NATiVE Solar is partnering with Fruitful Commons and Festival Beach Food Forest and friends for a Fall Equinox Celebration & Solar Cookout — a fun community celebration centered around local food and climate resilience.

There will be an abundance of food, art, games, educational programs and activities for all ages. Highlights include a passive solar oven cooking competition, presentations from solar cooking experts, and a showcase of the vision plan for the Farah Rivera-Ortiz Cocina de la Cosecha (Harvest Kitchen) at Festival Beach Food Forest.  

This event is sponsored by the City of Austin, Austin Parks Foundation and RBJ Senior Housing. 

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The NATiVE Solar team hopes to see you there!

We have been chosen by Capital Good Fund to assist 50 families in transitioning to renewable solar energy. Capital Good Fund is a CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) – nonprofit organization that helps low to moderate income households improve their financial future. Capital Good Fund has strategically partnered with JP Morgan Chase and NATiVE Solar to make the JP Morgan Chase Solar Grant Program easily accessible to the Houston Complete Communities.

In an age where the price of energy to power homes is continuously rising, we are honored to have been selected by Capital Good Fund to join in an effort to help these households take back their power!

The 50 households that enroll in this program will receive a non – FICO based, $0 down, low interest loan for a premium solar solution. In addition, NATiVE Solar has included a family and friends discount. The JP Morgan Solar Grant will be 10% of the total solution cost up to $3,000.

• All Credit Scores Welcome to Apply!
• $0 Down – Low Interest
• Inclusive, Non-Profit Lender
• Houston LMI Community Access Program
• Grant Funded by JP Morgan Chase

We have been sharing this information with the communities and have asked the leaders to seek out those that are interested in enrolling to help them begin the process.

Any Houston Complete Communities homeowners who are ready to take their power back while increasing their monthly cash in hand should apply NOW!

Defining Net Zero
There’s been a lot of talk about “net zero” lately from politicians and the media, but what exactly does it mean? Simply put, net zero means cutting greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible with any remaining emissions reabsorbed from the atmosphere through natural carbon sinks such as forests and oceans, or through new carbon capture technologies, such as the large-scale carbon-capture facility that recently opened in the UK. Examples of net zero facilities and construction range from Build NATiVE Homes, to the Houston Advanced Research Center, a LEED Certified net-zero commercial R&D Center.

Global Emissions Agreements
As stipulated in the Paris Agreement, global emissions must reach net zero by 2050 in order to avert the worst impacts of climate change and preserve a livable planet. While over 70 countries, including the biggest polluters, have pledged to reach net zero in time, commitments made by governments to date have fallen short of what is required.

Reaching this goal will require all governments, especially the largest emitters (i.e. China, the United States, India, and Russia) to strengthen their contributions and take bold, immediate steps towards reducing emissions.

NATiVE’s Net Zero Roots
Prior to becoming an solar EPC (Engineering Procurement and Construction), NATiVE actually began as a net zero home builder offering sustainable designs and construction of homes. Founded in the Texas Hill Country in 2007 under the name Hill Country EcoBuilders (HCEB), the mission at the time was to build affordable zero-energy custom green homes, complete with rainwater harvesting and solar power (some even with wind power). With the knowledge gained from building market leading, net zero energy homes with renewable energy systems, HCEB spun off Hill Country EcoPower in 2009 to focus solely on renewable energy system integrations.

Eventually, these two companies merged under the same name, NATiVE. In 2018, the construction side of the NATiVE business became Build NATiVE, still offering custom green construction in Austin and its surrounding communities. The solar side of the company grew, taking on members from other solar companies, creating NATiVE Solar. While NATiVE Solar now focuses entirely on the sale, design, installation, and maintenance of residential and commercial solar systems, aiding projects in achieving net zero through renewable energy systems is still a priority.

