Sunrun Announces Environmental Justice Initiatives

Rhea-AI Summary

Sunrun has launched five environmental justice initiatives aimed at increasing access to solar energy and creating jobs in disadvantaged communities. Collaborating with organizations like Blacks in Green and GRID Alternatives, Sunrun plans to remove financial barriers to solar energy and provide no-cost solar programs for eligible families. By 2019, Sunrun and GRID installed 5 megawatts of solar for 1,178 low-income families, enabling $25 million in lifetime savings. Through these partnerships, the company seeks to advocate for social equity and promote career opportunities in the growing solar industry.

Positive

• Initiatives aim to expand access to solar energy for disadvantaged communities.
• Partnership with GRID Alternatives resulted in 5 megawatts of solar installed for low-income families, providing $25 million in lifetime savings.
• Offers 100% free battery systems for low-income customers in wildfire-prone regions of California, enhancing energy resilience.

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• None.

Through Donations, Partnerships and Programs Across the Country, Sunrun will Expand Access to Solar Energy Savings and Jobs

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sunrun, the nation’s leading residential solar, storage and energy services provider today announces five environmental justice initiatives to expand access to solar and its benefits. The efforts include advocating for more social equity in solar policies, removing financial barriers to solar, and hiring from disadvantaged communities.

“Sunrun’s mission is to create a planet run by the sun,” said Lynn Jurich, Sunrun’s Chief Executive Officer and co-founder. “We’re working with leading non-profit organizations around the country to ensure no one is left behind as we build the clean energy future.”

Sunrun Environmental Justice Partnerships:

Blacks in Green, Chicago – Sunrun and Blacks in Green (BIG), an environmental economic development organization designed to tackle pollution and poverty in Chicago’s underserved communities, are continuing to work together for a second consecutive year. Sunrun is excited to partner with BIG to expand career opportunities in the growing solar industry. Sunrun and BIG will work together to expand access to no-cost solar programs for income-eligible families through the Illinois Solar for All Program.

Grid Alternatives – Sunrun is nearing its 10th year partnering with GRID Alternatives, a national non-profit leader in making renewable energy technology and job training accessible to underserved communities. In 2019 alone, Sunrun and GRID installed 5 megawatts of solar for 1,178 low-income families, which will provide $25 million in lifetime savings. Sunrun and GRID are offering 100% free battery systems to low-income customers in wildfire-prone regions of California this year to provide much-needed backup power when the grid is down. The batteries are funded through California’s Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) Equity Resiliency Budget.

Rising Sun Center for Opportunity – Sunrun is partnering with the Rising Sun Center for Opportunity, an Oakland-based non-profit building career pathways for economic equity and climate resilience. From Oakland to Stockton and the Central Valley, the organization serves as a green training, employment, and residential energy efficiency organization grounded in equity. Sunrun is also exploring opportunities to hire from Rising Sun’s Opportunity Build program, which provides free construction job training and placement to adults facing barriers to employment.

WE ACT – Sunrun is partnering with WE ACT for Environmental Justice, a nationally-recognized, Northern Manhattan based organization that advocates for fair environmental health policies for people of color and low-income families. The purpose of the partnership is to advocate for state, local, and federal policies that expand access to solar, grid resiliency, and economic empowerment for people of color and low-income families.

About Sunrun
Sunrun Inc. (Nasdaq: RUN) is the nation’s leading home solar, battery storage, and energy services company. Founded in 2007, Sunrun pioneered home solar service plans to make local clean energy more accessible to everyone for little to no upfront cost. Sunrun’s innovative home battery solution, Brightbox, brings families affordable, resilient, and reliable energy. The company can also manage and share stored solar energy from the batteries to provide benefits to households, utilities, and the electric grid while reducing our reliance on polluting energy sources. For more information, please visit www.sunrun.com.

Sunrun Contact:
Wyatt Semanek
Public Relations Manager
press@sunrun.com
(480) 751-9286

Sunrun Investor & Analyst Contact:
Patrick Jobin
Vice President, Finance & Investor Relations
investors@sunrun.com
(415) 373-5206

FAQ

What are Sunrun's new initiatives for environmental justice?

Sunrun has launched five environmental justice initiatives to expand access to solar energy and create jobs in disadvantaged communities.

How many megawatts of solar did Sunrun install for low-income families?

Sunrun, in partnership with GRID Alternatives, installed 5 megawatts of solar for 1,178 low-income families.

What is the lifetime savings from Sunrun's solar installations?

The solar installations by Sunrun and GRID Alternatives are expected to provide $25 million in lifetime savings to low-income families.

How does Sunrun support disadvantaged communities with solar energy?

Sunrun collaborates with organizations to remove financial barriers to solar and offer no-cost solar programs for income-eligible families.