On Monday and Tuesday of last week the Reverend Ron and I were in El Cajon, California working on our first volunteer solar install with our new friends from GRID Alternatives. It was even more fun and more enriching than I imagined it would be. And I learned more than I thought I could in just 48 hours. That’s thanks to the truly expert advice I got from our GRID team leaders.
I’m looking forward to writing all about it and some of what I learned. But until I get the time later this week to give you all the Greenius details and flavor of the gig, here’s the report from Miguel Reza of GRID Alt from their web site. That’s Miguel there on the roof wearing the red shirt and the orange hard hat – a daring fashion choice, but he makes it work.
GRID Alternatives San Diego Accomplishes First “Complete” Install
By Miguel Reza – 04/16/2009 – 3:15pm
It was a first for many staff and volunteers in San Diego. But, it sure won’t be the last. On April 13 and 14, GRID Alternatives took a crack at their first full install in the City of El Cajon about 20 minutes east of downtown San Diego.
Fifteen volunteers joined the ranks of thousands more across the state to help install Photovoltaic (PV) Systems for low income communities, with their first 2.2 kW system install in San Diego County. Habitat for Humanity San Diego is building this particular home with the support of the Jimmy Johnson Foundation. This home is actually the second house that had solar installed, but the first that included volunteers who had been trained and coordinated from the San Diego office.
“We are really excited, said Paul Cleary, San Diego Regional Director. “It’s interesting how this development has a street named Foundation Lane. “I think we have built a great foundation ourselves for future installs of PV systems in San Diego County.”
Although site supervisors traveled from the Bay Area and Los Angeles to help the San Diego team get in tune with the in and outs of an installation, the work was eagerly taken on by volunteers who wanted to learn and give something back to the community.
Final construction of the remaining two homes is scheduled to be completed by October of this year. GRID Alternatives hopes to be there as the other homes are built to make the entire street solar.
GRID Alternatives would like to thank BP Solar for providing the systems panels, Stellar Solar for providing the inverter and BOS, and GroSolar for proving additional supplies, Habitat for Humanity San Diego for coordinating the install and of course, the volunteers who helped install the 2.2 kW system on the property.
CHECK OUT THE GREENIUS PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE INSTALL
My Greenius report on the two-day install will come later this week with all the inside details. But first –
I’ll be presenting my AB 811 Funding presentation to Marilyn Lyons at the SBESC on Monday afternoon. I’m excited about sharing what I’ve discovered and seeing if I can’t get the Environmental Services Center to partner with me so we can help bring the money needed to fund solar PV to all our South Bay cities.
I’ll be reporting in detail on how it goes too.
Creative Greenius 