KMPH Fox 26 Central San Joaquin Valley News Source in Fresno, California Entertainment, News, Sports and Weather | Solar Savings

Solar Savings

By: Rich Rodriguez

You don't have to be wealthy to own a solar system.  A local non–profit group is making the solar dream a reality for low income homeowners. In many cases the unit and installation are free.  The key is qualifying through the Single Family Affordable Solar Homes Program or SASH.

The drills are working at high speed up on the roof in Porterville.  This two day installation project is rolling right along. Mike Fairbanks with Grid Alternatives, a non–profit group is the project supervisor.  His team on the roof and the ground volunteered to carry out the project.

Mike Fairbanks says, "this is a learning opportunity for everybody.   Were not here to rush.   I'm not here to crack the whip and tell them hey were going slow.   My job and this is what I love about it is to teach."

This solar project is a win win operation.   In this case the homeowner gets a free solar system while the volunteers get valuable career training.  

Mike Iriye is a bartender searching for a career change.  Iriye says "it seems like solar is the new way to go right now.   Good career path.   Something that's up and coming."

Many of the volunteers are enrolled at the trade school Proteus and volunteer with Grid Alternatives to get on the job training.  Christopher Pedroza says "this is my first time doing it.   What did you think?  It's actually a good learning experience and hopefully I can get into the whole field later on after the schooling."

Maria Sierra is the homeowner getting the solar system.  She's the third person in this Porterville subdivision to receive a unit through single family affordable solar homes, better known as SASH.  Grid Alternatives is the program manager for SASH.   Maria hopes the unit will save energy and reduce her power bill.  She says sometimes her power bill is 190 to 195 dollars. 

Funding for these solar units comes from California ratepayers under the sponsorship of the California Public Utilities Commission.

Right now Maria Sierra's meter is spinning to the right.   Once the unit goes on line it will reverse course like her two neighbors.  Mike Fairbanks says, "if the disc or an arrow is pointing to the right your money is going right to PG&E.   If it's going left your money is going to be left in your pocket."

Back on the roof nearly a dozen volunteers are finishing up on day one.  For most it was their first time on the solar scene.   Naturally there were first day mistakes. But after nearly ten years on the roof, Mike Fairbanks knows what it takes to get the job done right.  Fairbanks says "the rule number one, when it comes to solar is don't worry about making mistakes because I can show you how to fix them.   There's not a mistake that I haven't created."

Grid Alternatives works with low income homeowners to see if they qualify for a solar system. Grid Alternatives covers a huge area in Central California.   From Bakersfield to Stockton and Bishop to the Central Coast.