100 People Under the Sun: A Global Energy Project

If the world were 100 People, 24 would have no access to electricity.

The electricity generated to power the planet for the rest of us produces 80% of all carbon emissions. Yet there is enough clean, renewable solar energy available to meet the energy demands for all the people of the world.

In a new collaboration with SunPower Foundation (funded by SunPower Corporation), the 100 People Foundation focuses its lens on how we share energy on this planet, and the tremendous potential sunlight offers.

As the world becomes increasingly interdependent, the need to understand commonalities, shared values and resources is vital. As part of 100 People: A World Portrait, the 100 People Foundation is creating a global profile of the ways that people and communities around the world use energy. The focus of this profile centers on one of the oldest—and yet one of the most innovative—sources of energy we know: the sun.

Forward-thinking people around the world are inventing new ways to harness the sun’s energy: from a micro solar panel that powers a radio station in Africa to a solar farm that powers an entire town in Spain. This project will tell stories like these, and with the aid of a custom lesson plan, will help educate and inspire students around the world to become the next generation of solar leaders.

Get Involved!

You can participate in the 100 People Under the Sun project in a variety of ways:

• Nominate someone you know who is making a difference in solar energy.
• Download our lesson plan, designed to help students learn about solar energy in their own communities, and contribute their findings to our global profile.
• Learn more about solar energy in our glossary and resources sections.
• Partner with us. The 100 People Foundation is accepting a limited number of grants and sponsorship programs from companies, organizations, and institutions that share our educational and outreach goals.
• Donate to our cause. The 100 People Foundation accepts tax-deductable contributions from both individual and corporate funders.
• Spread the word! Spend some time on the site, and tell your friends. Or send us an email with questions or suggestions.

About the 100 People Foundation

The 100 People Foundation is a not-for-profit organization with 501(3)(c) status. Formed in 2005, the Foundation exists to provide a structure and organization for 100 People: A World Portrait. The media created by the Foundation is intended to educate, entertain and inspire participants to learn more about world geography, culture, language, religion, music, and our shared resources. Read more about the Foundation’s mission here.

About SunPower Foundation

SunPower Foundation (funded by SunPower Corporation), seeks to create a future where sustainable, clean solar power is an essential component of the global energy mix. Its mission is to cultivate solar energy leaders, creating a call to action around the world through educational outreach and community participation in solar-energy projects and programs. The foundation funds nonprofits that inspire and motivate a new generation of solar-energy leaders to learn and take action within their communities at a local and global level.