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As the holidays are underway and people prepare to spend time with their families, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to put a damper on celebrations and gatherings. For the members of the Campo Band of Mission Indians, it also means having to face the brutal reality of going without electricity. \u201cIt\u2019s a part of life now,\u201d says Tribal member, Angelita Anderson. \u201cThere are a lot of power shut offs.\u201d While resilience and regeneration are in their heritage, these shutoffs have Campo members thinking about renewable energy now more than ever.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s so important because of the location and how often we get power outages,\u201d says Campo\u2019s Housing Director, Sandra Burkhimer. \u201cIt\u2019s not just the lights but also water. A lot of people have wells and having backup batteries will help.\u201d The Campo Housing Office\u2019s mission is to help as many families as possible secure and maintain housing. For Sandra, this also includes supporting families\u2019 affordable, renewable energy goals. Sandra says the Tribe\u2019s partnership with GRID Alternatives (GRID) over the last couple of years has helped a lot of families in her community to meet those goals. Through state funded programs such as Disadvantaged Communities-Single Family Solar Homes (DAC-SASH) and Self-Generated Incentive Program (SGIP), GRID has been able to install solar for 19 Campo families, some of whom have also received battery storage. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf I can also help families with their energy costs, that is a plus,\u201d says Sandra. \u201cLowering the costs helps people who are struggling to afford housing, are facing homelessness, or are overcrowded in their homes. GRID has helped us make going solar a reality for those who need it most \u201d A lot of this work this is made possible through GRID\u2019s Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund (TSAF), a Tribal-led philanthropic program that provides new funding to Tribes to support their renewable energy projects, particularly in a way that engages broad tribal community participation. <\/p>\n
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Since 2019, GRID has worked with the Campo Band of Mission Indians to reach 19 Tribal families. GRID typically leverages state and federal incentives to make solar affordable for communities of concern. There are often challenges and limits to these funding sources, though, and that is where TSAF comes in\u2014to provide unrestricted funding and assist in getting Tribal communities across the finish line. Through TSAF, GRID was able to install solar on 10 tribal homes for a total of 44.39 kW. Each of these households are income-qualified\u2014most of them with children and\/or elderly counterparts\u2014and their new systems will generate significant energy cost savings per home.<\/p>\n
Angelita and Sandra both acknowledge the Tribe\u2019s renewable energy goals have changed dramatically since they were children. \u201cThey didn\u2019t exist before; there wasn\u2019t really anything like that. Today, we have solar, batteries and wind turbines.\u201d As their energy needs change and more of their community begins to benefit from solar and battery storage, the Tribe has been adapting the designs of new homes to be solar-ready and more energy efficient with measures like tankless water heaters and transfers.<\/p>\n
Sandra is a big proponent of solar at Campo because she recognizes the changing household dynamics of the families in her community. Stepping up as the head of her household, which includes small children and other family members, Sandra knows the importance of saving money. \u201cSolar has been amazing, I haven\u2019t had a bill that has been more than $20 since it was installed. Sometimes, I even have credit.\u201d With so many other uncertainties, not having to worry about her electric bill is a big relief for Sandy. She wants the same for other families. Folks are often skeptical because they always think there is a catch, that maybe the services are not actually no-cost. \u201cAs more people get it, more people want it.\u201d Sandra is excited about that and the opportunity to bring more relief to other Campo families.<\/p>\n