Marking the six-month anniversary of Hurricane Sandy that devastated communities in New York, New Jersey and other northeast states, Global Green USA has announced its first "Solar for Sandy" partnership with the Rockaway Beach Surf Club.

Widely noted as a nerve center for post-Sandy relief efforts in the Rockaways, the Surf Club along Beach 87th Street is being transformed into a stronger, more resilient community center as the East Coast faces continued global climate change and sea level rise.

"We have known for some time the threat of sea level rise and storm surge - thanks in great part to climate change - to our low lying coastal communities, including our energy infrastructure" said Matt Petersen, President and CEO of Global Green USA.

"As the communities devastated by Sandy rebuild, Global Green is installing back up, grid tied solar systems to keep not just the lights on and charge mobile phones, but provide critical services for seniors and others like refrigeration for medicine, and basic heating and cooling."

This inaugural solar installation project will be the first of 4 to 5 systems Global Green will install to both provide ongoing savings in energy bills, and back up electricity.

Additional equipment including batteries will provide electricity even when the electricity grid goes down. When Sandy hit in 2012, nearly every solar system in the flooded were grid tied without back up capacity and therefore did not provide electricity.

"The Solar for Sandy systems will also serve as a model for local, state, and federal policymakers and other decision-makers as rebuilding continues," continued Petersen.

"We also intend to push for new financial tools to make grid tied, back up solar systems easier to finance and install." The Solar for Sandy installation will be made possible through an in-kind donation from SunTech Power, one of the world's largest producers of solar panels. In addition, donations from individuals, companies and foundations are being raised for greener, more resilient rebuilding.

After Hurricane Katrina, Global Green USA's Matt Petersen put forth a vision for the green building of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Global Green has been a leader in green rebuilding, and TIME Magazine has said "No organization is doing more to green New Orleans than Global Green USA."