The Woodlands GREEN Builds on Net Zero
The Woodlands GrassRoots Environmental Education Network (GREEN) is an organization NATiVE is currently working with that promotes net zero strategies including natural resource conservation, recycling, solid waste reduction, safe and sensible care of our air and water resources, and other responsible actions that protect the environment and it foster sustainability in The Woodland’s Township and greater community. Located in the Greater Houston area, this township strives to cultivate resilience within the growing township and further demonstrate and showcase its net zero community with electric transportation, solar power, rainwater collection, and wildlife protection, to name a few.

Whisper Valley – A Master Planned Case for Net Zero Communities
Another example of of a community planned to showcase its net zero efforts is Whisper Valley near, in Manor, TX, a growing suburb of Austin. With leading-edge technology and sustainable practices, this community demonstrates advances in geothermal, solar, and conservation technology, allowing residents to reduce their carbon footprint and live in harmony with nature. Community gardens, geothermal heat pumps, high-efficiency appliances, home energy monitoring systems, solar power, electric vehicle chargers, and energy storage systems all help conserve and preserve natural and financial resources for residents. Homes produce 70% less energy than traditional homes, while also generating plenty of energy themselves.

The Future of Sustainable Ecosystems
Communities like Whisper Valley and the Woodlands offer us a blueprint as to how our country (and the world) can become net zero with cleaner energy. Embracing green technology advancements, reducing needless energy waste, and improving local access to food and water will make a huge difference, especially when these challenges are tackled together. NATiVE is here to bring the world’s cheapest alternative energy source, solar PV, into the homes of more Texans, offering them savings and energy security while aiding the country in the energy transition needed to maintain the integrity and resilience needed to support Texas Power Grids and an aged electrical infrastructure development roadmap for Mother Earth.

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Discover how much solar can save you! With energy costs increasing, Texans can now pay back the costs of their solar system in 4 to 7 years, making solar a wise financial investment that can save homeowners money for years to come.

Historically, Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs have been at the forefront of workforce training and development. In the early 1900s, high schools would equip students with jobs in the trades that had a high earning potential. High school juniors and seniors would often opt for work-study programs and were able to take the skills they learned beyond the classroom. Students had options to avoid college debt and graduate with certifications, needed skills, and a glimpse of freedom as they enter the workforce.

What about Solar Jobs?
Today, solar PV has proven to be a catalyst for change in clean energy solutions as we build a more sustainable and resilient community. Nonetheless, training for solar jobs has fallen short. While the Department of Energy touted a lofty goal of 30% solar PV by 2030 (currently at ~4% PV), the Department of Labor failed to approve a solar apprenticeship program. The net effect is that schools across the nation have zero funding capabilities to train for solar jobs, no money to buy the needed supplies, and no standardized curriculum or educational methods. In contrast, the Department of Labor did approve a wind apprenticeship program.

As a result of the lack of coordinated strategy to achieve America’s energy goals, schools, CTE directors, and administrators were left perplexed and challenged to provide their own funding and training. Furthermore, schools have no or very limited mechanisms for reimbursement for graduates entering the workforce with certifications and licenses through the Texas Education Agency. Those interested in offering a solar focused class are therefore seeking help from industry experts to mix and match solar training curriculum. This dysfunctional approach to the tremendous workforce demand and clean energy career opportunities ultimately leaves our electrical infrastructure and energy security at risk of failure amidst increasing cyber and physical threats due to politics and climate change.

Innovative ISDs Step up and Capitalize on the Opportunity, but what about Scale?
Bryan ISD, near College Station, currently has a 100 acre CTE complex that services three surrounding ISDs (Caldwell ISD, Snook ISD, and College Station ISD) as well as the students at Bryan ISD. Of the students enrolled in the two year CTE program, 80% come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Current CTE programs, like the one available at Bryan ISD, are making a comeback and returning to the forefront of industry trends. Not only are they teaching students construction (electrical, plumbing, carpentry, and welding) and automotive trades, they are also now incorporating engineering, programming, and robotics education as well. Solar is a natural fit to join the curriculum as we move into the future of alternative energy production.

Adding Solar Education to the Mix
Solar education, which includes sales, system design, installation, O&M service, and even cybersecurity offers students the opportunity to lead the transition to clean energy while building a critical infrastructure workforce. There is tremendous demand for more trade skills in the solar industry and with competitive pay rates, students directly out of high school can begin their journey of becoming an agent for change as we accelerate alternative energy solutions.

