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

I was at a community meeting with 50 Black females organizers who were not invested in the community solar motion. To be able to use an item that will conserve our neighborhood up to 60% on their energy bills is transformative
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WeSolars objective is to bring under-resourced neighborhoods cost effective access to local neighborhood solar and to help business properties with energy effectiveness. When I initially moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was released and I desired to ensure city citizens were getting the same amount of investment as the county. Sustainable energy has traditionally been a middle class issue because Black neighborhoods have had to live in survival mode, however Reverend Mason and Reverend Dewitt brought me into the circle and connected me with the people I needed to connect with in order to make this partnership effective
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Please share with us a current company success story.
When I first moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was introduced and I wanted to ensure city citizens were getting the exact same quantity of financial investment as the county. Sustainable energy has actually traditionally been a middle class concern since 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 individuals I required to connect with in order to make this partnership effective
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Kristal Hansley is the Founder & & CEO of WeSolar, Inc. and is the nations very first Black Woman CEO in the community solar industry. Under her leadership, WeSolar is growing quickly, supplying customers throughout Maryland access to economical solar power, regardless of home type and assisting hard-working families decrease month-to-month costs
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What inspired you to begin your business?
I was at a neighborhood conference with 50 Black ladies organizers who were not invested in the community solar motion. I started revealing how greater income communities and people in the suburbs were taking benefit of this and received a heap of assistance. To be able to provide an item that will conserve our community up to 60% on their energy expenses is transformative
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Tell us about your business? (mission, partners, regions you run in, main consumers, and so on).
WeSolars objective is to bring under-resourced communities cost effective access to local neighborhood solar and to assist commercial homes with energy efficiency. WeSolar launched in Baltimore and will broaden to other cities in the future. Through WeSolar, electrical energy consumers can purchase shared solar from a regional job without having to install any devices in their homes. In turn, residents conserve hundreds on their electricity expenses. In Maryland, lawmakers passed legislation that mentions 50 percent of its electrical power must come from renewable energy sources by 2030
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What obstacles do you deal with? Why?
To a community that is currently dealing with so numerous pushing difficulties, encouraging them that there is another one just as important is very challenging. I keep in mind trying to discuss neighborhood solar to my good friends and the discussion rapidly rotating to real estate.

By Constance ThompsonAugust 27, 2021
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The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) is enjoyed share the first installment in our “Ask an Accelerate Member” blog series. Each installment will feature among ACOREs Accelerate member business. August is National Black Business Month, so this month we are focused on Black-owned renewable energy business