
Disasters seem to bring out the best of humanity, and the aftermath of Hurricane Helene is no exception.
More than two weeks ago, the massive storm made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, ripping through Florida and tearing into the underbelly of the southeast, devastating communities throughout Georgia, the Carolinas, and beyond. More than 300 people are confirmed dead, and nearly 100 are still missing in North Carolina alone. Millions lost power amidst untold billions of dollars in infrastructure damage to the region’s electric grid. Thousands are still waiting for the lights to come back on.
In the wake of that pain and uncertainty, people are helping people get by. Some of those humans are also staples of the renewable energy industry- like the folks at SolarPanelRecycling.com (SPR), who have been actively involved in Helene relief efforts. SPR is the first utility-scale, ESG-driven solar recycling company in the United States and boasts an annual recycling capacity of more than 100 million pounds.
SPR opened the docks at both of its recycling facilities in North Carolina to collect non-perishable food, clothing, baby supplies, water, sports drinks, pet food, flashlights, gas cans, batteries, hygiene products, and more. The company has then been utilizing its fleet of trucks to transport collected goods directly to needy communities in Western NC.
SPR has unloaded more than 100 trucks full of donations in Burnsville, NC, and cooked more than 500 meals onsite for the community and fellow volunteers.
“Through our parent company, PowerHouse Recycling, we’ve built nearly two decades of strong relationships with local governments and businesses throughout Western North Carolina. Many of our employees also have deep personal ties to the area, with family living in these communities and spending time in the places we all know and love,” explained Brett Henderson, CEO and co-founder of SolarPanelRecycling.com.
SPR donated 100 working solar panels to Asheville’s Land of Sky Regional Council. The company also mobilized its maintenance technicians and heavy equipment operators to work alongside the West Yancy Fire Department hiking unpassable roads, fixing generators, making temporary passings, and reaching stranded households. SPR employees have even helped clear fallen trees in Western NC and performed wellness checks on people known to be stuck without power.
“Witnessing the heartbreaking devastation in WNC, it was clear we had to step in—without hesitation. I personally visited WNC the day after Hurricane Helene hit to assist a group of eight people who needed help evacuating, and it was an experience I never wish to see again,” said Henderson.
“What I’m most proud of is how the SPR staff stepped up, pleading to help. I never had to ask or encourage- it was certain from the start. Mobilizing our heavy equipment to reach households without passable roads, deploying our box trucks and semi-trucks, and holding public collections at our docks, we were ready to do whatever we could to support the community,” he added.