Renewable Power Perspectives Q&A with Kristal Hansley, Founder & CEO of WeSolar, Inc.

By Constance ThompsonAugust 27, 2021
The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) is happy to share the very first installment in our “Accelerating Renewables” blog series. Each installment will feature market leaders and subjects related to speeding up a fair and just shift to a renewable resource economy. In recognition of National Black Business Month, our August blog site is the first in a series highlighting how Black-owned member business are prospering in the sustainable energy sector.
Kristal Hansley is the Founder & & CEO of WeSolar, Inc and is the countrys very first Black woman CEO in the community solar industry. Under her leadership, WeSolar is growing rapidly, providing consumers throughout Maryland and the District of Columbia access to economical solar energy, despite home type, and assisting hard-working families lower monthly costs.
What inspired you to begin your company?
I was at a neighborhood conference with 50 Black women organizers who were not invested in the neighborhood solar movement. 36% of Black homes experience a high energy burden, implying they invest over 6% of their income on house energy costs. To be able to offer a product that will save our community up to 60% on their energy expenses is transformative.
Inform us about your business?
WeSolars objective is to bring under-resourced communities inexpensive access to local neighborhood solar and to assist industrial residential or commercial properties with energy performance. WeSolar introduced in Baltimore and will expand to other cities in the future. Through WeSolar, electrical energy customers can purchase shared solar from a local project without needing to install any equipment in their homes. In turn, citizens save hundreds on their electrical power bills. In Maryland, lawmakers passed legislation that mentions 50 percent of its electrical power should come from renewable resource sources by 2030.
What difficulties do you deal with? Why?
To a community that is already facing so lots of pressing difficulties, convincing them that there is another one just as important is really tough. I remember trying to explain community solar to my good friends and the discussion rapidly rotating to real estate.
Please show us a recent business success story.
An extremely personal success story for me is cultivating a partnership with Maryland United Baptist Missionary Convention, Inc. I matured in a Baptist church in Brooklyn where my cousin was the pastor, and my mama was an organizer– neighborhood was stitched into my very being. When I initially moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was released, and I wished to ensure city locals were getting the same amount of financial investment as the county. It was the church that took me in, and the church that then supported my vision– bringing whatever cycle. Renewable resource has actually historically been a middle-class issue due to the fact that Black neighborhoods have actually needed to live in survival mode, but Reverend Mason and Reverend Dewitt brought me into the circle and linked me with individuals I needed to get in touch with in order to make this collaboration successful.
To get more information about WeSolar, see wesolar.energy
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I was at a neighborhood meeting with 50 Black females organizers who were not invested in the neighborhood solar motion. To be able to offer a product that will conserve our neighborhood up to 60% on their energy bills is transformative.
WeSolars objective is to bring under-resourced communities budget friendly access to local neighborhood solar and to assist commercial properties with energy efficiency. When I initially moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was introduced, and I desired to guarantee city locals were getting the exact same amount of financial investment as the county. Renewable energy has actually traditionally been a middle-class issue since Black communities have had to live in survival mode, but Reverend Mason and Reverend Dewitt brought me into the circle and linked me with the individuals I needed to connect with in order to make this partnership successful.