SunPower Corp., a leading manufacturer of high-efficiency silicon-based solar modules, announced yesterday the creation of the SunPower Foundation, a nonprofit organization “focused on empowering, inspiring and motivating a new generation of solar leaders in communities around the world.” The organization is the first of its kind, wholly funded by a major solar company.
The foundation’s first initiative, 100 People Under the Sun, centers on education. The joint effort — which brings together Winrock International, Solar Electric Light Fund, Black Rock Solar, Grid Alternatives, and the American African Nuru Foundation — provides classroom lesson plans that encourage students identify how they use energy and investigate the use of solar energy in their local communities. A series of 12 videos, available on the internet, features individuals from around the world as they discuss topics like global warming, solar power, and conventional sources of electricity.
As SunPower Corp. CEO Tom Werner notes, the foundation was conceived as a community-based effort to promote solutions to future energy challenges:
We established the SunPower Foundation to ‘give back’ through education and building stronger communities. It is our hope that the Foundation will encourage more people to consider how the electricity they use is generated, and the global potential of reliable, emission-free solar power to reduce the effects of climate change.
The press release (link above) cites some early feedback showing that the foundation’s message resonates with teachers and students alike: “Today’s young people are concerned about the real threat of global warming, and are looking to solutions such as solar power to reduce the damage brought on by over-dependence on fossil fuels,” said Greg Holman, a 6th-grade teacher in Paradise, Calif. “I’m using The 100 People Under the Sun curriculum to help my students become energy leaders through education, awareness and community participation.”
If you’re interested in learning more, check the SunPower Foundation on Twitter and/or Facebook. The “100 People” videos are worth a look, too.
