Posted By: Amanda Gillen
Date: February 22nd, 2011
I’m posting a link to an interview that Grist did with Ray Kurzweil purely because it is so optimistic about the growth of solar energy.
Kurzweil, is considered a “futurist” – someone who tries to predict the future of human society or life on earth using systems thinking. He accurately predicted the growth and use of personal computers based on his law of accelerating returns. Now he is predicting that we can meet all of our energy needs from solar in 20 years.
Read more: “Futurist Ray Kurzweil isn’t worried about climate change,” by Lauren Feeney
Posted By: Amanda Gillen
Date: February 17th, 2011
Sells Residential Division to SolarCity
White River Junction, VT – groSolar today announced the expansion of its solar distribution and large-scale commercial business, positioning the company for future growth. To facilitate this, groSolar announced today that it has sold its residential division to SolarCity, the nation’s largest residential solar service provider.
“This transaction allows us to concentrate fully on our distribution and commercial businesses, which are the fastest growing solar markets” said Jeff Wolfe, CEO, groSolar. “It allows us to target, expand and move our distribution and commercial solar businesses to the next level. It’s a very exciting time for the company and our customers.”
groSolar’s distribution channel has seen tremendous growth. A strengthened focus on inventory, quality technology from manufacturers, and market development will allow groSolar to continue as a leading nationwide, full-service solar distributor. groSolar has added sales and customer service staff to its distribution team and will continue to enhance its services.
groSolar’s commercial division has received contracts for multiple large-scale commercial projects in 2011. In the coming weeks, groSolar will commission its largest commercial installation to date, at Clean Harbors landfill in New Jersey. The 1.5 megawatt installation, which will sit on top of a capped landfill, will power equipment used to decontaminate groundwater and offset 90% of the facility’s annual electric bill. The commercial team will hire more personnel to support the new growth.
SolarCity will take over all support and maintenance services of groSolar’s existing and contracted residential customers immediately.
“We are extremely proud of the industry leadership demonstrated by groSolar over the past decade of experience. We look forward to an increased focus on our existing distribution and commercial channels, while we are also pleased that most of our skilled residential division personnel will continue this important work, now for SolarCity,” said Wolfe. “We share the mission of affordable solar for all and we’re certain that our residential channel could not be in better hands. Furthermore, our distribution and commercial divisions will be stronger than ever.”
About groSolar
groSolar is North America’s premier provider of solar energy solutions for commercial and residential applications. groSolar serves the 1-30 MW commercial markets with complete EPC, financing, and development options, while serving the residential markets exclusively through our nationwide dealer network value added distribution services. Founded in 1998, groSolar brings leading knowledge to the industry and integrates components from leading solar manufacturers into simple solar energy solutions, which generate clean, reliable energy for decades. groSolar is a mission-driven company dedicated to providing high quality solar energy systems and financial solutions. Learn more at groSolar.com or call 800.374.4494.
Posted By: Amanda Gillen
Date: February 15th, 2011
Join us tomorrow for a training:
Stepping Up to Commercial PV
Presented by: Jeff Spies of SolarSpies and Kyle Toll (groSolar Distribution Technical Sales Rep) will share insights that will help residential installers successfully and profitably compete in the commercial PV installation business.
Description: Topics include:
- The opportunities for commercial projects
- Differences between residential and commercial customers
- Challenges
- Profit margins and incentives
- Project timelines
- Marketing and sales strategies
- Site survey and commercial rooftop PV
- Bidding and negotiating
- Risk assessment
- Contracts & variances
- Change order process
- Staffing
- Out of state projects
Type: Webinar
Cost: Free
Date: Wednesday, February 16 – 9AM-10AM MST/ 11AM-12PM EST
See all of our trainings at groSolar.com/training.
Posted By: Amanda Gillen
Upcoming training events have just been posted to groSolar.com/training. Webinars include:
- February 16 (Wednesday): Stepping up to Commercial PV – 9:00AM-10:00AM MST/ 11:00AM-12:00PM EST
- February 18 (Friday): gro Your Solar Business – An Insider’s Guide to Success – 10:00AM-12:00PM MST/ 12:00PM-2:00PM EST
- February 18 (Friday): PV Modules – What you need to know in a rapidly developing market – 12:30PM-1:30PM MST/ 2:30PM-3:30PM EST
- February 25 (Friday): Solar Marketing & PR – 10:00AM-11:00AM MST/ 12:00PM-1:00PM EST
- February 25 (Friday): Solar Selling – 11:30AM-12:30PM/ 1:30PM MST/ 1:30PM-2:30PM EST
- March 4 (Friday): gro Your Solar Business – An Insider’s Guide to Success – 10:00AM-12:00PM MST/ 12:00PM-2:00PM EST
Posted By: Amanda Gillen
groSolar is working with The Flying Goose Brew Pub & Grille in New London, NH to become New Hampshire’s first solar powered brewery. Check out the full release here.
Posted By: Amanda Gillen
This article caught my eye today about a Spanish woman who has laid claim to ownership of the sun. Angeles Duran of Salvaterra do Mino, Spain has gone to her local notary public to file papers to own the sun. As she said, “I did it but anyone else could have done it, it simply occurred to me first.”
Check out the full article at ABCnews.com: “Who Owns the Sun? Spanish Woman Lays Claim”
Posted By: Amanda Gillen
Some of our crew hard at working installing a 1.5 MW project at Clean Harbors in Bridgeport, NJ:
Posted By: Amanda Gillen
groSolar is at the Philly Home Show through Sunday, January 23rd. Stop by and say hello to us in booth #854 at the PA Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia.
Show Hours and Directions.
Posted By: Amanda Gillen
Register today for this webinar scheduled for tomorrow (1/14) at 9am PST/ 12p EST.
gro Your Solar Business: An Insider’s Guide to Success
Presented by: Jeff Spies – President of SolarSpies & Secretary of NABCEP – the solar industry certification agency.
Description:
A must for business owners and green job seekers! This popular webinar addresses the key steps to succeeding in the competitive solar PV business. This popular training program covers the following topics:
- Qualifications for becoming a solar dealer
- Dealer cost and profitability
- Training and certification
- Commonly used renewable energy systems
- Solar industry players and markets
- Common PV configurations
- Solar product groups
- Key factors to succeeding in solar
- Site analysis and system design
- Incentives and system financing
- The four key partners
- Sales strategies
- Marketing your business
- Informational resources
- And much more!
Type: Webinar
Cost: Free
Date:
Friday, January 14th: 9AM-11AM PST (12PM-2PM EST) REGISTER NOW
Once registered you will receive an email confirming your registration with information you need to join the Webinar.
Posted By: Amanda Gillen
This image is courtesy of Osha Gray Davidson’s website and really shows us why solar power has such huge potential.
See that tiny dot above the sun? That’s a scaled image of the earth. Big sun, big power, big potential.
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