Solar Panel End of Life & Recyclability
By: Macy Zander
A question we often get from those curious about reducing their building’s carbon footprint is about solar panel recyclability. Solar energy itself is undoubtedly an environmental win, but what happens once a panel reaches its end of life?
Before we can address panel recyclability, it's important to understand the lifespan of solar PV. All the panels we use have a production warranty of twenty five years, with the average panel’s expected lifespan hoovering at thirty years. Once past the production warranty period, a panel’s production output stands at approximately 80%, meaning that by no means does a panel need to be removed once it hits 25 or even 30 years old. However, once you decide it's time to retire your array it’s important to do so in a responsible way; fortunately there is strong indication that the systems and regulations needed to ensure circularity of solar PV will only expand in the coming years.
At a high level solar panels are technically recyclable, however they first have to be broken down into their basic components, which can be a complex process. Solar panels have traditionally been recycled at general purpose glass recycling facilities, where the metal frames and glass parts are salvaged, but the remaining parts are disposed of or burned. Silicon can also be recovered, although it is not presently as cost effective as utilizing raw material. At the moment recyclers focused on solar PV find themselves constrained by the lack of supply of retired panels, however all signs point that as the market continues to grow, recycling will have an important part to play in the industry.
A 2016 study by the International Renewable Agency (IRENA) estimated that $15 billion could be recovered from recycling solar modules by the year 2050. While the market to recycle panels is fairly small right now, the financial incentive to recycle is anticipated to only increase in sync with the growth of the industry. Today the American solar recycling industry is nascent, but growing. There are promising developments emerging from recycling companies, panel manufacturers, and industry groups to get ahead of the problem before the first mainstream wave of PV, which leaped in popularity in the 2010s, reach their end of life.
From a regulatory perspective, we're already seeing momentum on this topic from the Washington State House and Senate that passed a bill in Spring 2020 that will update the State’s solar recycling policy. This bill will inform the final design and adoption of a comprehensive solar recycling program that is data-driven and considers the lifespan of modules. The California industry is actively working to expand regulations to ease the recycling process. The EU also has regulations in place through the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive to make sure solar panels are recycled at their end of life. If these areas can be seen as first movers, it seems reasonable to expect other states will follow suit eventually. At the moment in the Northeast recycling options are limited, but based on trends it is almost inevitable that will not be the case in the next decade, let alone in the next three decades.
We're having an office warming party!
Since its birth three years ago, Resonant Energy has grown as a company, tackling bigger and more complicated solar projects with a diverse and ever-growing team. Now we need a new office to match. We are excited to announce we have moved from our cozy nook in Second Church, located in Dorchester’s Codman Square, to a sunny, new space in Fields Corner located at 60 Clayton St. Suite #201 Dorchester, MA 02122.
We are full of gratitude for the many exceptional leaders of Second Church and the entire Codman Square community for welcoming us and providing a space for Resonant to grow. The entire Codman Square community has and always will have a special place in our company’s heart, and we are grateful for the supportive community that has shared our vision for just and equitable clean energy. We want to open up our new space to pursue solar installations and clean energy projects that serve all communities across Massachusetts and New York, as well as continuing to recruit new team members to continue Resonant’s goal of expanding clean energy.
To celebrate this milestone, the Resonant team will be hosting an office warming party, and we would love to celebrate with our friends, partners, supporters, and everyone in the climate fight with us! We will have food and drinks, games, music, and the entire Resonant company! Come by 60 Clayton in Fields Corner September 5th from 6 to 8 pm. Please RSVP here.
RSVP on Eventbrite and Facebook!
Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/resonant-energy-office-warming-party-tickets-67931285303
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/2101655110138171/
Cordially,
The Resonant Energy Team
The Effect of Solar Panels on Property Values
Interested in installing solar but unsure of how it will affect the resale value of your property? Every year, more and more people install solar panels in their homes, businesses, and community centers, and new research finds yet more reasons to invest in solar while you can. New findings show that buildings with solar panels have increased in property value by 4% on average, with cities like Austin, San Francisco, and New York City seeing property value increases as high as 6%. For a property that cost $800,000 that’s nearly a $50,000 increase in resale value for a solar array that probably cost half that. Real estate agents are finding that not a single building in the metropolitan United States has lost value as a result of installing solar panels, and homes with solar have been found to spend as much as half as much time on the market compared to non-solar homes. Solar installations, it seems, can only increase your home’s property values. These findings have been reported and independently confirmed by institutions like the US Department of Energy, the Appraisers Institute, Fannie Mae, and Ohio State University, and they all agree that solar can only help your property’s value. Home buyers are even willing to spend more on a solar home by as much as $4 a watt!
