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San Francisco Bay Guardian - 12.2004

San Francisco has emerged as one of the country's most ardently pro-solar cities. With large-scale municipal projects enjoying near-universal support and demand for individual residential systems booming, the Fog City is widely seen as a national leader in the movement for sun-derived energy.

However, despite this well-deserved acclaim, the reality is that those who would benefit most from solar power are the least likely to take advantage of it. Low-income residents tend to be hit hardest by pollution and volatile energy prices; the high up-front costs and confusing red tape of installing a solar system are enough to discourage many from even considering it.

But if an agency called Generating Renewable Ideas for Development Alternatives (6120 Fulton, S.F. 415-515-8091, www.gridalternatives.org) has its way, then changes are afoot. Earlier this year GRID Alternatives launched the Solar Affordable Housing Program, which is aimed at making solar energy affordable and convenient for low-income Bay Area residents. And while the program is still fairly small, its innovative, community-based approach has the potential to mean far more than just a couple of extra kilowatts zipping around the high-tension wires.

The idea is simple: any homeowner earning 80 percent or less of his or her area's median income (in San Francisco, that's approximately less than $75,000 for a family of four) can apply. If the application is approved, GRID Alternatives inspects the person's house to ensure that it will be suitable for hosting solar power equipment. If so, the agency provides discounted photovoltaic cells, assembles a team of volunteers to install them, and processes all the paperwork needed to obtain government subsidies and tax credits for the homeowner.

Elizabeth Cubas, a Visitacion Valley resident and recent program participant, says the entire process was remarkably convenient. After purchasing a home through nonprofit home builders Habitat for Humanity, she and her husband, Max, were thrilled to learn they could also qualify for a GRID Alternatives installation. Before they went solar, Cubas reports, her family was paying $40 a month in energy bills; since then, their bill has been cut in half. "It's really easy, and it's a great program. I recommend it," Cubas says.

Key to the program's success is cofounders Erica Mackie and Tim Sears' concern with building strong communities and supplying cheap electricity. When they started GRID Alternatives in 2002, their original intent was to use renewable energy as a stepping stone to economic and social development in Latin America and the Middle East. This global focus soon changed. "In [the organization's] infancy, we thought that we would do more international work," Mackie says. "But why fly across the ocean when there's so much need right outside your back door?"

As it is, the duo have maintained their focus on community development for projects here in California. Cubas, for one, says that she would be interested in helping out with future GRID Alternatives installations. And for Mackie, this type of partnership is critical. "We try to have a goal of 20 percent of volunteers coming from the community we're working in," she says.

What's more, Mackie sees a vast potential for community members to enhance their career prospects through such volunteerism. "We're not a job-placement program," she says, adding hopefully, "Not yet." But with a licensed solar contractor working on every job, she sees a great opportunity for volunteers to tap into the career network of a well-paying and increasingly in-demand field.

Ultimately, Mackie and Sears still hope to fulfill their initial vision of bringing renewables to underprivileged communities all over the world. But according to Mackie, for the time being, their efforts are best focused closer to home. "We know about affordable housing and the climate of solar in California," she says. And in the short term, she says, "We really want to get the savings you get from installing a solar energy system into the hands of people who are struggling to pay their bills."


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Solar Power to the People San Francisco Bay Guardian - 12.2004 San Francisco has emerged as one of the country's most ardently pro-solar cities. With large-scale municipal projects enjoying near-universal support and demand for individual residential systems booming, the Fog City is widely seen as a national leader in the movement for sun-derived energy. However, despite this well-deserved acclaim, the reality is that those who would benefit most from solar power are the least likely to take advantage of it. Low-income residents tend to be hit hardest by pollution and volatile energy prices; the high up-front costs and confusing red tape of installing a solar system are enough to discourage many from even considering it. But if an agency called Generating Renewable Ideas for Development Alternatives (6120 Fulton, S.F. 415-515-8091, www.gridalternatives.org) has its way, then changes are afoot. Earlier this year GRID Alternatives launched the Solar Affordable Housing Program, which is aimed at making solar energy affordable and convenient for low-income Bay Area residents. And while the program is still fairly small, its innovative, community-based approach has the potential to mean far more than just a couple of extra kilowatts zipping around the high-tension wires. The idea is simple: any homeowner earning 80 percent or less of his or her area's median income (in San Francisco, that's approximately less than $75,000 for a family of four) can apply. If the application is approved, GRID Alternatives inspects the person's house to ensure that it will be suitable for hosting solar power equipment. If so, the agency provides discounted photovoltaic cells, assembles a team of volunteers to install them, and processes all the paperwork needed to obtain government subsidies and tax credits for the homeowner. Elizabeth Cubas, a Visitacion Valley resident and recent program participant, says the entire process was remarkably convenient. After purchasing a home through nonprofit home builders Habitat for Humanity, she and her husband, Max, were thrilled to learn they could also qualify for a GRID Alternatives installation. Before they went solar, Cubas reports, her family was paying $40 a month in energy bills; since then, their bill has been cut in half. "It's really easy, and it's a great program. I recommend it," Cubas says. Key to the program's success is cofounders Erica Mackie and Tim Sears' concern with building strong communities and supplying cheap electricity. When they started GRID Alternatives in 2002, their original intent was to use renewable energy as a stepping stone to economic and social development in Latin America and the Middle East. This global focus soon changed. "In [the organization's] infancy, we thought that we would do more international work," Mackie says. "But why fly across the ocean when there's so much need right outside your back door?" As it is, the duo have maintained their focus on community development for projects here in California. Cubas, for one, says that she would be interested in helping out with future GRID Alternatives installations. And for Mackie, this type of partnership is critical. "We try to have a goal of 20 percent of volunteers coming from the community we're working in," she says. What's more, Mackie sees a vast potential for community members to enhance their career prospects through such volunteerism. "We're not a job-placement program," she says, adding hopefully, "Not yet." But with a licensed solar contractor working on every job, she sees a great opportunity for volunteers to tap into the career network of a well-paying and increasingly in-demand field. Ultimately, Mackie and Sears still hope to fulfill their initial vision of bringing renewables to underprivileged communities all over the world. But according to Mackie, for the time being, their efforts are best focused closer to home. "We know about affordable housing and the climate of solar in California," she says. And in the short term, she says, "We really want to get the savings you get from installing a solar energy system into the hands of people who are struggling to pay their bills."


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