Payom Solar übertrifft Erwartungen...Kursanstieg?

Solar is certainly “in” all across the United States. Many organizations are looking for ways to implement it for a host of reasons: to embrace the “green” movement, be more energy independent, to save money or even just for marketing purposes. Regardless of the driving force behind the interest in solar, cost continues to be an obstacle.

Despite the fact that we are talking about a 50-plus year old technology, solar adoption in the U.S. is almost negligible. The cost of components and overall system cost has dropped dramatically, but still companies are slow to embrace the power of the sun. This is largely because most companies are either unable or unwilling to make the necessary investment – an investment, by the way, that “pays off” in many ways on and off the balance sheet.  No matter how “green” our ambitions may be, it is difficult to make a strong case for going green when doing so means financial statements turn red.

And that is why it is so important that more companies recognize that a creative approach to solar finance is the most powerful tool we can use to drive widespread adoption of solar.  We are in the process of becoming solar power providers – not simply installers.  The model of selling power through so called “Power Purchase Agreements” or “PPAs” is a tried and true one that has been used across a range of power-related industries globally.  With the right credit-worthy partner, solar is suddenly within reach for many entities that are unable or unwilling to make any upfront investment. Under a PPA, our partners commit to purchasing power at an agreed upon rate for 20 or so years. They get solar. They get instant savings. They commit to “going green” in a meaningful, visible way. And, best of all, they bear no upfront cost.

Transitions are difficult in any industry, and it is no different in the context of the U.S. solar market. We need more innovation. Our success will be driven by more entrepreneurial thinking to transcend our reliance on the commoditized, fossil fuel-driven utility market. Here are some examples:
 

• Think like a partner, not a vendor: The nuts and bolts of a solar power system installation are important, but not nearly as important as it is to understand what motivates your partners. We are talking about long-term relationships that leverage proven technology. Talk with the partner about what they need from you to make solar work for them – be it enhanced savings, more prominent visual statements on their property or perhaps just more data to support the solar initiative internally.

• Create an ecosystem: Don’t try to be all things to all stakeholders. Focus on what your company does best and surround yourself with the very best suppliers and service providers who share your vision and approach.

• Look beyond the electricity bill:  A conversation about solar often begins with projected savings. But understanding and appreciating the impact solar can have goes far beyond dollars and cents. Think broadly about the environmental, economic and social impact of the solar program. The utility bill is just the beginning.

Growing solar adoption requires a new game plan. All the grants and subsidies in the world won’t make for a sustainable market. We need focused, competent entrepreneurs to execute and ensure the solar industry itself is sustainable in the US.

Oil is spilling uncontrollably off our coast. Fingers are being pointed and blame is shifting from one party to another. Some politicians are grandstanding and most aren’t doing enough.

This is a horrible mess. It is also a great opportunity.

While the Gulf is dirty (and is getting dirtier by the minute), overhead the sun is still shining. With BP failing to cap the well, rage and confusion around the disaster continue to escalate. If one of the largest corporations in the world and our Federal government have been unable to contain this mess, what is it that we as individual citizens can do? The answer may be that there’s not much for us to do.

Having said that, the sun is still shining. At AMSOLAR, our corporate giving and community action program, AMSOLAR GIVING, was designed to create and foster “teachable moments” that promote renewable energy awareness, education and exploration. If the spill in the Gulf is not a teachable moment… I have no idea what is.

The focus of our business at AMSOLAR is “powering future generations” – bringing solar power to schools throughout the U.S.  With AMSOLAR GIVING, we strive to make solar power relevant to students throughout the U.S.  Knowing that millions of gallons of oil are destroying our coast at this very moment, I must admit to feeling powerless. There is just not much I can do.

What I realized, however, is that down the hall of my office, our AMSOLAR GIVING team has the tools, mandate and resources to make the best of this situation and help inspire a new generation of citizens that appreciates, understands and values renewable energy.  We need viable, tangible alternatives to our oil addiction. No simple solution exists and no single resource can serve as the substitute we desperately need. But having students in classrooms with lights powered by the sun, whose parking lots are filled with parking canopies lined with solar panels, who arrive at schools in electric vehicles that can be recharged at solar-powered vehicle charging stations, will absolutely alter the perspective of these students. And it is these very students who today, like me, feel powerless as they watch oil-soaked wildlife and the blue ocean caked in a filthy mess.

Is solar power going to clean up this disaster? No chance. But it very well can help prevent the next one.

About the Author: Joshua Weinstein is the Managing Partner of AMSOLAR Corporation, a premier solar solutions partner for educational institutions. The company’s AMSOLAR GIVING program promotes renewable energy awareness, education and exploration at schools throughout the United States.

Solar is certainly “in” all across the United States. Many organizations are looking for ways to implement it for a host of reasons: to embrace the “green” movement, be more energy independent, to save money or even just for marketing purposes. Regardless of the driving force behind the interest in solar, cost continues to be an obstacle.

Despite the fact that we are talking about a 50-plus year old technology, solar adoption in the U.S. is almost negligible. The cost of components and overall system cost has dropped dramatically, but still companies are slow to embrace the power of the sun. This is largely because most companies are either unable or unwilling to make the necessary investment – an investment, by the way, that “pays off” in many ways on and off the balance sheet.  No matter how “green” our ambitions may be, it is difficult to make a strong case for going green when doing so means financial statements turn red.

