We’re way excited about the news that the Obama administration has agreed to talk with Bill McKibben of 350.org about putting Sungevity solar panels on the White House. You can read about it in The Atlantic.
Recently a Sungevity team participated in Solarthon 2010. Nine solar systems were installed in a low-income, affordable-housing development in West Oakland. Sungevity was a corporate sponsor along with First Solar, Google, PG&E, Sales Force, and a few others.
Arizona has made headlines recently over its attempt to crack down on undocumented immigrants. But the Grand Canyon State is also cracking down on something far more worthy of its wrath–wasted electricity.
Under a ruling last month by the Arizona Corporation Commission, utilities are required to boost conservation measures so as to achieve 22% energy savings over the next decade. The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project predicts that the new standard will save consumers $9 billion and create 12,000 new jobs.
The energy efficiency target will be met through tried-and-true tactics such as weatherization, home energy audits and more efficient appliances and lighting. 22% may seem like a lofty goal, but the fact that the state expects to achieve it simply by plucking the low-hanging fruit is cause for optimism. If residents of a state with summer highs averaging over 100 degrees can do it, so can we all.
–Erica Etelson
Here at Sungevity we are proud to be included in the 2010 Innovation Awards held by the Social Venture Network. Our fellow 2010 recipients are:
BTTR Ventures, Berkeley, CA
BTTR Ventures grows delicious specialty mushrooms in coffee grounds waste collected from local cafes. Once harvested, the mushrooms are rushed to stores just hours after picking. BBTR Venture’s closed-loop agricultural model has already turned 50,000 pounds of coffee grounds into 7,500 pounds of gourmet mushrooms and even more compost.
Green For All, Oakland, CA
Green For All is dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through a clean energy economy. Green For All works in collaboration with the business, government, labor, and grassroots communities to create and implement programs that increase quality jobs and opportunities in green industry – all while holding the most vulnerable people at the center of the agenda.
Hot Bread Kitchen, Brooklyn NY
Hot Bread Kitchen is a nonprofit social enterprise that creates better lives for low-income women and their families by paying women while they learn the skills necessary to launch food businesses and achieve management track positions in bakeries. To help offset costs, Hot Bread Kitchen sells delicious multi-ethnic breads inspired by the bakers and the many countries that they come from using local and organic ingredients when possible.
KOMAZA, San Francisco, CA and Kenya
KOMAZA is a non-profit social enterprise committed to reducing rural poverty in Africa by connecting smallholder farmers with high-value markets. KOMAZA offers high-value trees with financial, training and marketing services to enable poor farmers to incorporate sustainable forestry business into their regular farming cycle. Working in areas affected by desertification, the forestry projects also have measurable environmental impacts.
About Social Venture Network
Social Venture Network inspires a community of business and social leaders to build a just economy and sustainable planet.
We work to achieve this mission by
(Source: Social Venture Network)
PALO ALTO, Calif., July 22 /PRNewswire/ — The Sierra Club today announced “The Truth About Solar,” a green home technology workshop designed to teach local homeowners about residential rooftop solar energy. This is the second in a series of Green Home Workshops the Sierra Club is offering free to the public. Danny Kennedy, Sungevity founder and 12-year veteran of Greenpeace, will lead the discussion.
The workshop is designed to teach homeowners about solar and the environment and help them decide whether solar is right for their homes. Topics such as calculating installation costs, energy savings and carbon footprint reduction will be covered. Solar system financing programs like the no money down solar lease will be covered along with programs that are available from the government in the form of rebates and incentives.
“Solar energy is a critical part of America’s drive toward energy independence,” said Larry Reed, chapter director of the Sierra Club’s Loma Prieta chapter. “It is a renewable resource that reduces home energy bills while being good for the environment.”
Danny started his work with Greenpeace in the 1990s where he worked to protect a fragile ecosystem in Africa from an oil project. He has worked as an activist for his entire career to protect the environment and encourage renewable sources of energy. Danny’s interest in solar began in the late 90s, when he worked on campaigns and helped to pass legislation supporting solar initiatives in California and in 2007, Danny founded Sungevity with the idea in mind to make solar powered homes a reality in the US.
