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The three-person team behind SunRun of Virginia Inc., Alan
Mattichak, Jenny French and Scott French. Photo courtesy Mark Rhodes and Virginia Business
magazine.
In 2004, SunRunr began as a spark of an idea. Now just twelve years later, our portable
Solar + Storage generator systems are making a global impact. From Virginia to the South Pacific, our
systems are providing off-grid, supplemental, and backup power to homes and
businesses. 2016 was a year that
highlighted our three key passions: providing portable renewable energy
solutions, championing discussions on energy issues and policy, and raising
public awareness of sustainability and preparedness.
Portable Renewable
Energy Solutions
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| Photo credit Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA |
In the SunRunner Sphere Blog this past year, we shared how
SunRunr owners around the world are Using the 4 Phases of Emergency Management to Weather a
Power Outage. SunRunr owner, Andrew P., gave us a front row seat in
this video he recorded as Hurricane Matthew tore
through the Caribbean. “Here we are in
the middle of Hurricane Matthew,” Andrew reported. “But the good thing is that
we have the SunRunr generator here giving us light, powering the refrigerator,
and running some fans.”
In calmer but uniquely difficult waters, our partners Alternative
Energy, Inc. incorporated a SunRunr generator within a custom,
off-grid solar solution on the island nation of Palau.
A fish hatchery powered by the sun is now up and running on the remote island.
Energy Issues and
Policy
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| SunRunr’s Jenny French speaking at StartUpAfrica Conference. |
In April, SunrRunr was invited to join a briefing at the White House
with senior Administration officials, the White
House Business Council and Business Forward. The briefing included more than 50 business
leaders from across the country, and discussions focused on the clean and renewable
energy economy and the impacts of climate change on business, national
security, human health, and the global economy.
September found SunRunr’s Jenny French at the 2016 StartUpAfrica Entrepreneurship Conference held at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. French spoke on a panel discussing “Entrepreneurship in Africa: Now and in the Future.”
SunRunr’s perspective was also called on in October with an invitation to participate in a small business roundtable with Cuban Ambassador José Ramón Cabañas. The event was organized by Virginia Exports and Virginia Economic Development Partnership.
Raising Awareness of
Sustainability and Preparedness
SunRunr was nationally honored this year with the Federal
Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) 2016 Individual and Community Preparedness Award for
Technological Innovation.
During an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., SunRunr and ten other
awardees were recognized for our innovative practices and programs that
contribute to making communities safer, better prepared, and more
resilient. During roundtable and
breakout discussions with high-level officials, recipients were asked to share
our success stories, lessons learned, and expertise. The two-day event gave us a lot to reflect on as we look to the future.
One of our most gratifying highlights of 2016 has been to
watch the development of the Net-Zero Science Classroom at North Fork Middle
School in Quicksburg, Virginia. In
January, SunRunr visited the school to demonstrate a solar generator to John
Woods’ 6th grade science class. With
financial support from the Moore Educational Trust and partnerships with
local businesses and community-based organizations, the students are now implementing real-world energy solutions and
have advanced to Phase II toward a Net-Zero Science
Classroom.
In 2017, join our discussions on SunRunner
Sphere Blog and on Facebook as we continue to bring you news and
developments from around the world on Going Green, Sustainable Solar, &
Practical Preparedness.
