GRID Alternatives San Diego Accomplishes First "Complete" Install

Submitted by Steve Fernandez on Thu, 04/16/2009 - 3:15pm.

• solar

By Miguel Reza

It was a first for many staff and volunteers in San Diego. But, it sure won't be the last. On April 13 and 14, GRID Alternatives took a crack at their first full install in the City of El Cajon about 20 minutes east of downtown San Diego.

Fifteen volunteers joined the ranks of thousands more across the state to help install Photovoltaic (PV) Systems for low income communities, with their first 2.2 kW system install in San Diego County. Habitat for Humanity San Diego is building this particular home with the support of the Jimmy Johnson Foundation. This home is actually the second house that had solar installed, but the first that included volunteers who had been trained and coordinated from the San Diego office.

“We are really excited, said Paul Cleary, San Diego Regional Director. “It’s interesting how this development has a street named Foundation Lane. “I think we have built a great foundation ourselves for future installs of PV systems in San Diego County.”

Although site supervisors traveled from the Bay Area and Los Angeles to help the San Diego team get in tune with the in and outs of an installation, the work was eagerly taken on by volunteers who wanted to learn and give something back to the community.

Final construction of the remaining two homes is scheduled to be completed by October of this year. GRID Alternatives hopes to be there as the other homes are built to make the entire street solar.

GRID Alternatives would like to thank BP Solar for providing the systems panels, Stellar Solar for providing the inverter and BOS, and GroSolar for proving additional supplies, Habitat for Humanity San Diego for coordinating the install and of course, the volunteers who helped install the 2.2 kW system on the property.