So, what’s leading to the increased valuation of solar in the American real estate market? These groundbreaking findings are likely due to support from states like Massachusetts and New York, who incentivise green energy. Massachusetts, for example, offers generous incentives to help property owners see a quick return on investment, and Massachusetts, New York, and California all exclude solar panels as an amenity from state property taxes. This is further proof that solar is a prudent investment that pays for itself in no-time, and those looking to sell their homes in the next few years should strongly consider solar as a must-have amenity to fetch the highest possible value on their property. Because of solar’s aesthetic, commercial, and environmental appeal, millions of Americans have already installed solar in their homes, but the window for such great deals is closing fast. New solar systems will no-longer qualify for Massachusetts’ solar incentives at the end of 2019, so act fast if you are one of the many New Englanders interested in green energy, and take advantage of these deals while you can!
Fortunately, Resonant Energy is here to help meet your solar needs before the sun sets on these incentive programs. Resonant Energy is New England’s leading solar provider for non-profits, and we specialize in making affordable solar available for non-profits, houses of worship, and everywhere in our communities. We help you every step of the way, from initial project proposals to installation and flipping the ‘on’ switch, and we offer diverse financing options for every budget. If you are interested in maximizing the value of your home with solar panels, find us at http://www.resonant.energy/ and reach out for a free quote before time runs out!
Bibliography
Begley, Jaclene. “Exploring the Influence of Solar Panels on Housing Values.” Fannie Mae, Dec. 2018, p. 11.
“Do Solar Panels Increase or Decrease Home Value?” Direct Energy, 16 Mar. 2016, https://www.directenergy.com/blog/solar-panels-help-hurt-resale-value-home/.
Gassett, Bill. “Understanding Solar Power When Selling or Buying a Home.” Massachusetts Real Estate Exposure, 15 Aug. 2016, https://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/solar-power-selling-buying-home/.
Grenvik, John. “Do Solar Panels Increase Home Value?” Wholesale Solar Blog, 27 Apr. 2018, https://www.wholesalesolar.com/blog/do-solar-panels-increase-home-value/.
Lower, Edited by Brian H., et al. “5.3 The Effect of Solar Photovoltaic Panels on Residential Sale Price.” Environmental ScienceBites Volume 2, The Ohio State University. ohiostate.pressbooks.pub, https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/sciencebitesvolume2/chapter/5-3-the-effect-of-solar-photovoltaic-panels-on-residential-sale-price/. Accessed 10 July 2019.
Mishkin, Shaina. “Here’s How Much Adding Solar Panels Will Boost Your Home’s Value.” Money, http://money.com/money/5642057/home-value-solar-panels/. Accessed 9 July 2019.
Prevost, Lisa. “Appraising Solar Energy’s Value.” The New York Times, 20 Feb. 2015. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/22/realestate/solar-panels-and-home-values.html.
“Solar Homes Sell for a Premium.” Energy.Gov, https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/downloads/solar-homes-sell-premium. Accessed 9 July 2019.
Solar Panels Increase Home & Property Value | EnergySage. https://www.energysage.com/solar/why-go-solar/increased-property-values/. Accessed 9 July 2019.
Youngren, Marjorie. “Ask the Realtor: How Do Solar Panels Affect a Home’s Resale Value? - Ask the Expert, Buying.” Boston.Com Real Estate, 25 Oct. 2017, http://realestate.boston.com/buying/2017/10/25/ask-realtor-solar-panels-affect-homes-resale-value/.
SMART Program Extends to Municipal Light Districts
At the end of May 2019, the Dept. of Energy Resources (DOER) announced an agreement to incentivize projects in municipal light plant geographies under the SMART program. The incentives are different based on the amount of funding pledged by each municipality with total funding announced here for each. The program will incentivize projects by buying down roughly 1/3 of the project cost with a $1.20/w upfront incentive for projects < 25 kW-DC, which covers the typical size for households, nonprofits and small businesses. This program operates on a first come first serve basis so anyone considering a project in a municipal light plant should reach out here as soon as possible!
