Would you walk a mile for water?

“Before going to school, her children would have to walk a mile each morning to fetch water for daily use. They would be late for school and were often punished for being tardy.”

Solar Energy International alum Bilal Ahmed believes that everyone deserves access to clean water. A trained physician, Bilal took SEI classes so he could use solar energy as a tool to provide access to clean water in rural Pakistan.

“Now they have access to water literally in their back yard. Their mother shared that her mind is now at ease because her children can get to school on time.”

You can increase energy access to those who need it most.

Bilal’s company Stellargenesys works to provide access to water in rural Pakistan. Recently he came across a local community that had no access to a usable water source. The local well was abandoned and unusable because the water table was deep, and there was no electricity to help draw water.

The closest source of usable water was about a mile away from the community. Stellargenesys successfully installed a solar powered water pump to provide water access for the local community. “On our last check, a few weeks ago, the project was delivering the much-needed water to the community!” The solar water pump provides running water to approximately 50 households in the village near Karachi, Pakistan.

Please donate to SEI today to invest in the next generation of solar heroes.

“When we think about the impact that our alumni are having across the world, it gives us all goosebumps. Though we’re not in Pakistan setting up wells or powering schools, our alumni are. And they are doing this work everywhere in the world. With our 60,000+ alumni, we are getting closer every day to a world powered by renewable energy. Keep up the great work!” – Kathy Swartz, Solar Energy International Executive Director

An aerial video of the solar-powered water pump, installed in rural Pakistan by Stellargenesys. This video was provided by Bilal Ahmed. 

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Lighting the fire: A message from SEI Alumni Bilal Ahmed

​Schools in rural Pakistan face energy poverty every day. Many have no, or very limited access to electricity. SEI Alum (years ’10, ’11, ’15), Bilal Ahmed, aims to change that. Bilal first came to us when he was a practicing physician in Bismarck, ND. However, his real passion is setting up solar PV powered wells in drought-stricken areas of Pakistan and powering small village schools.

A message from Solar Energy International (SEI) Alumni Bilal Ahmed:

I got my start in solar by taking courses at Solar Energy International when I was a practicing physician in Bismarck, North Dakota. Today, I live in Dubai, UAE living my solar passion through my company, Stellargenesys. We are involved in providing solar power to rural area schools for underprivileged children in Pakistan.

Schools in rural Pakistan are burdened with limited or no access to electricity. We aim to change that because every student deserves the chance to learn in a positive environment. Through solar energy, we can give students that chance. We have completed 12 rural school projects so far. It has been gratifying to have come so far and I hope we achieve our target of 25 schools nationwide!

One of the schools saw its’ enrollment increase from 250 children to more than 400 children after we installed solar! The children now have access to a media library, laptops, etc. since the school has been electrified.

So much credit goes to SEI and its’ instructors for lighting up the ‘fire’ around the world, encouraging clean energy education and adoption. The small children from one of the schools’ salute SEI!

​You, too, can give the gift of light through solar education.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you,

Bilal Ahmed

“When we think about the impact that our alumni are having across the world, it gives us all goosebumps. Though we’re not in Pakistan setting up wells or powering schools, our alumni are. And they are doing this work everywhere in the world. With our 60,000+ alumni, we are getting closer every day to a world powered by renewable energy. Keep up the great work!” – Kathy Swartz, Solar Energy International Executive Director

Please donate to SEI today to invest in the next generation of solar heroes.

Your donation will fund scholarship opportunities for future solar professionals who need it most. 

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AmeriCorps Volunteers serve with nonprofit ‘A Little Help’

In honor of National Service Recognition Day on April 3rd, AmeriCorps Members in Paonia, Colorado teamed up with a local non-profit called A Little Help to serve their community.

AmeriCorps VISTAs (Volunteers In Service To America) from Solar Energy International and Elsewhere Studios, who are working on economic and community revitalization in Delta County, joined forces to do direct service in their community.

A Little Help is a non-profit based out of Denver that also has a presence in Delta County. The organization is made up of locals who are volunteers, members in need of aid, or both. Members are usually seniors or disabled neighbors who want to stay independent in their homes, and can use help with household tasks. Volunteers help members with a variety of projects from driving to the grocery store to house maintenance. This program helps residents age in their own homes safely, while remaining active members of their communities and encourages cross-generational engagement. Deirdre Morrison an AmeriCorps Member said:

“I learned about ‘Village to Village’ while living in Oregon, and A Little Help is a part of that network.  Especially considering that one in every three people over age 65 live alone, and in particular when we know that loneliness can be harmful to health, to all ages; I have great compassion for folks that want to be independent, but are also looking for some support in getting things done around the house.  Sometimes it can mean a lot to seniors to strike up a conversation with someone new, to have someone listen and share with them. I know I often learn something interesting in the exchange, and hope someone will be around to help me, if I am in a similar position someday.”

One of the members, Judy Lafferty, has been involved with A Little Help from its start in Paonia and says the organization is important to her because “It is very rewarding to meet new people and learn about different places.” She discussed how easy it is to help someone with a task that for them may have been difficult, and that the interaction with a neighbor is rewarding. Judy is both a member and a volunteer, and once a month she helps a fellow community member get to the laundromat and then back home.

