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 pleased to share the very first installment in our “Accelerating Renewables” blog site series. Each installation will feature industry leaders and topics associated with accelerating a fair and simply shift to a renewable resource economy. In recognition of National Black Business Month, our August blog site is the very first in a series highlighting how Black-owned member companies are thriving in the eco-friendly energy sector.
Kristal Hansley is the Founder & & CEO of WeSolar, Inc and is the nations first Black female CEO in the neighborhood solar market. Under her management, WeSolar is growing rapidly, offering consumers throughout Maryland and the District of Columbia access to budget-friendly solar power, regardless of house type, and assisting hard-working families decrease monthly expenditures.
What inspired you to begin your business?
I was at a community meeting with 50 Black ladies organizers who were not invested in the neighborhood solar movement. 36% of Black households experience a high energy burden, meaning they invest over 6% of their income on home energy costs. To be able to offer an item that will conserve our neighborhood up to 60% on their energy costs is transformative.
Tell us about your company?
WeSolars objective is to bring under-resourced communities budget friendly access to regional neighborhood solar and to assist industrial homes with energy efficiency. WeSolar released in Baltimore and will broaden to other cities in the future. Through WeSolar, electricity consumers can buy shared solar from a local project without needing to install any devices in their homes. In turn, locals save hundreds on their electricity expenses. In Maryland, legislators passed legislation that states 50 percent of its electricity should originate from renewable resource sources by 2030.
What difficulties do you face? Why?
To a neighborhood that is already dealing with so numerous pushing difficulties, encouraging them that there is another one simply as important is really difficult. I remember trying to explain community solar to my good friends and the conversation rapidly rotating to real estate. The truth of the matter is, institutional bigotry and injustice are larger than we know, and it drowns our neighborhood. Where Black people are not being bought, we are being asked to focus on constantly for our survival.
Please share with us a current business success story.
When I initially moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was launched, and I wanted to ensure city citizens were receiving the exact same quantity of financial investment as the county. Renewable energy has actually traditionally been a middle-class issue because Black neighborhoods 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 successful.
To get more information about WeSolar, check out wesolar.energy
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I was at a neighborhood conference with 50 Black females organizers who were not invested in the neighborhood solar motion. To be able to offer a product that will conserve our neighborhood up to 60% on their energy bills is transformative.
WeSolars mission is to bring under-resourced neighborhoods budget-friendly access to local community solar and to assist commercial residential or commercial properties with energy effectiveness. When I initially moved to Baltimore, the Community Solar Pilot Program was released, and I desired to ensure city citizens were getting the same amount of financial investment as the county. Sustainable energy has actually traditionally been a middle-class issue due to the fact that Black communities have had to live in survival mode, but Reverend Mason and Reverend Dewitt brought me into the circle and linked me with the people I needed to connect with in order to make this partnership successful.