2019 Sustainability Report

In 2019, Sun Light & Power enjoyed our 43rd year as a clean energy provider to California business owners, property developers, and residents. We continued to fight climate change by educating and informing our community on the benefits of solar energy in reducing carbon emissions, and on the need to eliminate fossil fuels in all of our personal and business activities. We are always on the lookout for new clean energy solutions for our customers. In 2019, we became a certified Tesla Powerwall installer, adding battery storage to our offerings. In our community, we continued our ongoing efforts of being good stewards of our planet. We lead by example through the activities, hobbies, events, and associations we choose to support. 

We are pleased to present our 2019 Sustainability Report. This report is an opportunity for us to share our progress and acknowledge the work our team members have done in the past year to make a positive impact on our planet. 
Gary Gerber 
Founder and President 
Sun Light & Power 

2019 was our first full year as an employee-owned company, with an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Our team members care about the environment and each other. Team members now have a stake in our business and better insight into how it is run. We crafted a new core purpose statement in 2019: 

"At Sun Light & Power, we drive the total adoption of clean energy by designing, building, maintaining, and advocating for clean energy solutions so future generations inherit a healthy planet." 

As a socially responsible company, our mission is to drive total adoption of clean energy. As a certified B Corp, Sun Light & Power strives to be a force for good in every community in which we do business. 

We are proud to be a B Corp

B-Corp companies impact a triple bottom line of People, Planet, and Profit. Certified B Corps do not merely claim that they put people and planet on the same level as profit-they have to prove it. We have undergone rigorous scrutiny to earn our B Corp designation. To maintain it, we use the certification experts at B Lab to determine our sustainability score. They are one of the most widely recognized providers of validation services for companies with a social purpose. Founded in 2006, B Lab's mission is to certify and award for-profit companies as B
Corps.

In 2019 we maintained our commitment to high B Corp performance standards and began planning for our next evaluation by B Lab in 2021. Our latest four-year B Corp score, measured in 2017, was 85.9.

Sun Light & Power is also very proud to be an Alameda County Green Business, which is part of the California Green Business Network.

At Sun Light & Power, we support and work with organizations that have a positive impact in our communities. We have become the preferred partner to top-tier developers, general contractors, and architects of multi-family housing communities. Throughout the year, we demonstrated our support by attending many multi-family community events including trade shows, award ceremonies, networking events, and ribbon cuttings for multi-family housing organizations where we have installed solar. During Affordable Housing Week in May, members of our Sales Team visited the grand opening events of vital new residences where we had the honor of installing solar. 

These events included Redwood Hill multi­family housing in Oakland by Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (SAHA) and Hanna Gardens senior housing in El Cerrito by Eden Housing. We are proud that our work reduces greenhouse gases and helps affordable housing developers provide a better standard of living for their residents. Lowering operational costs allows these community- strengthening organizations to have more resources for fulfilling their missions to provide a sustainable future for everyone in our communities. 

Photo: Tabora Gardens Apartments, Antioch, CA. Flush mount: 71.8 kW PV and 24 ST collectors. 

In August, SLP Founder and CEO Gary Gerber once again led an enthusiastic Sun Light & Power team to Sacramento for CALSSA's California Solar+ Storage Lobby Day. Our team spoke with state representatives both inside and outside of our district about the importance of continuing solar tax credits and other clean energy initiatives. 

In December, we attended and supported the "One Million Solar Roofs" celebration in Clovis, CA, where CALSSA honored the retired signatories of Senate Bill 1: Senator Kevin Murray and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Gov. Jerry Brown's foundation-laying environmental efforts were also acknowledged. CALSSA's team and the three former legislators delivered an inspiring call for Californians to lead the world in the battle against climate change and pollution

On November 8, Gary Gerber was re-elected to CALSSA's board for the sixth time. CALSSA fights for solar rights on behalf of individuals and organizations in California. Sun Light & Power proudly supports the solar industry through participation in CALSSA leadership events. 

Sun Light & Power also continues to offer leadership and participation as a member of Amicus Solar, a cooperative of independently owned, values-driven solar energy companies. 

In the photo above from left to right Uche Uwahemu, Joshua Buswell-Charkow, Troy Tyler, Gary Gerber, Buffy Wicks, Koralie Hill, Molly Rogers, Lavey Mayu, Seamas Brennan, Neal Arbuckle and Rebquah Markham. 

In recognition of Sun Light & Power's contribution to California's solar industry in 2019, once again we earned a spot on Solar Power World's Top Solar Contractors list. 

Our fleet of 18 trucks drove about 360,000 miles in 2019. Renewable Diesel accounted for 20% of all fuel used which reduced our GHG emissions from fuel burned by nearly 16%. Our three electric vehicles drove approximately 38,000 miles in 2019. Compared to comparable fossil fuel vehicles, our EV fleet reduced greenhouse gases by 40% or 3.4 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). 

