SolarChat on Twitter: American Corporate Solar Champions

Last week, I participated in a #SolarChat on Twitter, “American Corporate Solar Champions,” which showcases corporate solar champions featured in SEIA’s “Solar Means Business” report. Questions from Raina Brett Russo ‏@EcoOutfitters.

Here are some of the questions that interested me and to which I answered:

Q WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE MOTIVATOR FOR A COMPANY LIKE GM AND OTHERS TO GO SOLAR?

My answer: (Or rather a question back) I wondered if any of the business models included rental or secondary market (second-hand) for solar panels? Also, promising and long-lasting solar panels (Solar cell degradation) http://bit.ly/IFOdTg

Companies involved in the renting/leasing business:

• In India:
  • Ascorpindia (Bangalore and Chennai)
  • Solatricity (New Delhi)
  • Headway Solar (New Delhi)
  • SunEdison (Chennai)
• In USA:
  • Solar City (California, Oregon and Arizona)
  • Citizenre (Delaware)
  • Sunrun (San Francisco)
  • freEner-g (Minnesota)
  • CT Solar Lease (Connecticut)
  • Recurrent Energy (California)
  • Sungevity (California)

Source: Howstuffworks, theenergycollective

Q IN WHAT WAYS CAN CORPORATIONS CONSIDERING SOLAR GET INVOLVED? WHAT ARE FIRST STEPS?

My answer: Geography and demographics. #solarchat #India is a great place for the solar industry to flourish.

Best places for solar power:

India‘s high population and high solar insolation, makes it a perfect place for solar power installations. While it is gaining speed in this sector, there are other countries who have harnessed solar energy and these are:

1. The Netherlands
2. France
3. Australia
4. Italy
5. South Korea
6. China
7. United States
8. Japan
9. Spain
10. Germany

Source: Discovery News

Further reading: Washington Post for solar resource map of US and Wiki for solar resource map of India.

Q HOW CAN COMPANIES BEST COMMUNICATE SOLAR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND CUSTOMERS? HOW IS THIS IMPORTANT?

My answer: Money and transparency.

One other thing I’d like to add to this is ‘effective communication’. People need to know how they can benefit from solar technologies.

Q WHAT DOES THE INDUSTRY AND/OR THE GOVERNMENT NEED TO DO TO ENTICE NEW CORPORATIONS TO GO SOLAR?

My answer: Finance research in solar energy. Governments can ask schools to include solar and renewable energy options in their curriculum and not just in a passing way.

Q HOW DO YOU SEE SOLAR IMPACTING ELECTRIC CAR (EV) PRODUCTION IN THE US?

My answer: For me @TeslaMotors has done a great job at making me love solar impacting EVs.

For the whole list of questions and to see what others had to say, click here.

Any thoughts you’d care to share? Please do.