As we approach the beginning of summer, CHERP-LGP has set out to complete several significant renovations in order to launch our first solar facility in Pomona, California. We are delighted to share all of the progress and hard work going into making this factory space a home for our CHERP-Locally Grown Power initiative. In the first phase of our project, we are proving that our social enterprise model will not only make solar energy more accessible to under-served populations most vulnerable to the effects of pollution, but also providing a comprehensive approach that creates job opportunities, addresses environmental justice, and reinvigorates our local economies.
Our team is currently hard at work, as we've begun upgrading our 7,000 square foot space. Jason Flejter, our Director of Manufacturing, and Ronald Crisp, our Senior Design Engineer, have taken the lead to tackle the renovations. Over the last several weeks, they have been cleaning, power washing, scrubbing, and buffing the floors, and are now in the process of adding a fresh coat of paint to the interior walls.
We have created a time-lapse video that shows how much progress we have made in just two weeks. Watch it below to see our Pomona project coming to life!
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The equipment for the factory will be arriving within the next few weeks. They include two Tabber Stringers, one Auto Layup Machine, one Laser Scriber, one EVA Back Sheet Cutter
one Framing Machine. The manufacturers have shared photos of the machines with us, and we are incredibly excited to begin receiving and placing these necessary tools within our space.
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We hope you continue to follow along with us on our journey to prove we can create a solar micro-factory capable of producing world-class solar panels by and for our community, while simultaneously keeping all profits recirculating locally within our economy. We will have many more updates and time-lapse footage to share in the next few months, so stay tuned!