Funding Area: Environment
Remote Energy Empowers Solar Educators & Technicians Worldwide. Remote Energy is a 501 (c)(3) for-impact organization formed in 2017. Our team is comprised of electricians, educators and innovators in the PV industry who share a vision to catalyze change in the developing world. We are dedicated to sharing our experience, skills and expertise to empower individuals, communities, technicians and instructors in marginalized and developing communities worldwide. Our unique skill-sets and shared passion for solar energy, social justice and education provide the foundation and the motivation for our work.
We believe access to reliable sources of sustainable energy is a fundamental requirement for the advancement of education, healthcare, economic opportunity and quality of life in marginalized communities
We also acknowledge the severe and increasing racial, gender and economic disparities in our industry and our work is devoted to addressing them. Our multilingual team has empowered PV technicians, instructors and students in their communities in over 25 countries. We have worked with women’s groups, school groups, rural energy technicians, electricians, farmers, community leaders, health care professionals, teachers, vocational schools, etc. The need and potential for our work is limitless.
Our involvement: The Philip and Helen Brecher Charitable Fund has financially supported this organization.
Projects We Support
Solar Energy Training Project
Native Americans are seriously underrepresented in the solar workforce. Currently, there are no solar training centers geared towards Native American communities in the Pacific Northwest. This is unfortunate given that tribal owned and operated colleges and training programs are a proven strategy to addresses the particular educational and skills training needs of Native communities [4]. We believe the absence of such a center in the region is a major factor inhibiting the growth of the regional Native American workforce in the solar energy.
The overall goal of this project is to increase growth in the number of Native Americans who are employed in the solar energy industry in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and parts of Montana). The project seeks to achieve this goal by establishing NWIC as the premier technical training center and resource site for the region’s Native Americans who wish to become solar trainers, technicians, and informed end-users.
This grant from the Tomberg Family Philanthropies will be used to complete course development, including the construction of a solar lab kit to be used to enforce concepts taught in Unit 3 on the NWIC campus.
Support Dates: March, 2021 – March, 2023
