News & Project Updates

• Interconnection 2016 with Steel & String

7/8/2016

- Oakland based nonprofit Grid Alternatives celebrated its 11th year in providing solar electricity to low-income families and disadvantaged communities with a party and fundraiser that overtook the Terra Gallery building in San Francisco. The night also honored California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León and Enphase CEO Paul Nahi.

Giving the night a beautiful and very distinctive musical atmosphere, the new duet
STEEL & STRING, featuring Kevin Kihara on the hang (a derivative of a steelpan that acts partly as a Helmholz resonator) and MJ Lee on the violin, was brought in by Broken Arrow. Based out of Grid's home territory, Steel & String was a perfect cultural and program fit for the night, helping to soundtrack Grid Alternatives' singular mission that is now spreading to many states, Native American lands, and on to Central America.

Congratulations Grid and keep up the good work!

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• Facebook & Grid Alternatives Solar for Menlo Park

6/9/2016

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- Broken Arrow was part of the first solar installation to take place under a new program sponsored by FACEBOOK and Bay area nonprofits MENLO SPARK and GRID ALTERNATIVES.

The collaboration will initially provide 10 low-income houses in Menlo Park’s Belle Haven neighborhood with solar electricity. It is estimated the program will save the families an estimated $250,000 over the next 25 years and prevent an estimated 550 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

For the first house, a 4.2 kW system was installed using Sun Edison panels and Enphase micro-inverters. Grid Alternatives installed the system with additional cost assistance from the California Public Utilities Commission’s Single Family Affordable Homes Program. The installation will offset 41.23 tons of carbon, the equivalent of planting 969 trees, and will save the homeowner an estimated $20,000 over the system’s lifetime.

Facebook, which is headquartered in Menlo Park, is the town’s largest employer and sees the program as a way to improve its immediate neighborhood in the same way it is addressing it’s global corporate carbon footprint. Menlo Spark is a local nonprofit committed to a carbon free Menlo Park, and Oakland’s Grid Alternatives provides solar installations for low-income housing in 9 states as well as in Nicaragua.

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• Sammy, Franti & Bob Sing for Solar on Streets of SF

1/27/2016

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- Tomorrow, on January 28, the California Public Utilities Commission will convene to decide on a major issue regarding the future of solar energy and generation growth in the state. Local music stars MICHAEL FRANTI, SAMMY HAGAR and BOB WEIR joined together to sing and walk the streets of San Francisco on Sunday to support renewable energy and California's leadership in clean energy legislation.

The CPUC will establish the guidelines for the next generation net metering program. The program centers on how much the utilities will pay solar users for the energy they generate on-site but don't use and distribute back to the grid. It is a key economical element in one's decision to go solar, and solar advocates want the program to remain as is, while the utilities want changes that would lessen their payout amounts.

The artists played an acoustic set at the Phoenix Hotel with covers of Franti's "Sound of Sunshine" and then a delightfully ragged version of "Loose Lucy", then all took off for the California State Building on foot singing "Here Comes the Sun". Franti's "(Say Hey) I Love You" closed the performance on the building steps. It was a spirited, old-school, mobile demonstration to support keeping a strong net metering program for the continued growth of solar in the state.

Bob Weir, Michael Franti and Sammy Hagar #RocktheSun for California solar progress from Vote Solar on Vimeo.

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• Grid Alternatives Interconnection 2015

5/23/2015

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- Oakland-based Grid Alternatives, the trailblazing non-profit that installs solar power on low-income housing, hosted its second annual Interconnection fundraising event at the Village in San Francisco. The event celebrated another incredible year for the company, and honored the State of California, SunPower and SunEdison, three key supporters of Grid’s mission as well as leaders in the clean energy transition. CEOs Tom Werner and Ahmad Chatila accepted awards for SunPower and SunEdison, and Mary Nichols, Chair of the California Air Resources Board, accepted the award for California.

Broken Arrow was a sponsor and has supported Grid Alternatives for a number of years. To help reflect the company’s roots and the night's urban vibe BA brought in Oakland’s own KEV CHOICE to provide a distinct hip hop, jazz, and R&B brew for the 300 + guests. The virtuoso pianist, M.C., band leader and former music director for Lauryn Hill had just released his new album Love & Revolution and completed a tour with Zion I. The grooves enveloped the awards ceremony and fueled the celebration into the night.

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• Mosaic "Solar Movement" Series: Starting the End of Energy Poverty

9/18/2014

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- "One of the most fascinating effects of of renewable energy, is its burgeoning impact in undeveloped communities around the world and efforts to end energy poverty."

Read More of the Broken Arrow-contributed post on MOSAIC, the first peer-to-peer investment platform for solar energy.

- Honored by Fast Company as a Top Ten most innovative company in energy for 2 consecutive years
- Department of Energy SunShot Grant recipient
- Sierra Club's "Trailblazer Company of the Year"
- Verizon Wireless Powerful Answers award winner (environmental)

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• Interconnection 2016 with Steel & String

• Facebook & Grid Alternatives Solar for Menlo Park

• Sammy, Franti & Bob Sing for Solar on Streets of SF

• Grid Alternatives Interconnection 2015

• Mosaic "Solar Movement" Series: Starting the End of Energy Poverty

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