Federal Solar Tax Credit to Begin Sunset
By: Isaac Baker
UPDATE - MAY 23, 2019. Bipartisan group of senators start to look at proposing longer term extensions to clean energy tax credits, including the investment tax credit for solar, which will be a top priority in the coming months.
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Business owners, nonprofits and homeowners are moving quickly to take advantage of one of the most lucrative clean energy policies, the Solar Investment Tax Credit, on track to step down in 2020.
This article covers that lucrative policy — the 30% federal tax credit — which has been the most important driver for the economics of solar PV technology in the U.S. since it was enacted in 2006. The first thing to know is that there are two tax credits provisions for solar PV in the tax code: the Business Energy Investment Tax Credit (IRC Section 48) for businesses and nonprofits and the Investment Tax Credit (IRC Section 25D) for residential installations. Both policies provide a credit valued at 30% of the total installed cost of the system (including equipment, labor, overhead, etc.) to the owner of the system.
This policy has even helped countless nonprofits and businesses who either don’t pay federal taxes or don’t have tax liability, but are able to see meaningful savings by “selling” the tax credit on a market that has formed around this policy. Through Resonant Energy’s Hybrid Ownership Program, your organization can exchange the tax credit for a discount on the total solar array cost.
In 2015, the tax credits for solar were set to expire and Congress passed an omnibus energy bill that extended the tax credit for both solar and wind (while also opening up public lands for oil exploration as the compromise). This extension came with a built-in sunset, on the eve of which we now stand in 2019. The full schedule for non-residential projects will be a step down from 30% to 26% in 2020, 22% in 2021, and 10% in 2022, where the credit will rest until policy makers go back to the negotiating table. Residential projects will follow the same schedule, except the credit will go to 0% in 2022 (Fig 1).
Fig 1: Schedule for phase out of Federal ITC. Credit: SEIA.
As this schedule steps down, one of the key questions for projects is how you secure your place in one year or the next. The IRS has issued a ruling (Notice 2018-59) determining that the project owner must have spent at least 5% of the cost of the project in order to secure the value attributable to a given tax year (this ruling is known as the “safe harbor” provision). This can most easily be demonstrated by signing an agreement in 2019 and making at least one milestone payment towards your project to ensure that you can claim the full 30% tax credit value — even if the system is not ultimately placed in service until 2020.
As you consider your options, Resonant Energy is here to help you navigate the solar process with detailed design support, competitive bidding, and policy knowledge and ensure that you get an optimal financial outcome with your system. Learn more about our projects here and let us know when you’re ready to take the next step for your organization.
ITC FAQs:
How did the tax credit originally get passed?
The solar tax credit was first passed with the passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (under the George W. Bush administration). The tax incentive was extended from its original end date just a few years later in 2008 as part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, often referred to as “TARP” funding, named after the section called the Troubled Assets Relief Program. This policy extended the credit through 2016, at which point it was once again extended with its full 30% value through 2020, as noted in the article above.
Can the tax credit carry forward if I don’t use it all in one year?
Yes, the tax credit can carry forward, meaning that if your organization does not have sufficient tax liability to use up the credit in the first year you can claim the difference on the following year’s tax return (and so on). However, there is no specific guidance as to the treatment of unclaimed credits once the ITC fully sunsets, which may be as soon as 2022. While you may be able to roll your credits over beyond that, it is best to be conservative and to ensure you can use your tax credit value by 2022.
How do I file for the tax credit?
Residential: Complete IRS Form 5965 to demonstrate the amount of qualifying solar expenditure you’ve made
Add your renewable energy credit information to your typical form 1040
When does the tax credit get “generated”?
You are eligible for your solar tax credit as soon as your array is “placed in service.” This means that system must have received all necessary permission from local inspectors and the utility. The utility grants you “Permission to Operate” (PTO) after its inspection, after which point you can turn on the array. This is the date from which you can claim your credit. For example, if you sign a contract in December 2019 but the system isn’t operational until February 2020, you must claim the tax credit in your 2020 return.
Note: Resonant Energy strives to provide clients with top-tier guidance on solar PV. However, we are not tax specialists and what we have written should not take the place of advice from a tax professional. We recommend that you consult your advisor before taking the next step on solar to ensure that these policies work for your organization.
