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Posted on Fri, 10/21/2011 - 11:14 PM by Bryan Nisperos
viewed 673 times
As new industries take flight, they’re often looking at ways to increase their marketing. And one of the ways is by opening up a retail venue where customers can familiarize themselves with their offerings. Think of Apple’s success with opening retail stores. Solar increasingly is ready to make that jump, and Stellar Solar is among companies leading the way. Stellar Solar will hold a grand opening for its new retail store in San Diego on Oct.26. At the grand opening, Stellar will give away a solar panel desk and offer test drives of a Nissan Leaf and a Mini-E. “We’ve been open; we had a soft opening six to eight weeks ago, so we’ve been open for a little while,” said Stellar Solar Vice President of Sales Michael Powers. “It’s working exactly the way we hoped it would work.” The company opened the store at a crucial growth period for the residential and commercial solar installation industry. “It’s always been done at the customer’s home. As long a volume was low, it was manageable. Now solar’s become a lot more affordable for a larger number of customers,” Powers said. With increased interest, it’s harder to offer in-home solar assessments and education. “They can now come here and talk with us and find out what the solutions are,” Powers said. “We found there’s a really strong educational component to this. With photovoltaics, most people looking into investing in this are starting from scratch.” Stellar Solar, generally has a 20 to 30 minute conversation with each potential residential customer explaining net-metering, payback, financing and a whole range of things before they can discuss specific options for homeowners, according to Powers. The company’s also holding workshops to explain solar to potential customers around the San Diego area. “This is another venue where people can [learn about solar]…and see a physical solar electric panel. A lot of people have heard about them, but haven’t seen them, its lets them see face-to-face what it looks like,” Powers said. Among the options Stellar is offering homeowners is a lease-to-own or deferred ownership program offered through SunPower and Citibank. “They have an option to buy in year six [at a reduced price]. It’s in the range of 40 cents on the dollar,” Powers said. Stellar also located the facility across the street from San Diego Gas & Electric’s new Energy Innovation Center, where the utility can train people about energy efficiency in up to three classes per week. “Our goal is to piggyback on that. A lot of commercial customers coming into the center are also looking at putting solar on their business or their homes,” Powers said. MORE NEWS FROM CLEAN ENERGY AUTHORITYSDG&E expands renewable portfolio by 300 megawatts with solar and windSan Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) will procure 300 megawatts of renewable energy from two new projects, one wind and one solar, allowing it move closer to meeting California’s renewable portfolio standard, which requires utilities to source 33 percent of their electricity from renewables by 2020. Westinghouse Solar, CBD Energy to mergeIn a move that’s sure to require some shrimp on the Barbie. U.S.-based Westinghouse Solar Inc. and Australian-based CDB Energy have signed a letter of intent to merge. The agreement will allow both companies a chance to expand their reach internationally. Austin Energy, local groups at odds on expanding solarAustin might be known as a music Mecca—home of Austin City Limits and SXSW—but if groups like Solar Austin and its compadres have their way, the city will become a solar Mecca as well. The groups are pushing for the municipally owned utility, Austin Energy, to add in 300 megawatts of solar by 2020, allowing citizens to invest into such development. But the utility isn’t set on the idea. Solar tree to make statement at electrical training facilityEnvision Solar International does not aim to make solar projects blend in and disappear. SunShot Initiative launches into 2012 with $22 million funding opportunitiesLast year the Department of Energy launched its wide-ranging SunShot Initiative to reduce the cost of solar power by 75 percent by the end of this decade. To do so it’s helping fund innovations across all parts of the solar industry to reduce technology and integration costs and speed deployment of solar. RELATED SOLAR NEWSPV America Conference Expands, Like The Solar IndustryThe Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) announced today the PV America conference and exposition will be bi-coastal in 2013, with events in Philadelphia and San Diego. PV America East takes place January 29-31 at the Philadelphia Convention Center and PV America West is May 14-16 at the San Diego Convention Center.Suntech Named In MIT Technology Review's 2012 TR50Solar panel producer Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. has been included in MIT Technology Review's 2012 TR50 for developing low cost ways of making better silicon solar cells.Germany Forecast To Reach 36% Renewable Energy By 2020It really wasn't all that long ago achieving near-future renewable energy targets set in the double digits seemed impossible; but some countries such as Germany are on track to hit their targets and even bypass them.Skyline Solar Receives New PatentsSkyline Solar, a California-based manufacturer of integrated concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) arrays for the commercial, industrial, government and utility markets, today announced it has received key certifications and patents related to cost reduction innovations embodied in its Skyline Solar X14 System. PV America Shows Highlight Solar Energy Markets on Both US Coasts in 2013The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) today announced they are bringing the highly successful PV America conference and exposition to both coasts in 2013, with events in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (US) and San Diego, California (US). SOLAR ENERGY ARTICLES
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