Solar Entrepreneurs Develop New Models and Opportunities

As the solar industry continues to grow and mature, it is increasingly becoming a mainstream business, experiencing a variety of challenges and opportunities.  Addressing these challenges and opportunities effectively requires experienced and innovative solar entrepreneurs like Tim Cassidy, CEO at Prime Solar.

For many years, industry insiders have acknowledged the important opportunity to partner energy efficiency measures with solar sales and solar installation.  Energy efficiency remains a very cost effective investment, and can be readily integrated with solar sales and installation to provide a greater return on investment than solar power alone can typically achieve.  Prime Solar is working to address this opportunity, combining energy efficiency and solar into attractive packages for residential and commercial installations.  “Prime Solar continues to expand its reach and abilities to support consumers, partners and licensees,” said Cassidy.  “In addition to our residential energy conservation first, solar second model, our team is available in various respects to support, nurture and develop projects from 500 kilowatts to 10 megawatts or larger.”

With the market ripe for continued growth, and many new faces getting involved, working with professionals experienced in renewable energy is crucial for those seeking to develop new projects.  “Development requires a deep team’s knowledge and experience, and when partnering with landowners new to renewable energy, nurturing, flexibility and a phased approach to the process is important,” said Cassidy.

Even as the industry retrenches in some parts of Europe that have scaled back solar subsidies, rapid growth is continuing in the US, and expanding in new areas, such as a recent project in the Caribbean that Prime Solar is helping to develop.  “We recently contracted as co-developer and consultant to the managing partner of a 750 plus acre tract where approximately 25-30 percent of the overall land that is furthest from the ocean will be developed as phased solar farms,” said Cassidy. “Phase I will be 16-18MW with Prime's in-house engineering partners currently conducting design analysis. Transmission lines are close by, and there are various off take options in an area with very high utility rates.”

They are also creating a joint venture with a commercial property maintenance company in the Bahamas to offer energy conservation, lighting and solar to their clients.  With one of the largest rooftops on the island, and high utility rates, projects like this are highly favorable from a financial perspective.  “With utility rates that exceed $.30 per kilowatt-hour, fiscal viability is assured,” said Cassidy.

The environmental credentials of solar have never been in doubt, but the key to success is the bottom line.  Providing strong financial value for customers and entrepreneurs alike is the key for the long term continued growth of the solar industry.  Luckily, the field still presents abundant opportunities to do exactly that.

Read more at www.StartingUpGreen.com

and at the website for Prime Solar Network: www.primesolarnetwork.com