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 neighborhood solar movement. To be able to offer an item that will conserve our neighborhood up to 60% on their energy bills is transformative.
WeSolars mission is to bring under-resourced communities budget friendly access to regional neighborhood solar and to assist industrial homes with energy effectiveness. When I initially moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was introduced, and I desired to guarantee city citizens were getting the exact same quantity of investment as the county. Eco-friendly energy has actually traditionally been a middle-class issue since Black neighborhoods have actually 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 effective.

By Constance ThompsonAugust 27, 2021
The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) is delighted to share the very first installment in our “Accelerating Renewables” blog series. Each installation will include market leaders and subjects connected to speeding up a fair and just shift to a renewable resource economy. In recognition of National Black Business Month, our August blog is the first in a series highlighting how Black-owned member business are flourishing in the sustainable energy sector.
Kristal Hansley is the Founder & & CEO of WeSolar, Inc and is the countrys first Black lady CEO in the community solar industry. Under her leadership, WeSolar is growing quickly, supplying consumers 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?
The stark fact that most of homes who were getting renewable resource incentives were higher income. I keep in mind discovering this and thinking there needed to be a way to resolve this space. I discovered there was an issue. I had my own concepts on how to solve it, and I wanted to have firm over my own choices. I was at a community conference with 50 Black ladies organizers who were not bought the community solar movement. It felt like a lightbulb had actually turned on for me as soon as I began to explain how critical and urgent it was for us to be a part of the solar movement. I started revealing how higher-income communities and individuals in the suburbs were taking benefit of renewable tax incentives and had gotten a lots of support. The truth is, energy usage impacts Black household budgets greatly. 36% of Black families experience a high energy burden, suggesting they spend over 6% of their income on home energy expenses. Thats a huge percentage. To be able to offer an item that will save our neighborhood up to 60% on their energy bills is transformative.
Tell us about your business?
WeSolars mission is to bring under-resourced neighborhoods inexpensive access to regional community solar and to help commercial homes with energy performance. WeSolar launched in Baltimore and will broaden to other cities in the future. Through WeSolar, electrical power consumers can purchase shared solar from a local job without needing to install any devices in their homes. In turn, homeowners save hundreds on their electricity bills. In Maryland, legislators passed legislation that states 50 percent of its electrical energy should originate from renewable resource sources by 2030.
What challenges do you deal with? Why?
To a neighborhood that is already facing so many pressing difficulties, convincing them that there is another one just as crucial is really hard. I remember trying to describe neighborhood solar to my pals and the conversation quickly pivoting to housing.
Please show us a current company success story.
When I initially moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was launched, and I desired to guarantee city residents were getting the same quantity of financial investment as the county. Renewable energy has actually traditionally been a middle-class problem since Black neighborhoods have 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 effective.
To read more about WeSolar, go to wesolar.energy
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