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The solar industry is booming, already adding new jobs faster than the national average and with solar installations projected to surpass all other energy sources. Amid these impressive milestones are questions about who is benefiting from the industry’s rapid growth and whether solar is an available option for renters, low-income individuals, and communities of color.
GRID Alternatives’ Solar Affordable Housing Program is helping solar become more accessible to low-income communities. The model not only aids the families who receive the rooftop solar systems, it also provides local employment and training opportunities for the growing renewable energy workforce, making it an important component in the transition to low-carbon solutions.
GRID’s Greater Los Angeles affiliate launched the LA 500 Pledge to provide zero-cost rooftop solar systems to 500 low-income families over the next two years, along with hands-on job solar installation training to 500 individuals. The pledge aims to add up to 1.6 MW of new solar capacity and save low-income families up to $15 million on utility bills over the life of their solar systems. Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti commended the pledge for helping make progress toward the Sustainable City pLAn, a roadmap for creating a more environmentally healthy, economically prosperous, and equitable city.
