After a decade of planning, Claremont social entrepreneur Devon Hartman has opened the very first nonprofit solar panel assembling factory in the world. Located in Pomona, Community Home Energy Retrofit, known as CHERP, has established the phrase one goal of installing solar panels on 6,000 low-to moderate homes in Pomona and Claremont.
The switch to solar is projected so save those residents a combined $6.5 million in energy costs annually. Plus, the factory will create approximately 200 positions.
Another goal is to bring solar manufacturing back to the United States and to replicate the CHERP business model in other cities across the United States.
As Hartman states "We see this project as a shovel-ready stimulus package" and ultimately, a win for the environment, workers, residents, us.
