Renewable Power Perspectives Q&A with Ally Mendoza, CEO of SUNTEX

By Constance ThompsonSeptember 16, 2021

The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) is happy to share the 4th installation in our “Accelerating Renewables” blog site series.
Each installation features industry leaders and subjects connected to speeding up a fair and just transition to a renewable energy economy. In acknowledgment of National Hispanic Heritage Month, our September features highlight how three Hispanic-owned Accelerate member business are flourishing in the sustainable energy sector.
What inspired you to begin SUNTEX?
As a natural-born leader, I constantly set high expectations for myself and always look for opportunities to serve others– be it by providing exceptional client service, language translations, or merely sharing knowledge with others. My individual goals and desire to assist others led me to operate in the renewable resource sector, where I can pursue this dream on a bigger scale.
Inform us about SUNTEX?
Our businesss mission is easy: we want to make solar easy and budget friendly every step of the way. We mostly serve the Hispanic community in Texas. That is what we do best– assist Spanish speakers understand and adopt renewable resource as a lifestyle, helping generations to come.
Please show us more about your journey toward developing SUNTEX. Was there an “aha minute” when you decided to concentrate on solar?
Back in August of 2018, my company partner and I had the opportunity to join an extremely appealing small solar installation business in Houston. Through this work we saw the opportunity readily available to bring solar into our (the Hispanic) neighborhood. As a result, my partner and I integrated his experience in offering to the Hispanic market with my customer care expertise to develop SUNTEX where “the consumer is the factor we exist as a company”. Our focus is linking the Hispanic neighborhood and our clients with excellent customer support.
Why is concentrating on the Hispanic neighborhood a concern for SUNTEX?
Number Two: in the past, we have personally experienced an absence of care and communication from those that can not identify with our culture. We understood that solar advantages everyone, regardless of race or background, and that our people would need a lot of support to comprehend how to acquire this advantage for their homes.
What difficulties do you deal with? Why?
Being a little business with a high level of service expectations for our consumers comes with its own set of difficulties. Furthermore, even though solar energy has been around for a while, the basics of these jobs are not widely taught in school.
How are you making an impact through SUNTEX?
By simply living up to our honest values. I have discovered throughout my life that in company, there is no other method to do it best but to be sincere. While others might take faster ways, the reality constantly dominates.
Please show us a current business success story.
Recently, after assisting a client “go solar” in two of her homes, she referred a brand-new client named Angela to us. Throughout our preliminary consultation, I noted that they could just achieve about 56% of solar energy offset due to their homes intake rates and shading from trees on the home. We talked about a few extra energy performance upgrades to the house to reduce energy usage, which could provide a greater energy balanced out. Angela at first flinched at the idea of investing more cash into the home, but eventually she called me back and said she wished to move forward with the solar and energy efficiency upgrades. We completed a Home Energy Audit to see why her usage was so high and discovered that her house required a bigger AC unit, plus extra ducts to distribute the air conditioner evenly throughout the house. We likewise told her that the financing partner might include the expense of that upgrade to the solar loan– which in doing so, she could get approved for a lower interest rate than any other house improvement loan for that AC upgrade. She took my suggestions and decided to move forward and was, in truth, able to lower her loan interest rate.
Throughout the setup, we ended up spending for Angela and her senior mother to remain in a hotel until their upgrades and examinations were total to guarantee they were comfy throughout the procedure.
Now, Angelas planetary system covers 100% of the electrical power used in her house. Thanks to the air conditioning upgrade, they have actually decreased their energy usage significantly, and she has a flat, foreseeable solar payment every month that is less than she was paying prior to installing solar. This is what we suggest by “customer care.”
From a nationwide viewpoint, how can we enhance access to renewable enery?
From my experience, there is a vast gap in gain access to. The majority of the house owners that we check out are lucky to own a home, yet a number of them have not received solar due to numerous combined or isolated factors such as subprime credit rating, lower yearly family earnings, self-employment, or an absence of understanding of offered loan programs. These communities need more support and education on the significance of installing a planetary system that can save them money. We require to offer more people with chances to embrace renewable resource with less hassles.
How has your Accelerate membership helped your organization?
By empowering us to believe that there is someone there to support our development in this industry, and providing us the chance to fulfill others in the same boat. Now I understand that there is expect minority little services in the eco-friendly energy industry.
How can prospective partners work with you?
It is essential that we share the exact same values and objective to assist others, even if it suggests getting out of our convenience zones. It may cost a little more for us to do company, however its worth it in the end for our customers. If youre ready to begin there, we d enjoy to meet to go over possible partnership opportunities.
Exists anything else you want to show ACORE members and partners?
We are genuinely grateful for the Accelerate membership program and for all of the chances you have provided. I know this is just the start, and we have a long roadway ahead of us; nevertheless, I eagerly anticipate becoming a sponsor to help lead the way for other Accelerate members in the future– with an unique thanks to all of my clients and collaborators at SUNTEX, considering that they are the fuel that drives the mission!
To discover more about SUNTEX, see https://suntexllc.com/.
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Additionally, even though solar energy has actually been around for a while, the basics of these tasks are not extensively taught in school. During our initial consultation, I kept in mind that they could just achieve about 56% of solar energy balanced out due to their houses consumption rates and shading from trees on the residential or commercial property. We discussed a few extra energy effectiveness upgrades to the home to minimize energy consumption, which might supply a higher energy balanced out. Angela initially flinched at the thought of investing more money into the house, however eventually she called me back and said she wanted to move forward with the solar and energy efficiency upgrades. Thanks to the Air conditioning upgrade, they have minimized their energy usage considerably, and she has a flat, foreseeable solar payment each month that is less than she was paying prior to setting up solar.