Solar Power Business

It’s frustrating watching the numbers on the gas pump’s digital screen go up and up and up when you’re pumping gas into your car. And it only seems to be getting worse. When you’re faced with $3-$4 a gallon at the pump, you can really get to thinking about our impending energy crisis. For me, the obvious solution is to create a solar power business, or a business committed to using solar power.

I mean, after a pricey fill up, I couldn’t help wondering why we aren’t being more proactive about things like solar energy companies. Granted, there are a number of corporate and private tax credits and incentives for using green energy, but how many people do? Why can’t we have a law in the next ten years that states that where it’s economically viable any flat roof more than 3,000 sq. ft. must have solar panels installed? The energy from these panels could easily be sold back to the grid creating another source of revenue.

But I think corporations will have to lead the way here. With residental solar panels costing from $25,000 - $50,000 dollars, the initial cost of solar energy is prohibitive for most families. For some families in parts of the country, that’s half the cost of their mortgage. Even with all the tax credits and incentives, solar power can still cost up to $5,000 - $25,000 per residential home.

If corporations could lead the way, though, maybe we could help drive the prices down so that solar panels could be more affordable for everyone. Not only that, but if corporations banded together nationwide, we could offer more green jobs to people who desperately need work. The more manufacturers that produce solar panels, the more jobs they create. The more companies needed to install solar panels, again, the more jobs this creates. Why can’t we tackle the energy and job crisis together?

Still, I think there’s some hope. According to the Solar Energies Industries Association, the United States saw a “66 percent year-over-year growth over Q1 2010 installations.” The SEIA also claims that the U.S. will become the largest market for renewable solar energy in the next several years. Manufacturers are already investing in sites in the U.S. to remain close to the solar boom. Now, if we could all get behind it, what could we achieve?

As a corporation or even as a small business, do you think you’d switch to solar energy? Why or why not?