It's been a month since Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina, and rural communities in the region are still without power. The natural disaster decimated energy networks in the area, not only downing power lines but completely wiping out infrastructure in some places.
To help efforts to rebuild and heal, one green nonprofit is bringing solar power to communities in need.
As reported by the Associated Press, New Orleans-based nonprofit Footprint Project recently deployed dozens of solar microgrids, solar generators, and portable batteries to more than 30 sites in North Carolina. In an Instagram post, the nonprofit, which was founded in 2018, calls the work its "biggest response yet."
Footprint Project's philosophy is to "Respond Cleaner, Build Back Greener." Through its work, the nonprofit hopes to encourage greener emergency responses and clean rebuilding. But even after responding to multiple crises in the past, the nonprofit says stakes are especially high in the aftermath of Helene.
"I've never seen anything like this," Jamie Swezey, program director of the Footprint Project, told the AP. "It's all hands on deck with whatever you can use to power whatever you need to power."
Recent estimates from state officials suggest the hurricane caused at least $53 billion in damages in North Carolina, including destroyed energy infrastructure.
Living without power, especially in the aftermath of a catastrophic storm, can be disastrous. Without it, locals in the area can't keep medicines cold — like insulin — or power medical equipment. Well water, which is highly used in the mountainous region, can't be pumped for clean water access. Toilets can't flush, and showers can't run, leading to sanitation concerns. And citizens can't recharge their phones to contact loved ones, relief organizations, or apply for federal disaster aid.
Through its work, Footprint Project has supplied solar energy to locals needing to power at-home oxygen machines, those operating makeshift clinics, and community hubs distributing supplies. For some, it's their first experience using solar power as a main energy source.
Solar power is much more sustainable than other forms of energy — for both communities and the planet. Solar power, like the power provided by the Footprint Project's efforts, doesn't rely on polluting dirty fuels to deliver energy. Since solar panels aren't reliant on the grid, solar power is much more reliable in situations where the grid is compromised — like during natural disasters. Plus, solar panels are much more affordable than polluting forms of energy in the long run.
🗣️ If you were to install home solar panels, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
🔘 Energy independence ⚡
🔘 Lower power bills 💰
🔘 Helping the planet 🌎
🔘 No chance I ever go solar 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
According to the AP, Footprint Project uses donated funds to purchase solar equipment for communities in need but also receives solar equipment donations from some green corporations. Volunteers from installation companies help install the equipment where it is needed most — like hurricane-impacted areas.
But reaching those in need isn't always easy. The AP reported that the nonprofit even had to figure out "how many portable batteries a mule could carry up a mountain and have arranged for some to be lowered by helicopters" in their North Carolina response.
Even with logistical issues to navigate, the Footprint Project has been tirelessly working in the area since Sept. 28 — and plans to stay until power is easily accessible to all who need it.
Swezey told the AP: "We know there are people who will need help long after the power comes back."
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