Ten of our employees often commuted to work by bicycle which further reduced GHG emissions. We encourage employees to bike to work and participate in cycling awareness events. Cycling to work provides many benefits. You can lower your carbon footprint, save money, improve your physical and mental health, and often save time. 

We encourage our employees to consider Hybrid or electric vehicle options, and we provide a charger for employees who drive EVs. 

The Sun Light & Power Green Team was formed by team members in 2019. The group's interests lie in reducing the company's carbon footprint by making responsible purchases and striving to reuse, repurpose, and recycle everything from office paper to solar panels. Dedicated recycling and compost bins are stationed throughout our buildings to reduce waste. The Green Team urges our team members to always 'think green.' 

The Green Team is also responsible for making sure we incorporate our 8-Corp values and for preparations to submit and renew our 8-Corp certification in 2021. 

2019 Green Team members included (left to right) Seamas Brennan, Mai/ys Bernier, Steve Broyles, Nancy Summers, Jesse Quay, Rebquah Chavez, Josh Roberts and Sara Kinsey. 

Sun Light & Power's offices are located on Folger Avenue in West Berkeley. The neighborhood is an industrial district not known for its beauty. However, this did not discourage the SLP crew from making it a more beautiful place. Jesse Quay, Senior Project Developer and Board Vice President (seen above with his adorable dog, Kobe), took action. After two years of persistent requests to the city, squares were cut in the concrete sidewalks in 2016, and ten Trident Maple trees were planted. The Folger Avenue Garden Club was born. This urban green way continues to thrive, thanks to the ongoing care from SLP volunteers who lovingly water the trees, plants, flowers, and vegetables in the raised beds. We have green thumbs in addition to our green philosophy.

In 2019, Jesse, along with SLP team members Neal Arbuckle and Roni Magzianov, repaired our custom modified Trombe wall located outside our office. A Trombe wall serves an example of passive solar principles. It utilizes the sun to provide heating to buildings without electricity or mechanical equipment, and further reduces the need for electricity from the grid. 

Photo by Rebquah Chavez

We support people and events that fight for human rights and the preservation of our planet. In September, we attended the worldwide climate change strike and march led by Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg. The UC Berkeley rally attracted a massive crowd and featured speakers from local middle-school students. The voices of the young humbled and inspired us all when they demanded that everyone do their part to combat climate change now! 

We educate others and share our opinions so everyone can learn how they can contribute to the overall health and well-being of our planet. Our biogs and social media posts urge others to live and work sustainably. 

Here are some of the topics we covered in 2019: 

•    Solar Bill of Rights
•    SB 288, passes its first test
•    Celebrating Earth Day 2019 - Protect our Species
•    Clean Energy Milestone - Coal Meets Renewables
•    Greenhouse Gases: The Carbon Dioxide Disaster
•    Solar Panels for Businesses: The Best Solar Panels
•    Fremont Fire Stations Become Epic PV Microgrids
•    Wildfire Preparedness: Choosing the Right Mask
•    Greenhouse Gases: Natural Gas - Hotter than July

Photo above: Berkeley middle school students by Seamas Brennan.
Photo below: Fire Station #6, Fremont, California by Marc Kollar. 

We acknowledge that the global energy transition to low and carbon­free energy alternatives must be made as soon as possible. The energy solutions we provide are crucial for the achievement of carbon neutrality. 

We honor the efforts of non-profits, homeowners, developers, schools, and business owners who fund solar projects. We are determined to help them complete the transition to 100% electrification. In this dynamic energy landscape, we will continue to develop long-term energy solutions in the communities where we live, work, and serve. 

In 2019, Sun Light & Power installed 3.47 MW of PV (9,729 PV modules at 40 sites) that produced about 4.94 GWh of renewable, emission-free electricity in their first year of service. We also installed 1.62 MWth of ST (609 solar thermal collectors at 23 sites) that produced the equivalent of 1.78 GWh of additional clean energy in their first year of service. This 6.72 GWh of PV and ST reduced greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels by about 5,239 tons of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e). 

The combined year one output of the PV and ST systems we installed 1998-2019 produced about 63.02 GWh of clean energy, which kept 49,113 tCO2e from reaching the atmosphere. This is equal to the emissions from an average car driven nearly 110.6 million miles, or burning 590 tanker trucks of gasoline. 58,186 acres of forest would be needed to sequester this much carbon. During their lifetime, these systems will prevent about 25 times more emissions from reaching our atmosphere! 

We installed our first LGChem lithium-ion battery storage system in 2019. It can provide 9.8 kWh of backup power. The number of our storage installations has since grown considerably. 

Our 2019 Sustainability Report reflects our commitment to ensure a sustainable future. We will continue to support our customers' efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and we will 'walk the talk' in our own business dealings, office practices, and personal lives every day. We will continue to encourage others to walk beside us. Join with us today!