Energy for All with GRID Alternatives

Last week, a team of 20 volunteer employees from Canadian Solar and our subsidiary Recurrent Energy in the San Francisco Bay Area participated in a solar build day with GRID Alternatives. GRID Alternatives is a non-profit organization whose vision is a successful transition to clean energy that includes everyone. They bring this mission to life by installing no-cost residential solar systems, using lots of volunteer labor and some donated equipment, on the homes of families with low or fixed income. They also provide solar installation job training, focusing especially on underserved communities such as women, people of color, and veterans. To date, GRID Alternatives has installed over 10,500 solar systems for low-income residents, providing 43,500 kW of solar, saving their clients more than $322 million over the lifetime of the systems.

This is the third time that Canadian Solar/Recurrent Energy has participated in a GRID Alternatives build day. Under the guidance of GRID’s expert solar installation supervisors, the team spent a full day installing a 15.9 kW solar system using donated Canadian Solar modules on the roof of one of the units of Central Commons, a new low-income multi-family development built by Habitat for Humanity in Fremont, California. This system alone will save $148,000 in energy expenses for the eight families who will live in the dwelling, and prevent over 300 tons of carbon emissions over the system’s lifetime, which is equivalent to planting over 7,000 trees.

As for our employees, not only was it a fun team-building experience, but it was a wonderful way to gain practical experience with our solar products in action while giving back to their community.

“Participating in the GRID Alternatives Build Day was a great opportunity to learn about our products hands-on, and a fantastic way to exemplify how we Make the Difference at Canadian Solar!”

When I founded Canadian Solar in 2001, I was motivated to explore all the ways that this new solar technology could change people’s lives. Now, 17 years later, I am deeply inspired to see how throughout the industry, organizations like GRID Alternatives are using solar technology to bring affordable clean energy and jobs where they are needed most on the planet. From me and the 12,000 employees of Canadian Solar, we look forward to Making the Difference with GRID Alternatives and organizations like them for many years to come.