Rural Renewable Energy Alliance

RREAL has the unique mission of making solar energy available to everyone. Solar technologies present viable alternatives to fossil fuels that are both environmentally sound and socially empowering. In order for solar to be widely embraced, it must be available to people of all income levels. However, solar technology remains out of reach for many lower income households. At RREAL, we seek to address these issues with a more afordable form of solar energy. Our flagship program, Solar Assistance, installs solar heating systems in partnership with low-income families that qualify for public energy assistance. Solar Assistance fosters ecological health, social equity, and self-reliance. Solar heating technology is an environmentally and economically appropriate technology for helping meet the energy needs of people in poverty.

RREAL was founded in 2000 by Jason Edens, a high school teacher with a keen interest in solar technologies and a vision for a better way to help struggling families through the winter. Supported by a group of dedicated volunteers, RREAL operated from Jason's basement and garage for five years. RREAL remained an all volunteer organization until 2005, when organizational development and fundraising had matured enough to hire Jason as it's first Executive Director. RREAL has been mushrooming in growth ever since and now operates out of a fully equipped facility in Pine River. We are a mean, green, fully functioning manufacturing, contracting, research and advocacy machine!