CTE programs such as the one at Bryan ISD allow students to get the advanced education they need to enter specialized industries without attending a four-year college. However, the program can also serve students who want to continue on and get a college education in the future. An advanced knowledge of industry practices can help students decide which avenues they do or do not want to pursue as they journey through their unique college experience.

NATiVE Solar is Excited to Announce a Partnership with Bryan ISD and we look forward to making an impact together as we build resilient communities in Aggieland. Together we will accelerate a critical infrastructure workforce through schools and innovators in the greater Bryan College Station community. Read more about our solar pioneers at BISD and download our Solar In Schools flier below.

How to Accelerate Diversity in the Solar Industry
For several years now, comprehensive studies analyzing the link between business success and corporate diversity have found a strong correlation between greater diversity and improved bottom-line results. However, the solar industry, like much of the U.S. workforce, still has significant room for improvement in terms of inclusion and diversity strategy. According to SEIA’s 2019 U.S. Solar Industry Diversity Study, women represent 47% of the total U.S. workforce, yet they currently account for only 26% of the solar workforce. Furthermore, only 20% of senior executives in the solar industry are female, and 88% of all senior executives are white.

Although these statistics clearly expose the need for wider representation in the industry, in 2019 only about 20% of companies had a strategy in place to improve representation of women and people of color. Tracking metrics such as these shows a systematic approach to diversity, which is extremely important for firms that wish to be leaders in inclusion and diversity. With the proper metrics and analytics tools, companies can enable equality of opportunity through fairness and transparency. Using analytics to take bias out of the advancement process is essential for ensuring a level playing field for all employees.

How NATiVE Strives to Increase Diversity in the Industry
NATiVE Solar currently strives to increase diversity in the industry across several different avenues encompassing gender, cultural and ethnic diversity, and socio-economic diversity. In an industry presently experiencing vast opportunities for growth, greater diversity and inclusion is needed to ensure the success of the entire industry.

Pathways Program
NATiVE recognized Solar Austin’s Pathways to Clean Energy Careers program as a catalyst for change at the grassroots level. This program places women and students of color at solar and other clean energy companies through structured internship matching. Solar Austin recruits clean energy companies such as ours to hire and mentor paid interns interested in accessing jobs in the clean energy industry. The goal of this innovative program is to “help facilitate avenues for underrepresented students into Texas’ clean energy sector and to develop a set of best practices for clean energy companies that want to improve diversity and inclusivity in their recruitment, hiring, and retention of staff.” This is a great example of a systematic approach to diversity and inclusion that should be replicated and magnified across the industry for results that will foster more resilient and diverse organizations as well as a more inclusive green jobs ecosystem.

Solar Apprenticeship Program at Del Valle Opportunity Center
Another front that NATiVE is pursuing to increase ethnic, cultural, gender, and socio-economic diversity is through solar education. Beginning as an extension of the Pathways to Clean Energy Careers program, NATiVE and Solar Austin devised an industry-leading solar apprenticeship program at the Del Valle Opportunity Center (DVOC) to teach students the skills needed to become a solar technician. Through this educational program, students are empowered to join the clean energy workforce directly out of high school, beginning a career with tremendous room for growth and advancement. The program was launched in the underrepresented community of Del Valle ISD, where approximately 96% of the population identifies as a person of color and 74% of students are considered economically disadvantaged. By collaborating with DVOC to bring relevant skills development to students looking for jobs in the industry, NATiVE is advancing opportunities for a community of people that are often overlooked. While the apprenticeship program is still in its early stages, interest is spreading to other Texas school districts, displaying the industry’s growing commitment to increasing inclusion and diversity across the board.

Our Inclusion & Diversity Partners
NATiVE is determined to bring people from all walks of life together under the same (solar) roof. To do so, we partner and work alongside organizations focused on enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workforce. The recently held solar camp at The Children’s Haven Association is one example of the solar community in Austin working together to enhance opportunities for people from different backgrounds to learn about and benefit from solar technology. Green Careers Dallas is another non-profit organization we are proud to work with, as they aim to disrupt poverty in South Dallas through green career training and community education. Through these various programs, NATiVE seeks to become an inclusion and diversity leader, offering people from every background the option to work with, support, and enhance the solar industry.