The AmeriCorps VISTAs spent the day helping five members clean out their gutters, rake their lawns, and tend their gardens. These activities can involve climbing ladders, kneeling, or bending down often, which may be difficult for some of the community members. One of the members mentioned that the work the AmeriCorps volunteers did in one hour would have taken them three days. Beata Ramza reflects on her day of service:

“As VISTAs our goal when serving communities is to create sustainable programs that can help the community even after we leave. This means we don’t always work directly with every part of the community but spend lots of time in our office planning the programs, securing partners, implementing outreach, and fundraising. It was inspiring and educational to be able to spend a day doing direct service and meeting various neighbors we might not have met otherwise.”

Over 220,000 AmeriCorps VISTAs have served since the program’s inception in 1965, and Paonia has been host to several such volunteers over the years. While the focus of the VISTA program is building capacity and effectiveness in programs and organizations working to alleviate poverty, many VISTAs choose to further engage with their communities through more personal service on occasions such as the National Service Recognition Day. For more information and opportunities to serve, visit https://www.nationalservice.gov. Whether VISTAs are creating partnerships regionally or working with our neighbors, they’re a strong force in communities. For VISTAs, every day is National Service Day.

 

About Solar Energy International

Solar Energy International (SEI) was founded in 1991 as a nonprofit educational organization with the mission to provide industry-leading technical training and expertise in renewable energy to empower people, communities and businesses worldwide. SEI envisions a world powered by renewable energy.

 

About Elsewhere Studios

Since 2011, Elsewhere Studios, a not for profit artist in residence program, has hosted both regional and international artists. Resident-artists expose community to contemporary art from around the world and serve as ambassadors between Paonia and their communities.  Elsewhere is also a part of local ‘creative placemaking,’ citizen-created public spaces/forums that encourage gathering and learning, and raise awareness around safety, ecological, and community development concerns.

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SEI’s Solar in Schools achieves new milestone: First successful 10 kW high school install in Paonia

Nine Paonia High School students who are participating in Solar Energy International’s high school solar course had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience installing a solar system for their school this February. They worked during their class period for a week alongside Empowered Energy Systems LLC, who donated their time to the project, to install a 10kW ground mount solar system. The students learned about every step of the installation process from excavation and pouring concrete to setting the railing and placing the solar panels. Now they can leverage the skills gained from this experience to pursue a career, or continuing education, in the solar industry or other technical trades.

One of the participating students, Harley Ewert 2019, shared the value of his experience,

“Working on solar installation isn’t the typical education you think of having in high school, but it exemplified how important learning first hand can be. It is amazing how quickly a term or item can be remembered when it is tied back to a physical experience rather than a definition on a computer screen.”

The system will output approximately 16,000 kWh/year of solar electricity and save the school approximately $1,500/year. This year students learned technical skills during the installation, and over subsequent years students will have the opportunity to collect a variety of data from the system to accompany physics, math, or science curriculum in the school. Not only is this 10kW solar system offsetting some energy costs for the school, but it serves as an educational resource for years to come.

Solar Energy International organized the donations and installation of the solar system. The Trina Solar solar panels and Sunny Boy inverters for the system were donated in collaboration with the Solar Foundation. While the funds for the rest of the system were local donations from community members, businesses, and utilities including DMEA, Basin Electric. Empowered Energy Systems LLC donated their time to install the ground mount and involve the students in a safe manner, and the AC electrical work was donated by Aubrey Harris from Electrical Service and Repair LLC.

Beata Ramza, Solar Energy International AmeriCorps VISTA, reflects on the experience, “This project was a culmination of the community coming together to donate time, skills, and resources to provide an educational opportunity to Paonia High School students. It’s truly inspiring to see what we can do when we work together.” From start to finish, the installation of the Paonia High School solar PV system was a local effort that will benefit the community for years to come.

The picture below shows the Paonia PV 101 students and their instructor Mandy Cotten alongside Jim Heneghan from DMEA, Pete from Solar Energy International, Kristen, Joey, JJ, and Joseph from Empowered Energy Systems LLC, and Aubrey Harris from Electric Services and Repair LLC, in front of one row of solar panels from the Paonia High School 10kW solar system.

Original press release by Beata Ramza.

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Colorado Solar Career Expo results are in, participation doubles from last year!

Solar Energy International (SEI) would like to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who made the 2018 Colorado Solar Career Expo possible. We are proud to announce that this year’s Expo had double the participation from industry employers compared to last year, over 24 came out to network with industry job seekers!

The Expo was brought to you in partnership with GRID Alternatives and the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA), as a part of the Solar Ready Colorado initiative. Solar Ready Colorado is a statewide effort through Solar Energy International and industry partners to expand the activities of outreach, recruiting, and training to the rapidly growing Colorado solar industry and jobs market.

Through industry partnerships and support from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, the program provides a dedicated outreach and recruitment effort as well as technical training through SEI’s long running, non-profit 501(c)(3) technical training program to those interested in entering the Colorado solar industry.

