valley in the past three years. It made its second installation in Palm Springs recently, using local trainees from College of the Desert. Nationwide, GRID has completed 4,600 installations.

The California Legislature has approved another $108 million for its affordable solar homes program divided among the three major utilities. Southern California Edison gets the most with $49.8 million. The program will continue through the end of next of year or until it runs out of money.

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[CountAllVotes]

1. Believe it when I see it

I rather doubt I'll ever see it.

I see that PG&E got a large chunk of the $$$ but I never heard a word about it and yes, I qualify for energy assistance (if you care to call it that!).

The last time these people came around my house (which was recently btw) they:

1. Did NOTHING to help.

2. Caused me to file a complaint with the BBB.

3. Could go on and on about the 7 hr. long endeavor which was a waste of time.

Never heard the word solar panels, nope.

Bunch of liars that are never giving anything useful best I can tell! They will never be allowed in my house again!

As for those free solar panels, they likely do not exist either. Crooks, all of them!

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. Apparently, they've fooled the EPA

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/5063F56E020186EE85257B1E0069296E

[font face=Serif][font size=5]U.S. EPA Honors GRID Alternatives as Climate Change Champion for Solar Panel Job Training Work in Low-Income Communities[/font]

Release Date: 02/26/2013
Contact Information: Nahal Mogharabi, [e-mail], 213-244-1815

[font size=4]San Diego Tribe Receives Solar Installations in 12 Homes, Reducing Energy Cost[/font]

[font size=3]SAN FRANCISCO - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Regional Administrator Jared Blumenfeld today recognized nonprofit GRID Alternatives as a Climate Change Champion. The EPA Pacific Southwest Region’s Environmental Award was presented at a ceremony hosted by the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians in Hopland, California. GRID Alternatives has worked with various low income communities and tribes including the La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians in San Diego, Calif. on the training and installation of solar panel systems.

“EPA applauds GRID Alternatives for championing clean technologies to offset the climate change impacts of greenhouse gas emissions,” said Blumenfeld. “This organization is a role model for how business can promote solar energy while equipping Californians with the skills they need to sustain this industry.”

GRID Alternatives has developed a solar affordable housing program to train and lead teams of community volunteers and job trainees to install solar electric systems generating financial benefits for low-income families, job training for local workers, and environmental benefits through the reduction of greenhouse gases. The company also provides renewable energy and energy efficiency services equipment and training to low-income communities in California.

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As of February 2013, GRID Alternatives has installed over 3,000 solar electric systems in homes, trained 11,700 community volunteers and job trainees on the theory and practice of installing solar systems, and has prevented over 250,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions through PV installations. Beneficiaries of these systems have included seniors on fixed incomes, veterans, and homeowners struggling with unemployed and underemployment, as well as low-income residents of more than 14 tribal communities throughout California.

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http://www.epa.gov/region9/newsletter/jun-jul2014/grid-photos.html


http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/14DC08C32EDA04AC85257D56004C000F

[font face=Serif][font size=5]THURSDAY: EPA Administrator to Highlight New Solar Energy Project in Washington, DC[/font]

Release Date: 09/17/2014
Contact Information: [e-mail]

[font size=3]WASHINGTON – Tomorrow, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy will join Obama Administration officials, GRID Alternatives and Habitat for Humanity for an event helping low-income families in Northeast DC gain access to solar energy and job training in a growing industry. During the president’s first term, the United States more than doubled generation of electricity from wind, solar, and geothermal sources. To ensure America’s continued leadership position in clean energy, President Obama has set a goal in his Climate Action Plan to double renewable electricity generation once again by 2020.

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