“We have helped over 500 homeowners in California, Arizona and Colorado install solar systems and we understand the complexities they face when deciding how they can create energy efficient homes,” said Danny Kennedy, founder of Sungevity. “The great thing about residential solar today is that the technology has come a long way and power can be generated for less than $.20 per Kilowatt Hour and with finance programs that offer no money down leases, homeowners that decide to go solar can start saving money on energy bills immediately.”
Event Details
When: Tuesday, July 27th at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Belmont Library – 1110 Alameda de las Pulgas
Cost: Free- all are welcome
More info: http://greenhometechnology.wordpress.com/
About The Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter
The Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter is a multifaceted outdoor recreation and advocacy organization. The chapter advocates for policies that protect the natural environment, supports environmental candidates for public office and provides opportunities for people who want to develop leadership skills to give back to their communities. It serves San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Benito counties. The chapter’s Black Mountain Group is spearheading the Green Home Technology Workshops.
About Sungevity
Sungevity has designed a unique online sales process to make it easy and affordable for homeowners to go solar. Sungevity’s Solar Lease offer gives most customers savings from the start. For many the electricity bill savings start immediately and increase over time. Sungevity has an easy online “iQuote” process, which enables Sungevity to use satellite images and aerial photography to assess customers’ roofs remotely and accurately determine the homes’ solar potential. This allows the company to furnish thousands of customers with a firm proposal to use solar power with no capital cost within 24 hours.
Sungevity launched its easy and affordable way to go solar in Colorado. If you know people in the Denver or Boulder area who want to tap that state’s wonderful sunshine and political support for solar power in the form of rebates, tell them to go to www.sungevity.com. There they can fill out an easy form then get an interactive and firm quote within 24 hours.
The launch into Colorado with a 20-year version of the Sungevity Solar Lease follows our company’s successful launch in Arizona and continued presence across most of California. We’re bringing simple, affordable solar to suburbia as quickly as we can and hope you can help spread some sunshine by telling your friends in Colorado. Send them to sungevity.com now!
SOLAR ON THE WHITE HOUSE SOON
We were hoping the President would announce his intention to go solar on the 4th of July with a decision to put solar on the First Family’s Home, the White House. We talked to him on Earth Day about the need to send the signal that solar works, saves money for homeowners, and creates jobs and have since had many positive conversations with officials in Washington, DC.
And, we won’t rest until we’ve heard Mr. Obama say “yes we can” put solar on the White House, per the iQuote we sent to the First Family months ago or any other design that makes sense. And to continue to build support for him and Mrs. Obama to do the right thing we’ve been gathering signatures at www.solaronthewhitehouse.com
If you have not already signed our petition please do so here. And if you have you can also help get us more names with your social media contacts – score enough points and you’ll become a solar champ and win prizes. For information on the campaign, and all the great groups that have joined in please check out the website at www.solaronthewhitehouse.com and join the campaign.
OAKLAND, Calif., July 14 /PRNewswire/ — Sungevity, the leading online residential solar provider, today announced record results for the first half of 2010, due to widespread consumer interest in solar energy made more affordable by lease programs.
Sungevity’s revenues from solar panel installations on residential homes have increased by a factor of 10 over the last six months compared with the first half of 2009 revenues. To keep up with the pace of demand for its solar products and services, Sungevity has more than tripled its team in the last six months, bucking the trend by adding green collar jobs during tough economic times.
“We are encouraged by our results as more and more residents in California and Arizona have made the decision to go solar,” said Danny Kennedy, Founder of Sungevity. “And now we are happy to be taking our sunshine online to the good people of Colorado – opening our third state market all from our sales, design and service center in Oakland. The scalability of our low overhead model is bringing solar to more people for less.”
“We know that the dramatic uptake of Sungevity’s offer is attributable to the no money down solar lease programs we offer and immediate savings on energy bills, not to mention that our customers want to help the environment and feel good about being part of the solution. Sungevity remains the only company to offer customers a firm quote within 24 hours without a site visit – which makes it so easy to see if it’s right for you,” said Danny Kennedy. ”This really removes the last barrier to mass adoption. Customers can learn at our website, talk on the phone with a consultant 8AM to 8PM, and sign up online for low-cost electricity – it’s a no brainer.”