The Expo, which was co-located with COSEIA’s 2018 Solar Power Mountain West Conference,  also attracted over 115 Colorado-based job seekers who had the opportunity to network with employers such as Namaste Solar, Sunrun, RES Group, Empire Solar Group, juwi Inc., Vivint Solar, the Sierra Club, and many more.

The Expo followed a Solar Jobs Panel led by SEI Director of Marketing and Communications Christopher Turek, with panelists from Sunsense Solar, Empowered Energy Systems, and SEI. Attendees were able to hear about the most sought-after skills employers are looking for in the industry today.

Want to kickstart your career in solar before next year’s Expo? Start your solar training today with SEI! Our one-stop-shop class for your introduction into everything solar PVOL101: Solar Electric Design and Installation, starts April 9!

SEI Solar Ready Colorado Solar Career Expo

Thank you again to the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) and GRID Alternatives for partnering with SEI and making the 2018 Colorado Solar Career Expo an amazing event last week. Dozens of employers and hundreds of people from all over the state gathered at the conference to help push the industry forward during this amazing career networking event. We are getting so many calls and emails from people interested in jump starting their career in the Colorado solar industry after the amazing event last week. If you couldn't make it – no worries! Check out www.SolarReadyColorado.org for more information on our training schedule – career counseling – and employer connections!

Posted by Solar Energy International (SEI) on Tuesday, March 20, 2018

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SEI prepares students to empower developing countries with renewable energy applications in updated RDOL101

Whether you are a renewable energy professional with a vision of improving lives through clean energy in developing countries, or a Peace Corps volunteer about to embark upon international field work, Solar Energy International (SEI)’s RDOL101: Appropriate Technology for the Developing World is a great place to begin.

This course takes a look at appropriate technologies (practical solutions that are both affordable and accessible) to address many of the United Nations’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals to transform our world.  Rather than focusing on one technology, the course provides an overview of options so that you, the project developer or field worker, can work with a community to brainstorm solutions to meet their specific needs. Included are clean technologies to address water, sanitation and hygiene, food processing and cooking, lighting and rural electrification, biomass, and shelter.

New to the course are several lessons on successful project development and implementation, all the way through monitoring and evaluation to assess a project’s impact on the local community. Highlighted is the critical importance of the participatory process in technology transfer projects, with lessons learned from both successful and unsuccessful real-world endeavors. The course culminates with a final assignment where students must apply what they’ve learned and design a community project.

Laura Walters, SEI curriculum developer who has also worked with several international development organizations including USAid, We Care Solar and Remote Energy said, “I love how this course makes you really think about the simplest way to solve a problem. The course is both broad and comprehensive- not only do we examine technology solutions but we also discuss how to implement a project successfully, which in reality, can be more important than the technology itself!”

The next online session begins April 9th, sign up today!

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Solar Energy International honored with Solar Energy and Storage Award

SEI was recognized by the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association at 2018 Solar Power Mountain West

Aurora, CO.- On Monday, March 12 Solar Energy International (SEI) was recognized by the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) at 2018 Solar Power Mountain West’s Solar and Energy and Storage Awards in the category for projects sized 100 kW- 500 kW.

The awards recognized “the success stories of the Colorado industry.” And focused on “the people, processes, products and the innovation that drive the industry forward to achieve success in a competitive market,” according to COSEIA.

SEI was honored for their efforts in developing the solar market in their rural home base in Western Colorado, Delta County. A three-year cumulative effort led by SEI’s team of AmeriCorps VISTAs (Volunteers in Service to America) has been successful in garnering 400 kW of installed solar in the region, amounting to $1.5 million invested locally in solar energy.

“We are so thankful to COSEIA for highlighting our rural community’s solar market in Delta County,” Mary Marshall, former VISTA and program coordinator for SEI’s Solarize Delta County Farms program, and current Solar Forward program manager, said. “It is imperative to elevate success stories like those of Delta County that have the potential to inspire a solar movement throughout rural America.”

Marshall added, “This award is shared by not only SEI VISTAs, but our amazing partners in Delta County who made all of our outreach programs possible, such as our partnered installers, Empowered Energy Systems, who were also nominated for an award, and so many more supportive community members who encouraged the growth of solar and Solarize.”

Delta County was also recognized for taking positive strides to encourage a thriving solar market in the fall of 2017 with a bronze SolSmart Designation through a program by the Solar Foundation, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technology Office.

SEI’s efforts in Delta County continue today on a broader scale through the new Solar Forward program, where communities throughout Colorado are encouraged to apply for SEI’s technical assistance in implementing their own solar outreach efforts. VISTA efforts continue as well with an innovative “Solar in Schools” vocational training program with SEI curriculum for high school students.

At the awards, Kathy Swartz, SEI executive director, was also nominated for a Lifetime Achievement award by COSEIA.  The honor went to SEI alum Blake Jones who went on to start Namaste Solar.  Congratulations to Blake for his lifelong work in pushing the Colorado solar industry forward!

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