Interview and story covered by KXAN Studio 512

The solar pioneers of Del Valle Opportunity Center (DVOC) set an important precedent in the winter of 2021 by showing students how to take their power back through old school vocational training programs. While the Department of Labor baulked on the approval of a national solar apprenticeship program, Texans accelerated efforts to meet the growing demand for solar jobs.

Solar Jobs in High Demand
A report released last year by the Biden administration claims that the US can generate 40% of its electricity from solar energy by 2035. According to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm,

A Solution for Workforce Diversity, Inclusion and Vocational Training
Through its vocational training program, Del Valle ISD and the DVOC offers students a roadmap to prepare for emerging career opportunities before graduating high school. Additionally, the program highlights the importance of creating more diversity within the solar industry. McKinsey Studies have shown that workforce diversity and cultural inclusivity create stronger, more innovative, and more resilient organizations.

Texas Accelerates Solar Tech Training in Schools
To harness the benefits of greater diversity, Solar Austin established its Pathways to Clean Energy Careers in 2019 as a way to expose students from diverse backgrounds to a wide array of sustainability-focused job opportunities. The program is designed to educate, prepare, and equip individuals with the resources and workforce development that they need to find upward mobility through a career in solar. Last year, Solar Austin, along with NATiVE Solar and other partners, went a step further by launching the first cohort of an innovative solar installation training program at DVOC.

Del Valle Solar Pioneers
As DVOC principal Ray Macias describes, the technician training program is a wonderful opportunity to enter the workforce directly out of high school for students whose “lives have already started”. The program incorporates both online and in-person training components to help students develop necessary skills using donated equipment, time, and labor from a network of industry sponsors. The students’ on-site solar installation experience gives them the hands-on learning needed to prepare them to serve a thriving solar industry as well as help build a more diverse workforce. With 96% of its population identifying as a person of color, recruitment from the Del Valle ISD program will allow both Solar Austin and NATiVE Solar to utilize the talent of the diverse student population. The valuable experience and career preparation provided by the program will ensure that students will have many more opportunities in the solar industry after graduating high school.

Historically, choosing solar energy as a way to cut down on electric bills and add value to homes has only been a viable option for people with good credit and the ability to purchase a home. With a new program, however, the opportunity to power one’s place of residence with solar is being extended to renters and people with lower credit scores. Virtual Power Plant

Project TexFlex
The apartments at 2410 Waugh Street in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood will become the first installation of “Project TexFlex,” a program created by flexible energy provider PearlX Infrastructure and global leader in smart energy technology, SolarEdge Technologies. Together, these two companies have collaborated to create a novel residential clean energy solution for renters in Texas. NATiVE Solar is also a part of this innovative project, and has been granted an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract. These companies are working together to install community solar and battery storage in apartment complexes to create “Virtual Power Plants” (VPPs), also known as resilience hubs, which are meant to help stabilize the Texas grid. By installing these systems on the roofs of apartment buildings, Project TexFlex is empowering renters who would otherwise be shut out of the residential solar market.

How it Works
Project TexFlex aims to increase energy resilience in Texas by reducing strain on the grid. “A lack of localized renewable energy sources makes ERCOT vulnerable to failure and power outages such as the ones that occurred in the winter storm in February 2021. The battery storage in VPPs facilitate the delivery of energy back into the grid during a blackout which helps to both support and stabilize the grid. By increasing the number of VPPs within a community, power becomes more reliable for everyone. VPPs have the ability to significantly reduce grid strain during energy shortages, and as more VPPs are installed, the likelihood of mass power outages will continue to decrease” says Alex Rozenfeld, Founder and Managing Director of Climate Impact Capital.

