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

I was at a neighborhood conference with 50 Black ladies 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 costs is transformative.
WeSolars objective is to bring under-resourced communities cost effective access to regional neighborhood solar and to assist business residential or commercial properties with energy performance. When I first moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was released, and I wanted to guarantee city citizens were getting the very same amount of investment as the county. Sustainable energy has traditionally been a middle-class concern due to the fact that Black neighborhoods have had to live in survival mode, however Reverend Mason and Reverend Dewitt brought me into the circle and linked me with the individuals 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 pleased to share the first installation in our “Accelerating Renewables” blog site series. Each installment will feature market leaders and topics associated with accelerating a fair and just transition to a renewable resource economy. In acknowledgment of National Black Business Month, our August blog is the first in a series highlighting how Black-owned member business are growing 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 industry. Under her leadership, WeSolar is growing rapidly, providing consumers across Maryland and the District of Columbia access to cost effective solar power, regardless of house type, and helping hard-working families reduce month-to-month costs.
What inspired you to start your company?
I was at a community conference with 50 Black ladies organizers who were not invested in the neighborhood solar motion. 36% of Black families experience a high energy concern, suggesting they spend over 6% of their earnings on home energy bills. To be able to provide a product that will save our community up to 60% on their energy bills is transformative.
Inform us about your business?
WeSolars mission is to bring under-resourced neighborhoods economical access to regional neighborhood solar and to help industrial homes with energy efficiency. WeSolar introduced in Baltimore and will broaden to other cities in the future. Through WeSolar, electricity consumers can acquire shared solar from a regional job without needing to set up any devices in their homes. In turn, locals save hundreds on their electrical power costs. In Maryland, lawmakers passed legislation that mentions 50 percent of its electrical energy should come from renewable resource sources by 2030.
What difficulties do you deal with? Why?
To a community that is already facing so numerous pushing obstacles, convincing them that there is another one just as crucial is extremely challenging. I keep in mind trying to explain neighborhood solar to my friends and the discussion rapidly rotating to real estate.
Please show us a current business success story.
When I initially moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was released, and I wanted to make sure city residents were getting the exact same amount of financial investment as the county. Sustainable energy has historically been a middle-class problem since Black communities have actually had to live in survival mode, but Reverend Mason and Reverend Dewitt brought me into the circle and connected me with the individuals I needed to link with in order to make this collaboration effective.
To learn more about WeSolar, see wesolar.energy
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