GRID Alternatives
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
GRID Alternatives (GRID) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Oakland, California. Founded by Erica Mackie and Tim Sears in 2004, it installs solar power systems and provides job training for underserved communities and operates in the United States, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Nepal.[1]
| Formation | 2001 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Erica Mackie and Tim Sears |
| Founded at | Oakland, CA |
| Type | 501(c)(3) |
| 26-0043353 | |
| Website | gridalternatives |
Grid, styled "GRID," was founded during the 2001 California energy crisis by Erica Mackie, P.E., and Tim Sears, P.E., two engineering professionals.[2] According to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program profile, it "piloted its flagship Solar Affordable Housing Program in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2004, and subsequently expanded to other parts of the state."[3]
In 2008, the company was selected by the California Public Utilities Commission to serve as the statewide program manager for its Single-family Affordable Solar Homes (SASH) incentive program, prompting an expansion across the state.[4]
In 2013, Grid expanded its work outside of California for the first time in Colorado.[5]
GRID Mid-Atlantic, serving Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, was launched in September 2014. In 2017, GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic was selected to administer Solar Works DC, a program of the Washington, D.C. Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) and Department of Employment Services (DOES).[6]