Energizing the community one roof at a time

By Rene Ray De La Cruz, Daily Press, Victorville, Calif.

May 31--APPLE VALLEY -- One local property owner recently took advantage of the High Desert's abundant sunshine and a unique program offered by a nonprofit that has education, job training and renewable energy in mind.

Gusty winds blew through the neighborhood as the front yard of one Apple Valley home owner because a classroom of sorts last week. A crew from GRID Alternatives Inland Empire began their two-day installation project on May 24, which included a 16-panel solar system, expected to save the homeowner close to $1,000 per year.

"Our installation team are eight students and job trainees from Victor Valley College who are being supervised by our GRID solar installation supervisors," said GRID Regional Director
Bambi Tran. "These guys have to have completed 10 grid installs before they're certified. Some are almost done and some have one class more to go."

Sandra Allen, a retiree in her 60s, is one of nearly 30 property owners in the High Desert that have taken advantage of GRID's free solar offer to disadvantaged communities in the High Desert and throughout the Inland Empire.

Disadvantaged communities are targeted for investment of proceeds from the state's cap-and-trade program. These investments are aimed at improving public health, quality of life and economic opportunity in California's most burdened communities while reducing pollution that causes climate change, according to the California Environmental Protection Agency.

"
Mrs. Allen didn't believe that she could get a free solar system until her son did some research on GRID," Tran said. "The adage of' there's no free lunch' may be true, but there are free solar systems."

"People don't believe us when we tell them that we can install solar panels on prequalified properties at no cost," said GRID Outreach Coordinator
Victoria Pacheco, 28, who is celebrating the nonprofit's fifth anniversary this month. "Many of them want to know what's the catch?"

According to Tran and many of her fellow GRID associates, convincing the public that their solar installation system is free, with no hidden fees, is the biggest obstacle to getting the work done.

"People finally believe us when they hear that we're partnering with Victor Valley College, the city of Barstow and various agencies," Tran said. "We're trying to work with the city of Victorville so we can offer our program to more people."

Tran said solar students spend a great deal of time in the classroom where they learn the "nuts and bolts" of the industry, "But out in the field is where they get their hands dirty and really get to know how it's done."

As several workers installed panels on the roof, Senior Solar Inspector
Dan Glasow was on the ground instructing student
Brian Washington, 52, on how to prepare a junction box.

"There nothing like learning hands-on," said Washington, who lives in Big Bear and spent 20 years in the construction field. "I was a concrete finisher that was out of work for about a year. When I came back, I knew that the construction industry and workforce was changing. That's when I knew that I needed to learn new construction technology."

Washington said taking solar classes at VVC and being trained by GRID has opened a whole new world for him and has focused his career pursuit on solar, with a goal on becoming an OSHA inspector.

Like Washington, students
Matthew Methot, 24, and
James Wisell, 19, said they choose solar because they knew the construction industry was changing and "becoming green."

"It's becoming a booming industry and I want to be in the middle of it," said Methot, who'd like to be a lead installer in the future. "The outdoor teaching model is great and the best way to learn."

Tran said GRID's "safety is job one" attitude insures that everyone on the job sites wears hard hats and safety harnesses while working on the roof.

"After college, I found GRID and discovered that the organization was a perfect fit as they include the affordable housing and renewable technology aspects," said
Erika Aragon, a SolarCorps Program Fellow with Grid who has a degree in environmental engineering. "Convincing people that we're the real deal is probably our biggest challenge."

Aragon said she was attracted to GRID's work as the nonprofit has installed 94 kilowatts of solar energy in the High Desert, which has prevented some 2,070 tons of greenhouse gas emissions and provided over 2,400 hours in job training.

Last year, GRID joined forces with several groups to rehabilitate a Victorville home that was given to Army veteran
Herbert Billinger, 84, and his wife, Jacquelynn. The couple was presented their new 1,252-square-foot home, courtesy of Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services of Riverside.

Leida Chambliss, outreach coordinator for GRID Alternatives, said students from VVC helped with the installation of the 17 solar panels, which were expected save the Billingers about $800 a year.

GRID Alternatives was founded during the 2001 California energy crisis by two engineering professionals who were implementing large-scale renewable energy and energy efficiency projects for the private sector.

"By training students, giving them job skills and helping neighbors, we're accomplishing so much," Tran said. "We're also energizing the community one roof at a time."

For more information on GRID, visit gridalternatives.org or call 866-921-4696.

Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227, RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com or on Twitter@DP_ReneDeLaCruz.

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