Rebuilding After the Fire: Solar Energy in Paradise, California

In 2018, wildfires swept across Paradise, California and surrounding communities, destroying residents’ homes and the livelihoods of countless more. In response, GRID Alternatives North Valley launched a disaster recovery initiative to help low income homeowners rebuild, using their unique volunteer training model to create economic opportunity for underserved communities in the process.

Photographer Nathan Heleine visited Paradise capturing residents’ loss, recovery efforts, and undeniable resiliency as they rebuild.

Since January 2020, California has required all new homes to have solar panels as part of its mission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While the law marks a victory in the fight against climate change, it also means that homeowners rebuilding have one more cost to consider.

GRID North Valley’s disaster resiliency program bridges this economic divide by offering free solar energy installations to qualifying homeowners.

Evelyn Thomas (left) made a harrowing escape to survive the 2018 Camp Fire. After losing her house and much of her community to the fire, she’s starting over with a new home. With the help of Honnold Foundation funding, GRID North Valley installed a solar energy system on Evelyn’s new home as one of the first residents to benefit from GRID’s disaster recovery initiative.

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GRID Alternatives also offers skilled trades training, connecting community members with job opportunities.

Sterling Gillmer (left) graduated from GRID’s workforce training and was soon hired by GRID’s North Valley office. In addition to his work in the community with GRID, Sterling volunteers as a youth basketball coach for his kids’ team.

In addition to being a part of the solar installation team, Sterling advocates for anti-recidivism work and helps GRID connect with members of the community who are overcoming a history in the criminal justice system.

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Solar installations bring the entire community together. Volunteers, contractors, GRID staff, and installation trainees work together to mount panels, install electrical wiring, and more.

GRID’s training program prepares students with the solar installation skills needed to secure an entry level job in the industry.

The Honnold Foundation is committed to helping GRID North Valley increase disaster resiliency in Northern California.  Make a gift today to support GRID North Valley, victims of the Paradise wildfire, and future Honnold Foundation partners.

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A Message from Alex

By Alex Honnold, Founder

I’ve been struggling to write anything that doesn’t sound inconsequential in the face of a global pandemic, so I’ll get right to the point:

Our work at the Honnold Foundation continues. This year marked our first open call for new grant partners— the first time we’ve actively asked the world to submit their best ideas. That work continues in spite of the pandemic swirling around us, and we’ll announce our new grantees in April. For me, choosing new partners is a much needed relief from the daily news, and reading grant applications is one of the most heartening parts of my day. There’s something incredibly refreshing about reading peoples’ best ideas for using solar energy to do something useful for their community, and all of us at the Honnold Foundation are excited to share those stories with you soon. 

Energy access is essential, and our mission of promoting solar energy for a more equitable world is as important now as ever. 

In the coming months and years communities will be tested in new and challenging ways (I write that thinking about COVID-19, but it applies more broadly to our changing climate as well.) Solar energy access is a powerful way to boost resilience— it creates jobs, reduces environmental impact, and increases self-sufficiency and self-determination for marginalized communities. It’s important work— meaningful enough to me that I started a foundation to support it while I still lived in a van full time, seven years ago. And while it can be hard to look past our current crisis, energy access remains essential. 

There’s no ask here. If you’ve supported the Honnold Foundation in some way in the past, we want you to know we appreciate you, and, and that we remain as committed to our work as ever. This year we plan to give more than $800,000 to our nonprofit partners around the world. In Puerto Rico, we’ve been working with Casa Pueblo to build the island’s first cooperatively managed solar microgrid, and after a year of planning and community organizing, the first solar panels were installed on February 28th. 

So in a day that’s probably full of gloomy news, enjoy this photo and know that there is still positive change being made in the world. 

Thanks. And stay safe out there, 

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The first solar panels in the Adjuntas, Puerto Rico microgrid, installed on the roofs of local business. These panels are mounted with an innovative new racking system designed to withstand the 165 mile per hour winds associated with Category 5 hurricanes. (Photo: Casa Pueblo)

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Community Engagement with Casa Pueblo

The Honnold Foundation and Casa Pueblo have been hard at work on making Puerto Rico’s newest cooperatively-managed and community-owned microgrid a reality. Soon, Rivian’s second life batteries will be used as the energy storage solution for a microgrid that powers small businesses in the town of Adjuntas— ensuring climate and disaster resilience for the heart of the community.

For the past year, the Honnold Foundation has worked side by side with the community to develop an energy solution that addresses local needs. Providing the materials and engineering expertise is just one part of establishing a community-owned microgrid.

Casa Pueblo

Adjuntas, PR

Honnold Foundation Project Manager Cynthia Arellano has spent extensive time in Puerto Rico, working with Casa Pueblo founders Tinti Deyá Díaz and Alexis Massol González, along with their son and current Associate Director, Dr. Arturo Massol-Deyá. With their support and guidance, Honnold Foundation has gotten to know the small business community in Adjuntas, and learned more about their vision for a solar-powered island.

Founders Tinti Deyá Díaz and Alexis Massol González

Dr. Arturo Massol-Deyá, Associate Director of Casa Pueblo

Cynthia Arellano, Project Manager

Arturo introduces Honnold Foundation, Rivian, and the microgrid project to the Adjuntas community.

Alex Honnold meets with community members during the team’s initial planning visit.

After a series of community meetings, it became clear that solar panels would have the greatest impact for small businesses in the center of Adjuntas. Not only are these businesses central to the Adjuntas economy, but in natural disasters, they become hubs for community services. In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, local business owners powered up diesel generators to provide families with food, cold storage for medical supplies, charging stations for cell phones, and other critical support services.

Ultimately, Adjuntas’ residents determined that the microgrid’s solar energy should be owned and distributed by the community via a newly formed nonprofit, ACESA. ACESA will provide small businesses with energy at a reduced rate. After reinvesting some profits into microgrid maintenance and repair, ACESA plans to invest earnings into social good initiatives throughout the town of Adjuntas.

Meet some of ACESA’s leadership team and Casa Pueblo’s staff, pictured below.

Gustavo Irizarry, Lucy's Pizza Owner (Copy)

Jose Colon, Digital Point Owner (Copy)

Abraham Gonzalez, Hospice Center Owner (Copy)

Wanda Vasquez, Hardware Store Owner (Copy)

Tommy Barcelo II, Property Owner (Copy)

Walter Acevedo, Bakery Owner (Copy)

Rebecca, Casa Pueblo Staff (Copy)

Jorgie, Casa Pueblo Staff (Copy)

We’re delighted to play a role in building a brighter future for Adjuntas, and immensely proud to work alongside the talented teams at Casa Pueblo and Rivian. Check out a few more photos from our time in Puerto Rico, and make a gift today to support Casa Pueblo, the city of Adjuntas, and future Honnold Foundation community partners.

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Photos by Ben Moon and the Honnold Foundation

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