Thanks to $2 million from California Climate Investments through the Low‑Income Weatherization Program, GRID Alternatives Inland Empire (GRID) is implementing the Community Solar Pilot project, the first community solar array in California specifically designed to benefit low‑income households. Situated on Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indian tribal lands in Riverside County, the Community Solar Pilot project will not only lower energy costs for tribal members and other low‑income households but also provided an opportunity for tribal members to gain valuable experience as solar installation trainees.
A major portion of the project was completed in 2020 by the project team, a partnership between GRID, the Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians and Anza Electric Cooperative, Inc. Five solar trainees were selected for paid positions from the Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians. One of the trainees was Vivian Hamilton, who recently moved back home to the Santa Rosa Tribal Reservation.
“I learned a wide range of things about how solar works from this project. I was really proud of myself because I did a lot of stuff that I didn’t even know I could do,” said Vivian, who grew up on the reservation with the other trainees. “This project came just when I needed it most. It helped me to redirect my thoughts and take my mind off things. It was a wonderful experience! I would love the opportunity to continue my solar training with GRID and learn new things.”
Community solar is designed to reduce energy costs for households that are currently unable to benefit from existing low‑income solar programs. The goal of the Community Solar Pilot is to fund the implementation and testing of innovative solar models to deliver community solar to low‑income households. So far, the project team has built a 1‑megawatt ground‑mounted solar array that will provide an estimated $5.4 million in energy cost savings over 30 years through utility bill credits to tribal and low‑income households. Approximately 38 homes on tribal land and up to 250 low‑income households served by Anza Electric will benefit from the project.
The Community Solar Pilot project is scheduled to be operational and delivering benefits to households in the first half of 2021.