Bishop Paiute's Residential Solar Program Phase III
- Bishop Paiute Tribe Environmental Management Office, Bishop, CA (United States); Bishop Paiute Tribe; Bishop Paiute Tribe; Bishop Paiute Tribe
- GRID Alternatives Inland Empire, Riverside, CA (United States)
The project consisted of the design, installation, inspection, interconnection and monitoring of 40 grid-tied solar electric systems, totaling up to 108 kW rated capacity, on qualified existing low-income single-family homes located within the Bishop Paiute Reservation. The systems are to provide at least 30-75% savings in displaced electricity totaling 175,000 kWh/year. After the DOE grant contract was signed, the Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance (TERO) board voted to reduce the tribal tax to work on the reservation for these low-income projects from 4% to 1%. This generous reduction was applied back into the community solar project and two additional tribal homes were added for a new total of 40 grid-tied solar electric systems, totaling up to 113 kW rated capacity (two more than originally planned) projects. Additionally, each homeowner was educated on energy efficiency and how solar works and saves them money. The estimated 75% savings on monthly electric bills brings financial relief to tribal homeowners and makes a significant difference on the reservation; giving low-income families money to spend on other essential items, while reducing their carbon footprint in this remote tribal reservation. The GRID IE program and this tribal project had a training component for tribal members to get free hands-on job training on 8 of the 40 homes. Those tribal members that came out to train with GRID IE could then be eligible for the “train to hire” portion of the program, on the remaining 32 homes. Overall, the triple impact of the Bishop Paiute Tribe Residential Solar Program Phase III—affordable energy for low-income families, on-site clean energy production, and hands-on solar installation jobs for local workers—these all help build the Tribe’s energy, economic, environmental goals and offers local self-sufficiency while supporting energy independence to the neediest on the Reservation.
- Research Organization:
- Bishop Paiute Tribe, Bishop, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Indian Energy Policy & Programs (IE)
- Contributing Organization:
- GRID Alternatives - Inland Empire
- DOE Contract Number:
- IE0000099
- OSTI ID:
- 1782222
- Report Number(s):
- DOE-BISHOP--00099; DOE-4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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