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 delighted to share the very first installation in our “Accelerating Renewables” blog series. Each installment will feature industry leaders and topics related to accelerating an equitable and just transition to a sustainable energy 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 thriving in the renewable resource sector.
Kristal Hansley is the Founder & & CEO of WeSolar, Inc and is the nations very first Black female CEO in the neighborhood solar market. Under her management, WeSolar is growing quickly, offering customers throughout Maryland and the District of Columbia access to affordable solar energy, regardless of house type, and helping hard-working families minimize monthly expenditures.
What inspired you to begin your company?
I was at a neighborhood conference with 50 Black ladies organizers who were not invested in the community solar motion. 36% of Black homes experience a high energy problem, meaning they invest over 6% of their earnings on home energy expenses. To be able to offer an item that will save our neighborhood up to 60% on their energy costs is transformative.
Inform us about your company?
WeSolars objective is to bring under-resourced neighborhoods affordable access to local neighborhood solar and to assist commercial homes with energy performance. In Maryland, legislators passed legislation that mentions 50 percent of its electrical power need to come from sustainable energy sources by 2030.
What challenges do you face? Why?
To a community that is already dealing with so lots of pressing obstacles, convincing them that there is another one simply as crucial is extremely tough. I remember trying to discuss neighborhood solar to my friends and the discussion rapidly pivoting to housing.
Please share with us a current company success story.
When I first moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was introduced, and I desired to guarantee city locals were getting the very same quantity of investment as the county. Renewable energy has actually 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 people I needed to link with in order to make this partnership successful.
For more information about WeSolar, visit wesolar.energy
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I was at a neighborhood conference with 50 Black women organizers who were not invested in the neighborhood solar movement. 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 economical access to local community solar and to assist industrial properties with energy efficiency. When I first moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was introduced, and I desired to make sure city locals were getting the same quantity of financial investment as the county. Renewable energy has actually traditionally been a middle-class problem due to the fact that Black neighborhoods have had to live in survival mode, but 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.