Sun is Shining in California
According to the California Solar Initiative, solar leases have mushroomed to over 30% of sales since the beginning of the year, which makes this model of leasing systems for homes the fastest growing segment of the solar market. Six months ago only around 10% of systems sold in California were leased.
Sungevity is the fastest growing solar provider in California, according to the “Solar League Tables” maintained by the California government. The tables measure solar installations by total kilowatts sold and the latest figures list Sungevity in the second spot at 1322 total kilowatts in Q2.
Saving Money and the Planet
The 540 solar systems that Sungevity has sold since the lease program’s inception on March 1st will generate 4,343,000 kWh of clean energy each year. This will save the newest group of Sungevity customers over $1 million per year on utility bills, which equates to a savings of roughly $25 million over the expected life of the solar systems.
The environment also benefits – Sungevity and its customers are removing 130,547,254 pounds of carbon from the atmosphere each year, which is equivalent to taking 212,413,403 cars off the road or planting 386,939 trees each year.
Inviting Leaders to Lead by Example
Sungevity this Spring offered to help the President and Mrs. Obama by installing Solar on the White House for free – see www.solaronthewhitehouse.com – and recently challenged California’s gubernatorial candidates, Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman, to take advantage of no money down solar leases. Both California candidates would save instantly on their energy bills, up to 64% in Whitman’s case, by taking a personal step in supporting California’s clean energy future.
“Our dream at Sungevity is to make solar powered homes a reality in this country for everyone who wants to be a part of this exciting movement. We believe that the number of solar installations will continue to increase dramatically, by 1000% in some areas, over the next several years. We see a future where one day 20 – 40% of US homes will be solar homes,” said Kennedy.
Point. Click. Solar with Sungevity.
Sungevity has designed a unique online sales process to make it easy and affordable for homeowners to go solar. Sungevity’s Solar Lease offer gives most customers savings from the start. For many the electricity bill savings start immediately and increase over time. Sungevity has an easy online “iQuote” process, which enables Sungevity to use satellite images and aerial photography to assess customers’ roofs remotely and accurately determine the homes’ solar potential. This allows the company to furnish thousands of customers with a firm proposal to use solar power with no capital cost within 24 hours.
This Sunday is Energy Independence Day (the national holiday formerly known as the Fourth of July). As oil continues gushing into the Gulf of Mexico and troops remain in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is a growing consensus that we must replace fossil fuels with renewable sources of energy…and fast. In a recent survey by the Political Psychology Research Group, 76% of those surveyed said the federal government should limit the amount of greenhouse gases businesses emit, and 81% favor giving tax breaks to utilities that use more renewables. No, the survey wasn’t conducted in Sweden–it was done right here in the U.S. of A. Surprised? Well, maybe the memory of $4 a gallon gasoline and 100 degree heat waves–not to mention the photos of oil-drenched endangered pelicans– is having an effect.
But before we break out the fireworks, we’ll have to do better than Number 11–that’s our current rank when it comes to government spending on renewables as a percentage of GDP according to a March report by the Pew Charitable Trust. In countries like China, Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, Spain (all of which spend more as a percentage of GDP than we do), every day is Energy Independence Day.
Sungevity is celebrating Energy Independence Day by wrapping up a month-long promotion that gave Sungevity customers $1000 for each new customer they sent our way. And we’re turning up the heat on our campaign to put Solar on the White House with a new game in which people compete to win prizes for being the best Globama advocates.
For the rest of July, we’re devoting the blog to the theme of Energy Independence. We’ll look at what an energy independent home looks like, as well as an energy independent neighborhood, city, nation and world. Visit us throughout the month and share your vision of our energy independent future.
–Erica Etelson
Putting Solar on the White House is really cooking now. Having surpassed the 5,000-signature benchmark, we’ve introduced a breakthrough new aspect to the campaign. Power the House, an innovative social media game engine enables everybody to become a Solar on the White House advocate. By spreading the word through various social media outlets participants can earn points towards cool Globama schwag (T-shirts, Solios and solar bags).