Dorchester Coalition Celebrates Completion of Solar Access Campaign
Elnora, Dorchester resident and solar participant, speaks at the Sun for All Celebration in Codman Square Park.
September 16, 2017
BOSTON— Resonant Energy hosted the Sun For All Celebration in Codman Square on Saturday September 16th with Social Saturdays, marking the close of the first low-income accessible solar campaign in Dorchester. Four months ago, Resonant Energy launched Codman Square Goes Solar in partnership with the Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, the Second Church in Dorchester, Co-op Power, Epiphany School, the Dorchester YMCA, and the Codman Square Neighborhood Council. By the end of the summer, the campaign signed up 35 households a 5 nonprofits to install rooftop solar systems. Using Resonant Energy’s new solar hosting model, this campaign was the first of its kind to include households and nonprofits regardless of income or credit history.
“It was great to be part of a group that just kept pressing our way and believing that our community deserves the same access to clean and affordable energy as any other community,” said keynote speaker Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, the Minister of Ecological Justice at Bethel A.M.E. “I’m excited not just because of what we’ve done in the past year but because of how this is growing.”
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Read the full press release here.
Three Boston Congregations Team Up for Community Solar Project
Reverend Mariama White-Hammond, a Class of 2009 Barr Fellow, shares three lessons and a new video documenting a novel collaboration of three churches committed to action on climate change and equity.
Three Boston congregations recently joined forces to put solar panels on their rooftops, capable of producing 70 kilowatts of clean energy to power our congregations. This is equivalent to the amount of electricity required to power about eight homes. Just as the project was getting started, cuts to the state solar compensation program almost killed the project, but we persevered through anyway.
I’m incredibly proud of Second Church (Dorchester), the Church of St. Augustine and St. Martin (South End), and Bethel AME Church (Jamaica Plain), and the staff at Resonant Energy, for our collective hard work and determination to make this project possible.
As people of faith we are asking the question: how can we be stewards of the earth and tackle urgent problems like climate change while also addressing equity issues? Solar on our churches is one great way to start. Our congregation has already invested in exploring how to reduce our impact on the planet in many ways, including water conservation, recycling, and energy efficiency. We saw playing a leadership role in solar energy as another way to walk the talk.
As people of faith we are asking the question: how can we be stewards of the earth and tackle urgent problems like climate change while also addressing equity issues? Solar on our churches is one great way to start.
In addition to producing clean energy, a solar installation has many other benefits: it shows us how solar works, lets our community members and our leaders experience it, and illustrates how clean energy can provide additional benefits to our community, like good jobs. This is why we chose solar installers based on their track record of hiring people of color, including someone who lives right in our church’s neighborhood. I’m excited to share this video that we produced to document the project:
In reflecting on the project, which took about 15 months, we learned many things. Here are my three main takeaways from the project:
First, we must take leadership. Our project allows our churches to demonstrate how to contribute to reducing pollution, increasing resilience, and bringing economic benefits to our communities. We learned lessons that we can share with other churches and institutions that want to contribute to clean energy solutions and produce local energy. We are also helping our congregations to think more about the impact that our energy use has on the planet—and on people. We also thought a lot about how local projects like this one catalyze excitement and a sense of ownership, demonstrating what we can do when we work together collectively. People are so proud of our leadership role.
Similarly, it is important to provide tangible local examples for everyone in our community to see that what is possible. Local projects can catalyze excitement and a sense of ownership. Addressing climate change can seem like an overwhelming task for an individual or a congregation, and many people think that small actions don’t make a difference—but I firmly believe that they do. We must have examples in our communities—all of them—to show that clean energy is readily available, affordable, and accessible. We need more churches, businesses, institutions, public agencies, and others to use their buying power to show that this is possible.
Third, the “just transition” to clean energy must be a priority for everyone working to address climate change. To rapidly deploy the amount of clean energy that is needed to meet our climate goals, we must work together to ensure that all members of our community can share in the benefits of clean energy. It is my view that when we are working on clean energy policies and projects, we must be truly inclusive and make sure that communities are driving progress together. And we must understand that climate progress without good jobs, safe housing, and access to health care leaves many people out.
