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 first installment in our “Accelerating Renewables” blog site series. Each installment will include market leaders and topics associated with accelerating a fair and simply transition to a sustainable energy economy. In acknowledgment of National Black Business Month, our August blog is the first in a series highlighting how Black-owned member companies are growing in the eco-friendly energy sector.
Kristal Hansley is the Founder & & CEO of WeSolar, Inc and is the countrys very first Black female CEO in the neighborhood solar market. Under her management, WeSolar is growing quickly, providing consumers throughout Maryland and the District of Columbia access to inexpensive solar power, no matter home type, and helping hard-working families lower month-to-month costs.
What inspired you to start your business?
The stark fact that the bulk of families who were getting renewable resource incentives were greater income. I keep in mind learning this and believing there needed to be a method to address this gap. I discovered there was a problem. I had my own ideas on how to resolve it, and I wished to have agency over my own choices. I was at a neighborhood meeting with 50 Black females organizers who were not invested in the neighborhood solar motion. Once I started to describe how important and immediate it was for us to be a part of the solar motion, it felt like a lightbulb had turned on for me. I began revealing how higher-income communities and people in the suburbs were benefiting from renewable tax rewards and had actually received a lots of support. The reality is, energy use effects Black home spending plans considerably. 36% of Black homes experience a high energy burden, indicating they spend over 6% of their income on home energy costs. Thats an enormous percentage. To be able to offer a product that will save our neighborhood approximately 60% on their energy expenses is transformative.
Tell us about your business?
WeSolars mission is to bring under-resourced communities budget friendly access to regional neighborhood solar and to help commercial residential or commercial properties with energy efficiency. In Maryland, legislators passed legislation that specifies 50 percent of its electrical energy should come from sustainable energy sources by 2030.
What challenges do you face? Why?
To a neighborhood that is already dealing with so numerous pushing difficulties, convincing them that there is another one simply as essential is really hard. I keep in mind attempting to discuss neighborhood solar to my pals and the discussion quickly rotating to housing.
Please share with us a recent business success story.
When I initially moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was released, and I wanted to guarantee city residents were getting the same quantity of investment as the county. Eco-friendly energy has historically been a middle-class problem because Black communities have actually 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 link with in order to make this partnership successful.
For more information about WeSolar, check out wesolar.energy
###

I was at a community meeting with 50 Black women organizers who were not invested in the community solar movement. To be able to use a product that will conserve our community up to 60% on their energy bills is transformative.
WeSolars objective is to bring under-resourced communities budget friendly access to local community solar and to help commercial residential or commercial properties with energy performance. When I first moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was introduced, and I desired to guarantee city homeowners were getting the exact same quantity of investment as the county. Sustainable energy has traditionally been a middle-class concern due to the fact that Black communities 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 connect with in order to make this partnership successful.