SUNworks Donates Solar for Habitat for Humanity Project

SUNworks donated a solar energy system for Habitat for Humanity (Yuba/Sutter chapter) ReStore center and showed the YouthBuild students how solar works, why it’s important to the environment, how it saves money, and how to install the solar panels. The students helped our SUNworks installers install the solar panels on the Habitat ReStore rooftop. We are hopeful this will spark an interest in renewable technology and help steer these youths in the right path in education and career choices. We also know this will instill a sense of pride in their work whenever they come to the Habitat for Humanity YouthBuild program.

Making It Easy for Habitat for Humanity to Go Green:

The new solar energy system is estimated to reduce Habitat for Humanity’s carbon footprint by 69 tons over the next 25 years. That’s equivalent to:

• 233,850 miles driven by a small car
• 142,250 miles flown by an airplane
• 2,800 trees planted
• 125 persons’ worth of carbon emissions generated from trash and wastes

SUNworks serves as the clean energy expert by offering educational class to Habitat for Humanity youths who come to the Habitat YouthBuild location to help them understand their contribution to a sustainable world, how solar energy is produced, and how to install solar. Solar is one of the career pathways in the YouthBuild instructional program.

About the Solar Energy System:

SUNworks provided complete project management for Habitat for Humanity ReStore solar project by managing the entire process and overseeing all city code requirements and permit filings. In addition, SUNworks trained the Habitat for Humanity team on how to monitor their energy consumption so they may track their total savings each month.

The SUNworks clean energy solution is a savings to rising energy costs. In the first year of production, it is forecasted the solar panels will produce 22,338 kw hours per year, which is translated into a forecasted savings of $131,000 over 25 years. The savings will help Habitat for Humanity keep its costs down for its ReStore location as energy and other operational expenses continue to affect the market. It is estimated Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Yuba County will generate 25% of its electricity needs with this solar solution, only requiring 75% of its electricity from the utility company.

About Habitat ReStore:

The Habitat for Humanity ReStore is an outlet that accepts donated goods for resale. Building supplies and materials, donated by individuals as well as large home improvement stores, are sold at the ReStore at drastically reduced prices to help them fund the construction of Habitat for Humanity homes within Yuba and Sutter counties. ReStore provides an environmentally and socially responsible way to keep good, reusable materials, out of the waste stream and simultaneously provide funding for Habitat’s community improvement work.