Bringing Clean Energy Solutions to Renters
The ability to bridge the gap between renters and clean energy solutions is extremely important due to the growing trend in families with children who are renting their homes instead of buying them. According to an article posted by CultureMap Houston, this demographic is on the rise in the thirty largest US metros, with Houston being no exception. Many of these tenants are also low to medium-income families, and should benefit from the more affordable, flexible, and resilient energy that solar provides. PearlX’s mission is to use Project TexFlex to help reduce energy poverty and expand clean energy access.

Working Towards Energy Equality
In striving for energy equality, PearlX will not require tenants to present an industry-defined adequate credit score, but rather simply show proof that they have paid their most recent electricity bills on time. This allows tenants who live within TexFlex properties to access the benefits of solar even with inadequate credit scores. As stated by Michael Huerta, CEO of PearlX, “Mainstream solar and especially storage has traditionally been an amenity for the wealthy. If you don’t have good credit, you don’t have access…Payment for electricity we believe is the highest form of credit. When you look at the data, electric bills are paid before rent, cell phone bills, even car payments.” With PearlX underwriting the TexFlex project, tenants of all credit scores, provided that they have paid their last electric bill, will be able to access the benefits that solar energy provides to both them and their communities.

Texas and Beyond
While the Montrose apartment community is a smaller scale project with only fourteen individual apartments, PearlX has already signed an agreement with the complex’s developers to continue to scale up the project and offer it at other multi-family real estate properties across Texas. After developing further in Texas, similar projects will continue in California and several other US states later this year.

With the launch of this new clean energy solution, PearlX, SolarEdge, and NATiVE Solar are creating a widely replicable, decentralized model that will facilitate Texas’ energy transition, while offering safeguards against grid failures. At the same time, energy consumers across the state will benefit from more cost-effective and reliable power. This win-win solution is the first of its kind, and shows us how private entities can step in to provide energy solutions when public utilities are insufficient. By continuing to support projects such as TexFlex, we can make Texas more resilient and bring affordable clean energy solutions to those who would otherwise be locked out of participating in the solar market.Virtual Power Plant Virtual Power Plant Virtual Power Plant Virtual Power Plant Virtual Power Plant Virtual Power Plant Virtual Power Plant

At the end of November, members of the local solar community gathered in East Austin to assist a solar installation at The Children’s Haven Association, a 75 year old non-profit entity. This was also the launch of a series of solar camps to educate, train and share exciting career pathways with community members. Hosted by Solar Austin, local participating installers included NATiVE Solar, Lighthouse Solar, Enphase, and Freedom Solar. The solar camps offer hands-on introduction to the solar installation process, best practices, and system design innovations, allowing participants to learn more about the skills required for solar jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities.

The Solar Camp
The solar camps are designed to offer a concise version of the high school curriculum NATiVE is developing with Solar Austin at the Del Valle Opportunity Center. The trade skills and learning objectives will take place over the course of one day, as opposed to 6 weeks. It may not be as in-depth, but it does offer a snapshot of the industry practices, giving those interested the chance to learn more and discuss career pathways with people working in all areas of the industry.

The Installation: An on-grid, off-grid solution
In tandem with teaching attendees about how solar works and the installation process, Freedom and Lighthouse Solar donated time and materials as lead installers. The solar array was also installed with a battery backup, which facilitates off-grid power. Such microgrid (or nanogrid) generation establishes a place where community members can gather safely and have access to important resources during a blackout event, such as a devastating Winter Storm repeat.

The decision to partner with the Children’s Haven Association for this project was important because as an established community non-profit, The Children’s Haven has served marginalized children and families in the area for decades. They focus on providing essentials for daily living and enrichment, such as food, supplemental care, clothing, property management, and other practices for self care.

Working with the Children’s Haven Association
With the brand new array and backup installed at The Children’s Haven Association facility, their goal of becoming a model of sustainability and energy resilience is being met. Not only will they be able to provide electricity and comfort for those in need if ERCOT fails, they are now also able to curb their utility bills, freeing more money to spend investing back into the community. We are proud to work alongside such proven community-mindedness, and to have the opportunity to provide a lasting source of renewable energy and potential for long-term economic growth within the community.