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

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

I was at a community conference with 50 Black females organizers who were not invested in the community solar movement. To be able to offer an item that will conserve our neighborhood up to 60% on their energy expenses is transformative
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WeSolars mission is to bring under-resourced neighborhoods economical access to regional neighborhood solar and to assist commercial properties with energy performance. When I initially moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was launched and I wanted to ensure city residents were receiving the very same quantity of investment as the county. Renewable energy has actually traditionally been a middle class concern 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 individuals I needed to connect with in order to make this collaboration successful
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Kristal Hansley is the Founder & & CEO of WeSolar, Inc. and is the nations first Black Woman CEO in the community solar market. Under her management, WeSolar is growing rapidly, supplying customers across Maryland access to affordable solar power, regardless of home type and assisting hard-working families reduce month-to-month costs
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What inspired you to start your company?
I was at a community meeting with 50 Black women organizers who were not invested in the neighborhood solar movement. I started showing how greater income communities and people in the suburban areas were taking benefit of this and received a load of assistance. To be able to use a product that will save our community up to 60% on their energy costs is transformative
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Tell us about your business? (mission, partners, areas you operate in, primary customers, and so on).
WeSolars mission is to bring under-resourced neighborhoods budget-friendly access to local neighborhood solar and to help commercial properties with energy performance. WeSolar launched in Baltimore and will broaden to other cities in the future. Through WeSolar, electrical power consumers can acquire shared solar from a regional project without needing to set up any equipment in their houses. In turn, residents save hundreds on their electrical energy bills. In Maryland, lawmakers passed legislation that mentions 50 percent of its electrical power must originate from eco-friendly energy sources by 2030
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What obstacles do you face? Why?
To a neighborhood that is currently dealing with a lot of pushing obstacles, convincing them that there is another one just as essential is very hard. I remember attempting to discuss neighborhood solar to my pals and the discussion rapidly rotating to housing. The reality of the matter is, institutional racism and oppression is bigger than we know and it drowns our neighborhood. Where Black individuals are not being invested in, we are being asked to focus on constantly for our survival
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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 ensure city citizens were getting the very same quantity of financial investment as the county. Renewable energy has actually traditionally been a middle class concern since Black communities have actually 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 link with in order to make this partnership effective
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