Community leaders joined the board of directors, staff and girls of Girls Inc. Carpinteria on March 14 to celebrate the completed installation of the new 30-kilowatt solar electric system, and to thank the Community Environment Council (CEC) and Asteri Solar for their investment in the campus.
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s new photovoltaic solar electric system is expected to provide about half of the organization’s electricity for the next 25 years.
The system was installed as part of CEC’s Solarize Nonprofit pilot project, a program designed to help local nonprofits go solar and run off renewable energy without an upfront cost. The program grew out of CEC’s residential Solarize program, which has helped 735 homeowners go solar.
The installation at Girls Inc. was completed in partnership between CEC; Asteri Solar, which provided the funding for the project; and local solar installer Sun Pacific Solar Electrical, Inc.
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is the second nonprofit to complete installation through the program, following the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition.
The organization is projected to save more than $300,000 on future electricity bills by using solar power through the Solarize Nonprofit program. The savings will be directed back to the programs Girls Inc. brings to the community by inspiring girls to reach their full potential.
“The solar installation project is part of our board of directors’ long-range planning and broad visioning for the future of the Carpinteria campus, and an example of the collaborations we want to foster with other community partners,” said Lisa Murphy Rivas, interim executive director at Girls Inc. of Carpinteria.
“The organization will greatly benefit from significant savings in our operating expenses and the ability to utilize clean, renewable energy,” she said.
“The Girls Inc. of Carpinteria girls on campus today will remember being with the organization the year we started taking steps for the future of our campus and the environment,” Rivas said. “We extend our gratitude to CEC, Asteri Solar and Sun Pacific for their work in making this possible.”
The solar project is part of a campus-wide effort at Girls Inc. of Carpinteria to reduce energy demand and upgrade the facility. The organization also has invested in new lighting throughout the facility to reduce their energy demand.
The ceremony included representatives from CEC, Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, Sun Pacific, Carpinteria Mayor Wade Nomura, and representatives from the offices of state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, Assemblymember Monique Limón, Congressman Salud Carbajal and Supervisor Das Williams.
“We are delighted to support Girls Inc. of Carpinteria and their important mission,” said Matt Riley of Asteri Solar. “They have been an amazing partner on this project, and we look forward to reducing their operating costs with solar power.”
Asteri Solar launched in 2018 to support the community through impact investing in solar for nonprofit organizations.
While Solarize Nonprofit has already identified several nonprofits for funding through the pilot, there may be additional capacity for the program. Eligible nonprofits must own their buildings or be in long-term leases and have facilities suitable for solar. Nonprofits may apply at SolarizeNonprofit.org.
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria serves more than 700 girls each year, helping them navigate gender, economic and social barriers and grow into healthy, educated and independent adults. To learn more, visit www.girlsinc-carp.org. For more about CEC, go to www.CECSB.org.
— Daniella Alkobi for Girls Inc. Carpinteria.