JOHNNY WEISS

SOLAR ENERGY ACCESS FOR ALL INITIATIVE

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Empowering Communities. Honoring a Legacy. Expanding Global Access to Solar Energy Education.

In 1991, solar pioneer and educator Johnny Weiss co-founded Solar Energy International (SEI) with one guiding belief: that renewable energy training should be accessible to everyone—regardless of geography, income, or infrastructure.

Johnny’s vision helped build one of the most respected clean energy training institutions in the world. Since its founding, SEI has trained over 150,000 people in more than 100 countries, helping to create a global movement of skilled solar professionals.

But even as solar technology has advanced, the global energy gap persists. Today, an estimated 775 million people still live without access to electricity. Over 2.3 billion people—nearly one in three—lack access to reliable, affordable, and resilient power that meets their daily needs.

These are not abstract numbers. These are students trying to learn without lights, doctors performing surgeries in the dark, and families forced to burn harmful fuels to cook or stay warm. For these communities, energy access isn’t a convenience. It’s a matter of life and death.

That’s why SEI created the Johnny Weiss Solar Energy Access for All Initiative—a new dedicated category within SEI’s broader Empowerment Program, designed to carry Johnny’s legacy forward by bringing solar education and training to the communities who need it most.

“The sun belongs to everyone. Solar education should too.” – Johnny Weiss

This Is About Basic Human Rights

In many parts of the world, energy access doesn’t mean being able to charge a luxury EV or running a dishwasher or powering a smart home. It means:

  • Keeping vaccines cold in rural clinics
  • Providing lighting for childbirth and emergency surgeries
  • Powering water pumps, refrigerators, and communication tools
  • Allowing children to study at night and schools to function
  • Creating job opportunities through local energy entrepreneurship

Too often, these communities are given short-term hardware donations with no long-term plan. Johnny knew that solar panels alone are not enough. He believed that education, skills, and local ownership were the only path to sustainable energy independence.

This initiative is about empowering people with knowledge—not just powering their homes.

What the Initiative Supports

SEI Empowerment Scholarships

Full access to SEI’s training programs for students from marginalized communities—low-income, Indigenous, rural, and off-grid populations.

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Curriculum Licensing for Developing Communities

SEI’s proven curriculum made available at low or no cost to nonprofits, vocational schools, and community training centers in underserved regions.

Johnny Weiss Fellowship Program

Mentorship, resources, and funding for individuals implementing community-scale solar solutions in underserved areas.

Open Access Course

We’re converting SEI’s flagship course, Renewable Energy for the Developing World, into a tuition-free learning experience led by solar energy experts who’ve empowered developing communities worldwide.

APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP NOW!

Who Was Johnny Weiss?

Johnny Weiss often said he felt lucky in life—and he meant it. Born in 1951 in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Johnny’s journey took him across oceans, mountain ranges, rivers, and ideas. He was a free spirit, a truth-teller, and a doer. He believed that solar energy was more than watts and volts—it was a path to self-reliance, community resilience, and climate justice.

After arriving in Colorado by motorcycle in the summer of 1972, he made the mountains his home. In 1991, he co-founded Solar Energy International with a radical vision: give people everywhere the power—literally and figuratively—to change their lives.

Johnny was more than a teacher. He was a solar energy rebel—never afraid to challenge convention, always pushing for more inclusion, more equity, more justice. He lived openly with bipolar II disorder, dyslexia, a lifelong stutter, and a short stature—but what he may have lacked in height or traditional credentials, he made up for in boundless passion, radical honesty, and deep belief in human potential.

He flew high (literally—skydiving and scuba diving), spoke truth (to power and to everyone else), and was known for turning potlucks into strategy sessions and front porches into classrooms. In his final year—after a diagnosis of bone marrow cancer—he spent every moment surrounded by love, music, dogs, stories, and laughter. He passed away peacefully in July 2025, leaving behind not just memories, but a mission.

Historically, SEI partnered with organizations like USAID, the U.S. Department of Energy, and dozens of global NGOs to bring solar education to places where energy poverty is most acute. But recently, funding for international clean energy education and workforce development has been dramatically reduced or eliminated.

At the same time, the effects of climate change, geopolitical instability, and economic inequality are amplifying the energy divide. The most vulnerable communities are being left further behind—just when the world needs distributed, resilient energy systems the most.

The Johnny Weiss Solar Energy Access for All Initiative is how we change that.

The Johnny Weiss Solar Energy Access for All Initiative is more than a tribute. It’s a commitment to the unfinished work Johnny believed in with his whole being:
– That the sun belongs to everyone
– That education should be a right, not a privilege
– That clean energy must be shared—especially with those historically left behind
– And that we, as a global community, have a responsibility to act

Get Involved

Donate Today

Whether you’re an individual, a company, or a foundation—your donation directly supports scholarships, curriculum access, and fellowship opportunities for communities most affected by energy injustice.

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Partner With Us

We welcome partnerships with individual donors, corporate sponsors, family foundations, and mission-aligned nonprofits to expand the reach of this initiative and help bring Johnny’s vision to life across the globe.

Email SEI’s Director of Philanthropy at [email protected]

Share the Mission

Spread the word. Tell Johnny’s story. Advocate for energy access as a human right. Help us ensure solar education reaches those who need it most.