In 2008, I heard Van Jones speak at the Academy of Natural Sciences about his book “The Green Collar Economy.” He talked about the need to make careers in clean energy accessible to all of our communities, and that without intentional inclusion, the underserved neighborhoods in our region would be sidelined from these opportunities, too.
I grew up in West Philly — Powelton Village — and knew what Van meant. My neighbors were handy, but rarely employed with any stability or benefits that could sustain a family.
Inspired by his words, I founded Solar States that same year with a dual-mission: install solar, and educate the next generation.
We would build free training programs in the city, and sell solar systems that program graduates could design, sell, install or maintain. They’d have benefits like 401(k)s and guaranteed hours.
While our dual-mission seemed simple, building a sustainable business to support both students and clients proved difficult, as anyone who has ridden on the “solar coaster” will tell you. At times, policy enthusiastically promoted solar adoption. Other times, not so much. But through it all, our commitment to renewable energy and developing a workforce hasn’t wavered.
That’s why I’m so proud of our FIND YOUR POWER training programs, which could only have been accomplished through the wisdom, hard work, and patience of partners and staff. We’ve watched folks go from no solar experience to Master Electricians, solar salespeople, designers, lead Installers and small business owners. Last year, our FIND YOUR POWER partnerships expanded beyond the city — to Harrisburg and into Chester County — and served 100 new students, 10 of whom were hired full-time by Solar States. Today, over half of our workforce came through FIND YOUR POWER training programs.
In Grid, over the next several months, I’ll be sharing incredible stories from our journey. If you’re not working in solar all day, every day, it can be hard to keep up. The technologies change as quickly as the government’s incentives and the slew of misinformation. These columns are an opportunity to pause, acknowledge the success of students, clients and partners, and offer plain-language guidance to neighbors considering a solar system or career in solar energy.
Here are a few of the topics I plan to explore:
- Rooftop Solar 101: The basics. What does “basic” even mean in solar, anymore? Most projects we install are rooftop systems to help homeowners and businesses offset rising utility rates. Rising utility rates — maybe that’s another column …
- New technology: it seems that everything is “smart” now — even that clunky electrical panel can be replaced with a smart device that offers circuit-level control and visibility into how you’re spending energy. As an energy nerd, I geek out on what’s possible with this new tech, and would like to share more about it and how I designed and installed my own home’s smart system with my youngest daughter!
- Partner stories: A business model like ours only succeeds with healthy partnerships. OIC Philadelphia, PowerCorpsPHL, Philadelphia Energy Authority, Energy Coordinating Agency, YouthBuild Philly, and special initiatives with some of our clients like Cristo Rey High and One Hope Community Church in North Philadelphia are of note, but only a few.
You can find information on our free training programs and request your free solar quote by visiting solar-states.com. While the journey hasn’t been “simple,” our approach for students and clients surely is — reach out, and we’ll provide honest guidance on your best foot forward.
Micah Gold-Markel is the founder of Solar States, a Philadelphia-based solar and storage installer.
