SunPower Teams Up With GRID Alternatives to Empower Communities in Need
SunPower Employee Volunteers to Install Six Solar-Electric Systems in One Day for Low-Income, First-Time Homeowners in Oakland, Calif.
San Jose, CA, Sept 13, 2007
Source: SunPower Corp. press release
http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=263881
SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWR), a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar systems today announced a new partnership with GRID Alternatives, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization, to bring the power of solar energy to low-income families in need.
As part of SunPower’s commitment to GRID Alternatives, it will offer a preferred rate on its high-efficiency solar panels for low-income and nonprofit clients throughout California, enable SunPower employees to volunteer, on company time, to help install these solar electric systems in communities around the Bay Area, and give direct financial support to help GRID Alternatives expand and install more solar-electric systems in low-income communities statewide.
“SunPower is pleased to partner with GRID Alternatives to help low-income families save on their electric bills with the highest efficient solar system available on the market today,” said Bobby Ram, director of Global Community Relations for SunPower. “We are delighted to offer both our solar-electric systems and the time and expertise of our employee volunteers to help make this a successful endeavor.”
To celebrate this partnership, more than 60 employees from SunPower’s Berkeley facility will donate their time on Friday, September 14th to install six solar-electric systems for low-income, first-time homebuyers in East Oakland, Calif. These systems will reduce each family’s electric bills by more than 75 percent and will produce $100,000 worth of clean, renewable solar power over the next 30 years while offsetting 300 tons of greenhouse emissions. Selected homes are part of a new 26-unit, all-solar, affordable housing development being built by Habitat for Humanity East Bay. All installed solar systems on these homes are being fully funded through a charitable grant by PG&E’s Solar Habitat initiative.
“SunPower is helping some of the lowest-income families in our community get some of the most advanced solar technology available,” said Tim Sears, program director and co-founder of GRID Alternatives. “With SunPower’s help, we are growing our Solar Affordable Housing Program to serve many more homes for low-income families in both Northern California and Southern California. We look forward to a long and successful relationship.”