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

I was at a community conference with 50 Black women organizers who were not invested in the neighborhood solar motion. To be able to use a product that will save our neighborhood up to 60% on their energy bills is transformative.
WeSolars mission is to bring under-resourced communities budget friendly access to local neighborhood solar and to help industrial residential or commercial properties with energy performance. When I first moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was introduced, and I desired to ensure city citizens were receiving the same amount of financial investment as the county. Eco-friendly energy has historically been a middle-class issue due to the fact that Black neighborhoods have actually had to live in survival mode, but Reverend Mason and Reverend Dewitt brought me into the circle and connected me with the individuals I required to connect with in order to make this collaboration effective.

By Constance ThompsonAugust 27, 2021
The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) is pleased to share the very first installment in our “Accelerating Renewables” blog series. Each installment will include market leaders and subjects associated with accelerating a fair and simply shift to a renewable resource economy. In recognition of National Black Business Month, our August blog site is the very first in a series highlighting how Black-owned member companies are thriving in the renewable resource sector.
Kristal Hansley is the Founder & & CEO of WeSolar, Inc and is the countrys first Black lady CEO in the neighborhood solar market. Under her leadership, WeSolar is growing quickly, supplying consumers across Maryland and the District of Columbia access to budget friendly solar energy, regardless of home type, and assisting hard-working households decrease monthly expenses.
What inspired you to begin your business?
The plain reality that the bulk of homes who were receiving renewable resource rewards were higher income. I keep in mind discovering this and thinking there had to be a way to resolve this gap. I saw there was an issue. I had my own concepts on how to resolve it, and I wanted to have agency over my own decisions. I was at a neighborhood meeting with 50 Black women organizers who were not bought the neighborhood solar movement. It felt like a lightbulb had actually turned on for me as soon as I started to describe how vital and urgent it was for us to be a part of the solar motion. I began demonstrating how higher-income neighborhoods and people in the suburban areas were benefiting from eco-friendly tax incentives and had actually received a lots of support. The reality is, energy usage impacts Black household budget plans considerably. 36% of Black homes experience a high energy concern, implying they spend over 6% of their income on house energy bills. Thats a huge percentage. To be able to provide an item that will conserve our community approximately 60% on their energy costs is transformative.
Tell us about your business?
WeSolars objective is to bring under-resourced communities budget friendly access to local community solar and to assist commercial residential or commercial properties with energy efficiency. WeSolar launched in Baltimore and will broaden to other cities in the future. Through WeSolar, electricity consumers can buy shared solar from a local project without having to install any equipment in their houses. In turn, locals conserve hundreds on their electricity bills. In Maryland, lawmakers passed legislation that mentions 50 percent of its electrical power need to come from renewable resource sources by 2030.
What challenges do you deal with? Why?
To a neighborhood that is already facing so many pushing obstacles, persuading them that there is another one just as essential is extremely hard. I remember attempting to describe neighborhood solar to my good friends and the discussion quickly rotating to real estate.
Please share with us a recent company success story.
When I initially moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was released, and I wanted to ensure city citizens were getting the same amount of financial investment as the county. Sustainable energy has historically been a middle-class concern since Black neighborhoods have had to live in survival mode, however Reverend Mason and Reverend Dewitt brought me into the circle and linked me with the people I required to connect with in order to make this collaboration effective.
To get more information about WeSolar, go to wesolar.energy
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