Students from Porterville High School’s AERO — Alternative Energy Resource Occupations — Academy spent Tuesday and Wednesday installing solar panels and hanging an inverter on a local affordable-housing project. Working with GRID Alternatives, the students climbed the roof of the home, measured, mounted, racked gear and placed the solar modules and panels on what is GRID’s 100th home installation in Tulare County.
“For us, its all about education, providing everybody an opportunity to learn,” said Laura Gromis, development officer with GRID Alternatives. “Before even coming here, they have already done all the prep work, all the foot work and railing.”
The installation links classroom instruction of renewable energies with some hands-on solar learning opportunities.
“It’s really a culmination project for the seniors. They get their instruction at school and the hands-on here,” said Tom Reed, AERO Academy solar instructor.
The focus is on the building trade, said instructor Brad Collins.
“It’s a Green academy with our goal focusing on educating the student,” Collins said. “GRID Alternatives works with families, providing clean energy.”
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