Additionally, some new partners have joined our ranks:
Solar Nation: Solar Nation will speak up to advance the use of renewable – especially solar – energy by encouraging policy change, informing political leaders and candidates about solar power, and helping to shape policy platforms at the local, state and federal level. Solar Nation will also speak out, not only against the competing use of dirty and dangerous fossil fuels or nuclear power, but also in opposition to lobby-influenced legislation or policy that favors such energy choices.
Clean Techies: CleanTechies is a leading green career site & environmental business network on clean technology. It provides insight, orientation, and opportunities for the Clean Tech community. CleanTechies focuses on renewable energy, resource efficiency, green building, and sustainable transportation.
(These new partners are joining: Sungevity, Solar Energy Industry Association, Renewable Energy World, Scott Sklar, A Road Not Taken, PostCarbon.org, 350.org, Grist, ThingFo and Grow Marketing.)
Let’s Power the House!
-Nat Smith
OAKLAND, Calif., June 21 /PRNewswire/ — Sungevity, the leading online residential solar provider, challenged California’s gubernatorial candidates Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman to go solar for no money down.
Utilizing the company’s proprietary iQuote technology, Sungevity created customized estimates for installing solar on the Governor candidates’ own homes. The proposals, which were sent to the candidates’ campaign offices, can also be viewed online by visiting www.sungevity.com/guv .
“California has made big steps on climate change and can lead in the mission that President Obama laid out last week to reclaim our destiny with clean energy. Today, we’re asking Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman to lead by example by installing solar on their homes because solar saves money and creates jobs,” said Danny Kennedy, Founder of Sungevity.
To help Brown and Whitman realize their personal potential for going solar and being part of the clean energy future, Sungevity created the estimates of solar savings for both candidates’ homes, based on calculations of their roof’s exposure to the sun and the electricity rates they are charged. If either candidate accepts, Sungevity will install the solar for no money down, and they can pay a monthly fee for the clean electricity they will use.
This model of leasing systems for homes, with no upfront capital required, is the fastest growing segment of the solar market. Six months ago around ten percent of systems sold in California were leased or part of a “power purchase agreement”; last month over 30% of systems were. “We would like Meg and Jerry to join the momentum for a clean energy future being created by the Solar Lease,” said Kennedy.
The results are in!
Meg Whitman would save the most money from going solar based on the estimates created by Sungevity on the house she is registered to vote from in Atherton. Her roof could take an 8.93 kw installation, which should reduce her electricity bill by 64%*. By installing such a large system she would like employ a crew for the better part of a week and from then on be largely dependent on clean electricity.
Jerry Brown’s home in Oakland would fit a much smaller 2.82 kw system but he could save up to 34% of his electricity bill every month for average energy use as shown in his iQuote. At the very least, for $88 a month paid to Sungevity, he’ll likely break even*. Most Californians make savings against their electricity bills, and under a Solar Lease their rates are locked in and not prone to significant rises year after year.
“Campaign promises come and go, but the ability to draw energy from the sun will never expire. Our team is ready to deliver solar for Jerry and Meg,” continued Kennedy. “By taking up our offer these politicians can create jobs and take a leadership role in the creation of a stronger, clean economy.”
Sungevity has also provided an iQuote for the First Family’s Home at www.solaronthewhitehouse.com.
Point. Click. Solar with Sungevity.
Sungevity has designed a unique online sales process to make it easy and affordable for homeowners to go solar. Sungevity’s Solar Lease offer gives most customers savings from the start. For many the electricity bill savings start immediately and increase over time. Sungevity has an easy online “iQuote” process, which enables Sungevity to use satellite images and aerial photography to assess customers’ roofs remotely and accurately determine the homes’ solar potential. This allows the company to furnish thousands of customers with a firm proposal to use solar power with no capital cost within 24 hours.
For more information visit: www.Sungevity.com or call 866.SUN4ALL (866.786.4255)
*These estimates are not firm as they are based on assumptions of electricity consumption in the candidates’ houses.
