Landmark Solar Installation Features Home-Grown Green Job Trainees

OAKLAND GREEN JOBS CORPS TRAINEES WORK WITH GRID ALTERNATIVES TO COMPLETE FIRST OAKLAND SOLAR PROJECT FINANCED WITH REDEVELOPMENT DOLLARS
What: Solar Electric Installation
When: Friday, December 5th, 12pm noon
Where: 3924 Webster St. in Oakland, just south of 40th St.
Contact: David Room, Local Clean Energy Alliance Coordinator, cell: 510-285-7075
Abel Habtegeorgis, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, 510-387-0015

OAKLAND- On Friday December 5th Grid Alternatives and the historic Oakland Green Job Corps will complete the first residential solar electric project financed by City of Oakland redevelopment funds, demonstrating a potential new direction for financing clean energy for low-income homeowners. Representatives from GRID Alternatives, Oakland Green Jobs Corps, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, and two Redevelopment Project Advisory Committees will also be on hand to mark the completion of this landmark project.

GRID Alternatives is a non-profit partner of the Green Employer Council and licensed contractor that installs solar electric systems exclusively for low income home owners. A unique and innovative feature of the 12/5/08 solar installation is the involvement of Oakland's new Green Job Corps. Oakland Green Jobs Corps trainees will gain hands-on experience while actively participating in the solar installation. This will be the Oakland Green Job Corps' first completed solar project, as part of their ongoing training. The Oakland Green Jobs Corps is the employment pipeline program, unveiled in Fall of 2008, that is providing "green-collar" skills training and jobs to 40 young adults with barriers to employment. The Oakland Green Jobs Corps training is coordinated by three agencies: Cypress Mandela, Laney College and Growth Sector.

The installation of this photovoltaic system was made possible by a collaboration of local groups including GRID Alternatives, the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, the Oakland Green Job Corps, the Cypress Mandela Training Center and the Project Advisory Committee of the Broadway/MacArthur/San Pablo Redevelopment Area. Funding of $10,000 for the project was proposed by the Project Advisory Committee and approved by Oakland's City Council. The idea has since spread to a second Oakland Redevelopment Project. The West Oakland Project Area Committee (WOPAC) recently recommended a second redevelopment grant of $48,000 to finance up to four more solar and energy efficiency installations in West Oakland. Their recommendation currently awaits final City Council approval.

"In Oakland, 25% of redevelopment funds are mandated to be spent in support of affordable housing. When we lower the utility bills of low-income homeowners, that counts as support for affordable housing. The best way to lower people's PG&E bill is to carry out energy efficiency measures and then put up solar electric and/or solar hot water systems. There is a great potential for redevelopment funds, and bonds leveraged on them, to be used to lower the utility bills of low-income Oakland residents," remarked Aaron Reaven, a member of the Project Advisory Committee as well as the Local Clean Energy Alliance of the East Bay. The Local Clean Energy Alliance advocates for this and other innovative models of financing of local clean energy upgrades.

The partners of the Solar Installation Project include:
GRID Alternatives, Oakland Green Jobs Corps, Cypress Mandela Training Center, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Local Clean Energy Alliance of the East Bay, Redevelopment Project Advisory Committees.