Solar Powers Future for LA-Area Family
SunEdison, GRID Alternatives, Homeboy Industries empower lives through job training and solar power
The solar power industry is doing more than simply generating electricity. It's empowering life-changing job training and enabling a low-income Los Angeles family to generate energy savings and a great future.
SunEdison, a world leader in solar energy solutions is transforming lives through innovation by working with GRID Alternatives, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the benefits of solar power to low-income communities. The two organizations are collaborating with Homeboy Industries to install a home solar power system for a low-income family in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of LA. The new system will help the families achieve their goals of reducing their energy costs and reinvesting in their families' futures, while also providing job training for the Homeboy Industries' trainees. Homeboy Industries serves high-risk, formerly gang-involved men and women with a continuum of free services and programs.
The Robles family will receive a solar system specifically designed for the home's size and energy usage. The family of three is headed by Julie Robles who is a nurse on temporary disability, awaiting surgery. She lives with her daughter and baby granddaughter, and cares for the baby while her daughter is at work. Julie is active in the community, volunteers at the local farmers' market teaching people about healthy eating, and grows a lot of the family's food in her yard. The system is being installed on the family's home by Homeboy Industries trainees, with the assistance of SunEdison leadership on September 10, 2013.
The solar power system will have a total energy production capability of 2 kw reducing the Robles' energy costs by 75-90 percent. This is equal to a lifetime savings of $18,000, and a greenhouse gas reduction of 59 tons which is the equivalent of removing 10 cars off the road for a year. The project is fully funded by SunEdison, enabling solar power to be installed in an area of Los Angeles not eligible for any government funding.
"We believe that solar technology should be available to everyone, and particularly to families in neighborhoods such as Boyle Heights," said Michael Kadish, Executive Director of GRID Alternatives Greater Los Angeles, said. "We are grateful to SunEdison for their support of today's installation, and look forward to working with them, Homeboy Industries and our other partners to create more job training opportunities and bring solar to even more low-income families in the City of Los Angeles."
"This is a great example of transforming lives through innovation on a variety of fronts," Ravi Sankaran, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for SunEdison, said. "Not only are we empowering the Robles family with energy savings and reliable power for years to come, but the job training is also transforming the lives of those in the Homeboy Industries program. It's an honor for us to volunteer our time and to partner with GRID Alternatives in this important effort."
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