And that is why it is so important that more companies recognize that a creative approach to solar finance is the most powerful tool we can use to drive widespread adoption of solar.  We are in the process of becoming solar power providers – not simply installers.  The model of selling power through so called “Power Purchase Agreements” or “PPAs” is a tried and true one that has been used across a range of power-related industries globally.  With the right credit-worthy partner, solar is suddenly within reach for many entities that are unable or unwilling to make any upfront investment. Under a PPA, our partners commit to purchasing power at an agreed upon rate for 20 or so years. They get solar. They get instant savings. They commit to “going green” in a meaningful, visible way. And, best of all, they bear no upfront cost.

Transitions are difficult in any industry, and it is no different in the context of the U.S. solar market. We need more innovation. Our success will be driven by more entrepreneurial thinking to transcend our reliance on the commoditized, fossil fuel-driven utility market. Here are some examples:
 

• Think like a partner, not a vendor: The nuts and bolts of a solar power system installation are important, but not nearly as important as it is to understand what motivates your partners. We are talking about long-term relationships that leverage proven technology. Talk with the partner about what they need from you to make solar work for them – be it enhanced savings, more prominent visual statements on their property or perhaps just more data to support the solar initiative internally.

• Create an ecosystem: Don’t try to be all things to all stakeholders. Focus on what your company does best and surround yourself with the very best suppliers and service providers who share your vision and approach.

• Look beyond the electricity bill:  A conversation about solar often begins with projected savings. But understanding and appreciating the impact solar can have goes far beyond dollars and cents. Think broadly about the environmental, economic and social impact of the solar program. The utility bill is just the beginning.

Growing solar adoption requires a new game plan. All the grants and subsidies in the world won’t make for a sustainable market. We need focused, competent entrepreneurs to execute and ensure the solar industry itself is sustainable in the US.

When it comes to giving back to the community, I have found that entrepreneurs are some of the most generous. We give back time, goods and services, money and more. This commitment to our communities is often a reflection of the values of the individual entrepreneur – and the culture of the companies that we start.
 
But charity is not the same thing as business, and often times the skills and instincts that make an entrepreneur successful in the marketplace are not properly applied to our nonprofit ventures, leaving many corporate giving programs ineffective, unfocused and short-lived. I do not mean to discount the willingness of individual employees and directors to donate time, energy, and money to their communities in the form of traditional volunteerism and charity. However, without exploring ways to fully integrate a company's philanthropy with its core mission as a business, entrepreneurs are leaving on the table a powerful opportunity for both community building and profit.
 
At my company, AMSOLAR Corporation, we have worked to bridge two important goals: to build a platform for more efficient localized energy generation; and to promote renewable energy awareness at educational institutions. We do this by providing both innovative solar energy solutions as well as customized solar educational programs to public and private schools throughout the United States, including K-12 schools, community colleges and universities.
 
For us to succeed long-term, we must look beyond the electricity bill to a more holistic accounting of our environmental, economic and social impact in the community. That is why we created AMSOLAR GIVING -- a structured way for us to promote renewable energy awareness, education and exploration in the communities we serve. Over the past year, we’ve conducted a wide range of events and launched a number of unique and timely programs, under this program. We've worked with teachers and administrators to engage elementary school students in learning about renewable energy, and we've installed solar-powered laptop charging stations at our partner schools. With our partners at University of San Diego, we are even developing a groundbreaking interdisciplinary course teaching students about the economics, law, technology, social implications and many practical applications of solar energy. We also provide renewable energy grants for students and teachers at our partner schools, which allow individual community members to decide how best to promote solar energy in their backyard.

Channeling our philanthropic efforts is an integral part of our business. I feel strongly that a model like this--one which works to align a company's bottom line with the community's bottom line--has the most potential for having a substantial, lasting impact. While traditional employee volunteer programs will always have their place, executives should consider designing their corporative giving programs to have the greatest potential to further their companies' visions. In evaluating a corporate giving strategy, we should ask the following questions:
 
RELEVANCE: Is the philanthropic project aligned with the company’s mission? The tasks to be undertaken should require the expertise and resources that exist at the company. This is essential not only in furthering the company’s growth efforts, but ensuring a meaningful impact on the community.

RELATIONSHIPS: Can the company get deeply involved in the cause and develop relationships that matter? Companies should consider committing to only a handful of focused initiatives, putting their full resources behind them so that their efforts are lasting. As entrepreneurs we know that lack of focus can decimate a business. Why not apply the same rigor in the context of giving back?
 
RETURN: Does the community initiative or philanthropic activity stand to drive a fair return on investment (ROI) – in dollars but far beyond, as well?  Ideally, the ways in which we give back should also highlight the value of our goods and services, enhance our visibility in the marketplace and strengthen our brand.  Properly structured, our giving should drive new business, which in turn creates more opportunities for financial success – and, naturally, more contexts in which to give back again and again and again.
 
Corporate philanthropy should not be an afterthought. As entrepreneurs we know that focus can enhance the bottom line. Let’s not forget that prudent giving is powerful, too.