The SunPower Foundation gives the gift of solar to communities around the globe.
By Frank Andorka, Editorial Director
One of the things I love about the solar industry is that it is never solely about the profits. Sure, the companies in this industry are here to make money. After all, why would you go into business if you’re not trying to make a profit?
But what makes a lot of companies in this industry stand out is their willingness to give back. The willingness of companies to help, not only here in the United States but also overseas, should fill every industry member with pride.
Keep this stark fact in mind: 20% of the world’s population lives without electricity. With the solar industry growing quickly across the globe, multinational corporations can intimately affect those numbers in the countries they serve.
As I was looking at the SunPower Corp. website recently, I stumbled on a link to The SunPower Foundation. It immediately drew me in with the breadth and depth of its project portfolio. Founded in 2009, the SunPower Foundation’s mission is to improve the lives in the communities where it operates by bringing clean electricity to places that don’t have it already.
SunPower employees volunteer with GRID Alternatives to install a SunPower solar system for a family in San Jose, Calif.
“The SunPower Foundation fulfills its mission through philanthropic contributions, employee volunteerism, educational programs, local economic development projects and strategic partnerships with like-minded nonprofit groups,” says Doug Richards, SunPower Foundation chairman. “We’ve worked with organizations as varied as Winrock International, Grid Alternatives, Greenpeace Africa, One Million Lights, 100 People Foundation, Solar Electric Light Fund, and Black Rock Solar.”
(Editor’s Note: In 2013, Black Rock Solar was recognized for its philanthropy by the The Brian D. Robertson Solar Schools Memorial Fund, and Grid Alternatives was a finalist. So SunPower is obviously keeping good company.)
Richards says he feels lucky to be at the helm of an organization devoted to making people’s lives better, one solar installation at a time.
“SunPower has a presence on six continents where more than 6,000 direct employees live and work,” Richards says “The SunPower Foundation provides a vehicle for us to give back to nearby communities that may not have access to energy.
“We do so in ways that help community members of all ages acquire new skills, learn about and access renewable energy, raise living standards and thrive,” he adds.
The SunPower Foundation, US AID and Winrock International provide solar electricity for a school in the Philippines.
Since SunPower Corp. is the sole contributor of funds to the foundation, it can be flexible, both in number and scope of projects, as well as the amount of money dispersed each year, Richards says. The annual giving amount varies year over year. Some grants have been awarded as large, multi-year pledges, while others have been smaller, one-time donations.
But Richards is particularly excited about something new the foundation has introduced recently.
“We implemented an employee-nominated grant program where twice annually, SunPower employees nominate nonprofit organizations that they are passionate about,” Richards says. “Our internal grant committee then chooses to fund the organizations that most closely align with the SunPower Foundation’s mission.”
The SunPower Foundation and Greenpeace Africa partner to develop mobile solar showcase units powered by high efficiency SunPower panels.
Richards believes this new program will allow the foundation to learn about lesser-known organizations doing incredible work in communities both locally and globally, from installing a solar array at a school in North Carolina to providing electricity and light for a children’s library in West Africa. But what makes Richards the proudest is that SunPower is not the only solar company doing this kind of work.
“SunPower is fortunate to be in an industry where many companies are doing some form of charitable work,” Richards says. “We’re proud of the SunPower Foundation’s successes and are really just at the beginning of our efforts to change the way the world is powered.”
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