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

I was at a neighborhood meeting with 50 Black females organizers who were not invested in the community solar movement. To be able to provide a product that will save our neighborhood up to 60% on their energy bills is transformative.
WeSolars mission is to bring under-resourced communities economical access to regional community solar and to assist industrial properties with energy performance. When I first moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was launched, and I wanted to guarantee city citizens were receiving the same amount of financial investment as the county. Sustainable energy has traditionally been a middle-class concern due to the fact that 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 people I required to link with in order to make this collaboration successful.

By Constance ThompsonAugust 27, 2021
The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) is delighted to share the first installation in our “Accelerating Renewables” blog series. Each installment will include industry leaders and topics connected to speeding up a fair and simply transition to a renewable resource economy. In acknowledgment of National Black Business Month, our August blog is the very first in a series highlighting how black-owned member companies are growing in the renewable resource sector.
Kristal Hansley is the Founder & & CEO of WeSolar, Inc and is the nations first Black Woman CEO in the neighborhood solar industry. Under her management, WeSolar is growing quickly, supplying customers throughout Maryland and the District of Columbia access to economical solar energy, despite home type, and assisting hard-working households reduce regular monthly costs.
What inspired you to begin your business?
The stark reality that the majority of households who were receiving renewable resource rewards were higher income. I keep in mind discovering this and thinking there had to be a way to resolve this gap. I saw there was an issue. I had my own ideas on how to solve it, and I wanted to have agency over my own choices. I was at a community meeting with 50 Black women organizers who were not purchased the neighborhood solar movement. As soon as I began to discuss how vital and urgent it was for us to be a part of the solar motion, it felt like a lightbulb had turned on for me. I started demonstrating how higher-income neighborhoods and individuals in the residential areas were benefiting from eco-friendly tax incentives and had received a lots of assistance. The fact is, energy use impacts Black home budget plans significantly. 36% of Black households experience a high energy problem, indicating they invest over 6% of their earnings on house energy bills. Thats an enormous portion. To be able to offer an item that will conserve our neighborhood up to 60% on their energy expenses is transformative.
Tell us about your business?
WeSolars mission is to bring under-resourced communities inexpensive access to local neighborhood solar and to assist industrial residential or commercial properties with energy effectiveness. In Maryland, legislators passed legislation that mentions 50 percent of its electrical energy need to come from renewable energy sources by 2030.
What challenges do you deal with? Why?
To a community that is currently facing so numerous pushing challenges, persuading them that there is another one simply as important is really difficult. I keep in mind attempting to describe neighborhood solar to my pals and the discussion quickly rotating to housing.
Please share with us a current company success story.
When I initially moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was launched, and I wanted to ensure city residents were getting the exact same quantity of financial investment as the county. Eco-friendly energy has actually 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 people I required to connect with in order to make this partnership effective.
To get more information about WeSolar see wesolar.energy
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