I’m a climate activist. I recognize that putting up solar panels on a few churches is just one step; we have many, many more to go. But this project allows people to see that each of us can be—and must be—part of the green revolution, for our planet and for our neighbors.
This project allows people to see that each of us can be—and must be—part of the green revolution, for our planet and for our neighbors.
Next, we’re going to:
- Help our members learn more about what they can do to reduce their energy use and invest in renewable energy to keep our momentum going.
- Share the video with other congregations to encourage them to go solar. We shared it in March for a gathering of 23 congregations and we are scheduled to share with other local and national faith gatherings this year.
- Seek solutions for more challenging questions like: how can we get the solar revolution to reach renters and low-income communities? How do we get more solar panels in our community on other buildings?
- Educate policymakers and local leaders. We have joined with other congregations and nonprofits to support policies that provide strong incentives for low-income shared solar. We are proud that state Representative Russell Holmes and state Senator Chang-Díaz (each has one of our churches in his or her district) are stepping forward to lead on these issues.
As my friend Alphonse Knight of Second Church in Dorchester said, “the Church is the foundation of the community; it’s where people grow and develop values. When something positive happens here, everyone in the community sees it. Now, we can see the church’s commitment to stewardship right here on our roof.”
As faith leaders, we will keep working to ensure that everyone benefits from the green revolution—especially those who are hit hardest by climate change while contributing least to the problem. We hope that you will join us.
Reverend Mariama White-Hammond is a Barr Fellow (2009) and recently started a fellowship with the Green Justice Coalition, a Barr grantee. Her current fellowship focuses on organizing communities of faith, particularly black churches, to engage on climate issues.
Church Solar Project Inspires Solar for Neighborhood
May 2, 2017 - Sami Grover
One of the things that has always interested me about solar—and other clean tech—is the potential for them to become contagious. While few of us have the power, or the inclination, to build a coal plant just because the neighbors down the road have one, the distributed nature of solar means that one installation can lead to many more as neighbors get inspired by what other neighbors are doing.
There's still one impediment to this though. And that's money. Despite rapid declines in the cost of solar power, upfront costs can be prohibitive for many—even if there are long-term savings to be had.
Enter Resonant Energy. Based in Boston, this social enterprise is working on building coalitions of community partners to plan, finance and install solar projects. One of its flagship efforts—a successful Interfaith Community Solar Campaign—has already brought solar to Second Church in Dorchester, Bethel A.M.E., and the Church of Saint Augustine and Saint Martin. Because upfront costs are covered by the project, churches start saving from day one.
Now, that project is inspiring Codman Square Goes Solar, a neighborhood-wide effort which will see residents sign up to host solar on their rooftops at no cost to them. The effort has caught the attention of the mayor, winning the Buildings and Energy category of the city's Greenovate Awards, and is now aiming to install solar on 25 private homes in the surrounding neighborhood, three small commercial businesses, and three more houses of worship too.
It's exciting stuff. Much like Re-Volv's community solar seed fund, or solar barn raisings and voluntary gas taxes, I suspect we'll see many more community-based solar efforts like this as solar costs continue to fall.
Local Coalition Launches Codman Square Goes Solar
March 18, 2017
DORCHESTER, MA - On Saturday, March 18, members of Second Church in Dorchester and other community leaders gathered to launch Codman Square Goes Solar, an initiative focused on expanding access to solar to low-moderate income homeowners. The initiative includes coalition members such as Second Church in Dorchester, Codman Square Neighborhood Council, Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, Community Improvement Association, Resonant Energy, and the Boston Metro East Community Energy Co-op.
As part of the 2016 Boston Interfaith Community Solar Project, Second Church in Dorchester recently installed a solar array on their historic church building. Alphonse Knight, a longtime member of the church and Chair of the Board of Co-op Power, remarked, “We have have been working for over five years to bring good green jobs to our neighborhoods here in Dorchester, and at the same time offer clean energy programs that save people money. The Codman Square Goes Solar Initiative has the potential to be our most significant project to date.”
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Read the full press release here.
How A Year-Long Program Prepared Me For Success At A Social Venture Startup
Feburary 9, 2017 - Kevin Sandoval
I have few memories of my native country, Honduras. The rustling of mango trees, the relief provided by a cool rain shower, and the smell of coffee brewing on the stovetop. I left Honduras when I was five years old for the United States, a place my mom called the land of opportunity. She knew that to be successful there, I would have to work hard even as a child. I was encouraged to read as many books as possible. It was challenging and sometimes frustrating, but from this young age, I gained an appreciation for education and lifelong learning.
