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 first installment in our “Accelerating Renewables” blog series. Each installment will feature industry leaders and subjects related to speeding up an equitable and simply transition to a sustainable energy economy. In recognition of National Black Business Month, our August blog site is the very 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 first Black lady CEO in the community solar market. Under her management, WeSolar is growing quickly, offering customers across Maryland and the District of Columbia access to affordable solar power, regardless of house type, and helping hard-working households minimize monthly expenditures.
What inspired you to begin your company?
I was at a neighborhood meeting with 50 Black females organizers who were not invested in the neighborhood solar motion. 36% of Black families experience a high energy problem, suggesting they invest over 6% of their income on home energy bills. To be able to use an item that will save our neighborhood up to 60% on their energy expenses is transformative.
Tell us about your business?
WeSolars mission is to bring under-resourced neighborhoods inexpensive access to local neighborhood solar and to help business residential or commercial properties with energy performance. WeSolar launched in Baltimore and will broaden to other cities in the future. Through WeSolar, electricity customers can purchase shared solar from a regional job without having to set up any equipment in their homes. In turn, citizens save hundreds on their electrical power costs. In Maryland, lawmakers passed legislation that mentions 50 percent of its electrical energy should come from sustainable energy sources by 2030.
What obstacles do you face? Why?
To a community that is currently facing so lots of pressing difficulties, persuading them that there is another one just as important is very tough. I remember attempting to describe community solar to my good friends and the discussion rapidly rotating to housing.
Please share with us a current company success story.
When I first moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was launched, and I wanted to guarantee city locals were receiving the exact same quantity of financial investment as the county. Renewable energy has historically been a middle-class concern because 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 people I required to connect with in order to make this partnership effective.
For more information about WeSolar, go to wesolar.energy
###

I was at a community meeting with 50 Black females organizers who were not invested in the community solar movement. To be able to use a product that will conserve our neighborhood up to 60% on their energy bills is transformative.
WeSolars mission is to bring under-resourced communities affordable access to local community solar and to assist industrial homes with energy effectiveness. When I first moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was released, and I wanted to ensure city residents were getting the same amount of financial investment as the county. Sustainable energy has historically been a middle-class problem because Black neighborhoods have actually had to live in survival mode, however Reverend Mason and Reverend Dewitt brought me into the circle and linked me with the individuals I needed to link with in order to make this partnership successful.