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| Rising Sun Energy Center | |
|---|---|
| Name | Rising Sun Energy Center |
| Formation | 1979 |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Headquarters | San Rafael, California |
| Region served | Northern California |
| Focus | Energy efficiency, renewable energy, workforce development |
Rising Sun Energy Center is a nonprofit organization based in San Rafael, California, focused on residential energy efficiency, solar installation, and workforce training. Founded in 1979, the organization has operated in partnership with local governments, utility companies, and community organizations to deliver weatherization, solar, and energy education services across Marin County and the San Francisco Bay Area. Rising Sun collaborates with diverse institutions to reduce energy burden, promote clean energy adoption, and train technicians for the renewable energy sector.
Rising Sun works alongside Marin County, California, City of San Rafael, County of Sonoma, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, California Energy Commission, and regional nonprofits to deliver home weatherization, retrofits, and solar installations. The center targets low-income households, veterans, seniors, and multifamily properties through programs aligned with state initiatives such as California Solar Initiative, Low-Income Weatherization Program, and workforce pipelines connected to California Workforce Development Board. Its services intersect with utilities, municipal agencies, and philanthropic institutions including The San Francisco Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, and local community development corporations.
Founded in 1979 amid rising public interest following the 1970s energy crisis, Rising Sun emerged during a period marked by environmental movements like Earth Day revival efforts and legislative milestones such as the establishment of the California Energy Commission and passage of early efficiency standards. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s the organization expanded by partnering with Department of Energy (United States) initiatives, regional programs coordinated by Association of Bay Area Governments, and county health agencies to target disaster resilience after events like the Loma Prieta earthquake. In the 2000s Rising Sun integrated solar services in response to incentives under the California Solar Initiative and engaged in workforce training inspired by models from Job Corps and community college partnerships such as College of Marin.
Rising Sun operates offices, training workshops, and deployment yards in Marin County with equipment for diagnostic testing, insulation, and photovoltaic assembly. The facility inventory includes blower doors and infrared cameras used in audit workflows similar to practices advocated by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, as well as battery storage demonstrations exemplifying technologies from vendors like Tesla, Inc. and industry standards informed by Underwriters Laboratories. Training spaces emulate curricula from North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners programs and include mock-ups for retrofits used by apprentices from programs modeled on International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers partnerships.
Rising Sun provides weatherization audits, attic and wall insulation installation, duct sealing, window and door weather-stripping, and whole-home energy retrofits funded through collaborations with Pacific Gas and Electric Company and municipal rebate programs. The center delivers solar photovoltaic installation, battery integration, and permit support coordinated with county building departments and energy regulators such as the California Public Utilities Commission. Workforce development programs include entry-level technician training, apprenticeship mentorships, and job placement services linked to contractors and employers in the Bay Area construction and clean energy sectors including firms that participate in Solar Energy Industries Association networks.
Rising Sun’s outreach includes workshops, school partnerships, and community events with institutions such as San Rafael High School, College of Marin, and neighborhood associations. Educational initiatives emphasize hands-on training, energy literacy, and resilience planning that complement regional efforts by Bay Area Air Quality Management District and climate programs coordinated with County of Marin Office of Sustainability. The center’s interventions aim to reduce energy burden for vulnerable households and increase local employment, measured in collaboration with regional workforce metrics from California Employment Development Department.
Funding streams for Rising Sun have historically combined grants from foundations like The San Francisco Foundation, public funding from agencies such as the California Energy Commission and California Public Utilities Commission, program contracts with utilities like Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and individual donations. Governance is overseen by a board of directors including representatives from local government, community organizations, and the nonprofit sector, drawing on nonprofit best practices promoted by networks such as BoardSource and fiscal sponsorship models used by community development organizations.
Planned initiatives emphasize scaling low-income solar-plus-storage projects, expanding apprenticeship programs aligned with California Climate Investments goals, and piloting resilience measures for wildfire-impacted communities in coordination with county emergency management offices and regional planning bodies including the Association of Bay Area Governments. The center aims to leverage emerging funding mechanisms from state climate bonds, federal infrastructure programs linked to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and public-private partnerships with clean energy firms to broaden service delivery and workforce placement across the Bay Area.
Category:Non-profit organizations based in California Category:Energy organizations in the United States