Renewable energy-focused nonprofit Empowered by Light and global energy management technology company, Enphase Energy have partnered to provide solar generators to communities impacted by the recent LA fires and to firefighting strike teams that have been deployed from the Bay Area to help battle the devastating fires.
The two Bay Area based organizations are distributing 25 of Enphase’s IQ PowerPack 1500s, a portable solar generator with portable solar modules, that can be used to charge cell phones, laptops, radios, lighting and other small critical devices. A dozen of the solar generators are being deployed to the strike teams battling the fires to power fire personnel’s radios and cell phones. Six solar generators are also being distributed to World Central Kitchen providing infrastructure support to community hubs in low-income neighborhoods without power. These units will power lighting and provide a free and local source of power for charging cell phones and other small personal devices.
“These solar generators will provide critically needed energy and help firefighters and others transition off diesel generators–which have historically been the go-to source for power during natural disasters,” said Empowered by Light’s executive director Moira Hanes. “This effort will help break the negative feedback loop between environmental disasters and fossil-fuel-based responses.”
Captain Richard Birt, retired from Las Vegas Fire & Rescue and founder of Solar and Fire Education, who is helping coordinate deployment of these units said, “These units will provide a renewable power source to power critical communications for the fire fighters serving on the frontline strike teams when they’re working in areas with no power or limited power.”
News item from Empowered by Light
