Oct 4 2007
SolarCity, California's leading provider of solar systems today announced its participation in SOLARTHON 2007; a one-day solar power blitz organized by local non-profit organization GRID Alternatives on Saturday, October 6th bringing eight solar electric systems to low-income families in East Oakland.
Conceived by GRID Alternatives as a way to raise money and awareness for community solar power and a mechanism for bringing energy savings to low-income communities, SOLARTHON will feature teams of volunteers from SolarCity, PG&E, Google, Environ Corporation, WaMu, RMC Water and Environment and individuals from around the Bay Area organized to install systems on eight houses in one day. Installations will take place at Habitat for Humanity East Bay's new Edes Avenue development in East Oakland where homeowners will be providing their own "sweat equity" by working alongside SOLARTHON participants to help install their solar power.
SolarCity's own collective neighborhood incentive programs and charitable matching programs similarly enable local community residents and non-profits to switch to solar power en masse at a deep discount while broadly raising awareness of the benefits of renewable energy. SolarCity's innovative Community Solar Programs have enabled more than 500 families in more than 20 communities to adopt over two megawatts of solar electricity in the past 10 months.
"GRID Alternatives' SOLARTHON is a great opportunity to demonstrate the power of solar energy to bring a community together and foster positive change in a neighborhood or city," said Lyndon Rive, CEO of SolarCity. "We are thrilled to be part of this growing movement."
The best photo and video opportunities of low-income homeowners and community & corporate volunteers working together to install solar panels will be from 10:30am to 3:30pm. Representatives from SolarCity, GRID Alternatives, Habitat for Humanity East Bay, and the event corporate sponsors will also be available for interview on-site.