When it came time for college, however, I was less prepared than I expected. Due to a misunderstanding with my FAFSA, my college offered me significantly less financial aid than I needed, so I found myself scrambling to pay for tuition while trying to find my way in this new environment. Unhealthy habits kicked in, I was underperforming in my classes, and I wasn’t able to make the most of the learning opportunity. At one point, I sat down and asked myself, what is driving me? What am I passionate about? All I could think about was my dad’s voice saying “If you don’t know, then who will?” I decided to take some time away from school to reevaluate my path.
The moment I came in for an info session at Year Up, I knew it was the place for me. Year Up is an organization that provides young adults with technical and professional skills training, mentoring, and an internship experience in the corporate setting. The program introduced me to the Information Technology field, and taught me to take initiative for seeking out opportunities for growth and leadership.
During my time at Year Up, I provided my input to help build the curriculum for a new frontline sales training track and served as a Student Ambassador, promoting Year Up to community partners and potential students. With this leadership opportunity, I spoke at events about our country’s Opportunity Divide as well as the positive impact Year Up has had on me, my peers, and the employers we work with. While I gained professional skills, confidence, and workplace experience through Year Up, I knew that realized after the program that IT wasn’t my true passion.
I graduated from the program with the increased clarity about my future – I knew I wanted to work for a company with a meaningful, social mission but did not know how to enter this space. Then, just as I was beginning to plan for life post-Year Up, someone I had met at a networking event introduced me to Resonant Energy, a Boston-based renewable energy startup that aims to bring 100% clean energy to 100% of people. After meeting with the founders of the organization, I was offered a job there. My job at Resonant Energy is to build partnerships with mission-aligned organizations and community groups, so that we can help expand solar power to all communities regardless of race or class. In just a few months, I’ve had a chance to meet with leaders from nonprofits, community development corporations, municipalities, and community groups and collaborate with them to make renewable energy accessible to all.
Through this work, I have been able to pursue my passion for giving back to my community, and wholeheartedly believe in bringing sustainability and economic opportunity to all. I have been able to develop skills such as outreach, community organizing, and business development, and have gained firsthand experience working at an innovative startup social enterprise. It’s VERY hard work, but it’s the best job I have ever had. I love my team and the work I do. It’s rewarding, challenging, inspiring, and beneficial all at the same time. For the first time in my life, I’ve felt that I can relate to the saying “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”
It’s important to me that we’re working to make Chelsea, my home community, into a more just and sustainable city. With Resonant’s Solar Access Program, we are creating opportunities for Chelsea residents to install solar panels on their roof for free, and participate in a local transition to renewable energy.
I’ve had an incredible opportunity to be with this company from the start, and see what it’s like to build a social enterprise. Now, I know that whatever I do next, I am committed to tackling the pressing issues the world faces. I think more young adults who don’t follow the traditional educational path should consider working for social enterprise startups -- it’s great a way to learn what it takes to build a company and pursue meaningful work. At the same time, more social enterprises should consider hiring young adults like me, who can provide perspective and connection to particular communities.
I have been fortunate to have several opportunities that have allowed me to grow as a person and a young professional. With the support of friends, family, Year Up, and Resonant Energy, I’ve become more aware of my own mental constraints that have previously prevented me from reaching my full potential. With this clarity and a better understanding of my passions and goals, I am ready to return to college to gain skills that will set me up for success.
It’s my firm belief that expanding access to education and skill development is essential to addressing the issues of inequity in our society. And I’ve made a personal commitment to myself to pursue new knowledge and self-improvement opportunities constantly. As Nelson Mandela puts it, “In life I never lose. I either win or I learn.” I know that I must continue to learn in order to remain relevant in today’s changing world.
In the future, I intend to bring together individuals who are motivated to make this world a better place and address the economic and environmental issues that affect local communities. I hope that more young people pursue education and work that aligns with their passions, and that more companies across the country will give them opportunities to grow into productive, innovative members of the workforce.
Kevin Sandoval is a Community Partnerships Associate at Resonant Energy and a Year Up graduate.