A collaborative project involving GRID Alternatives San Diego, San Diego Habitat for Humanity, and Willis Allen Real Estate, has given solar power to eight military veteran families this year. The collaboration also will achieve another installation for four homes on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2015.
“Veteran’s Day is truly the perfect time for this multi-home installation; it’s a way for community members, servicemen and women and city officials to come together in an effort to make green energy accessible to four deserving veterans,” explained Tom McSorley, regional development director at GRID Alternatives San Diego. “Many of the economic issues faced by veterans are more significant than the general population and we are honored to be able to give back to these service members by reducing their monthly energy costs through solar.”
Willis Allen Real Estate has veterans on staff who volunteered to help with the project, and providing free solar power helps veteran families by reducing their utility bills, which is especially helpful in San Diego, which has quite a strong military presence with both Navy and Air Force contingents located in the area. The city has an abundance of sunshine and is a leader among American cities in solar power, so you might say supporting local troops with solar is very sensible given the conditions and need.
At least one of the veterans who will receive solar power for her or his home is wounded. On the website for the project, you can also nominate a local veteran for solar power support.
When we think of supporting our troops, thoughts of food or help with medical bills might first come to mind. However, solar power could help save a lot of money for a veteran — especially if she or he remains in a solar-powered home for a long time. Even saving $50 per month would add up to $9,000 in 15 years. Having some extra money would obviously be helpful.
Solar power is also more affordable now, more than ever — though the public may be unaware of this fact. So, donating solar power installations might even become more commonplace.
Utility bills for people of low-income can be considered sort of “regressive” in that they consume more of such a person’s monthly funds. Similarly, an extra savings of $9,000 — to continue with the above example — would be a larger portion of a low-income person’s total savings.
Such an amount would be most welcome for a parent with a young adult child in college, because it might pay for a whole year at a public institution, which would mean less money in student loans would be necessary.
In point of fact, it might be fascinating if Congress would pass a bill allowing veterans to receive a special tax credit for installing home solar power systems on their rooftops.
Image Credit: US Navy, Wiki Commons
