Erica Mackie, P.E., and Tim Sears, P.E., were two engineering professionals implementing renewable energy systems for the private sector, but asking why free, clean electricity from the sun was only available to big businesses and wealthy environmentalists when it should be available to everybody.
Erica and Tim founded GRID Alternatives during the 2001 California energy crisis. They wanted to develop a nonprofit model to make renewable energy technology practical for low-income communities because they knew that low-income households were most adversely affected by high energy prices, utility rate shocks and polluting fossil-fuel power plants.
The model Erica and Tim developed became GRID Alternatives’ flagship Solar Affordable Housing Program, which trains and leads teams of community volunteers and job trainees to install solar electric systems for low-income homeowners. Every solar installation delivers immediate, tangible results: a fully installed solar electric system that provides immediate economic benefits to a local low-income family and environmental benefits to the community.
Since piloting the Solar Affordable Housing Program with two installations in 2004, GRID Alternatives has grown rapidly, and now has offices throughout California. GRID Alternatives now completes hundreds of projects every year and was selected in 2008 by the California Public Utilities Commission as the Program Manager for the California Solar Initiative's Single-family Affordable Solar Homes (SASH) Program. Visit GRID By the Numbers to see our total accomplishments to date.
They were recently recognized for their work with a 2010 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award, which recognizes and supports individuals who are advancing "innovative and effective solutions to significant state issues in California". You can see Tim and Erica's write-up at the James Irvine Foundation website, or watch the great video that the James Irvine Foundation put together about Tim and Erica below:
