The Solar Perk

by Jason Coughlin What started out in a Portland, Oregon neighborhood as a way to buy solar at a discount has now spread across the US – and into the workplace. This latest trend in solar, which has employees across the country opting in to collectively purchasing solar for their homes, is creating an exciting opportunity for solar companies. Installers selected through group-by-in programs can tap into aggregated groups of interested buyers and, in the process, reduce their customer acquisition and marketing costs, speed sales cycles and pass the savings on to customers. This increased volume and velocity hold great potential for expanding installations workforces and growing local economies. The solar industry is just one of the many beneficiaries of these employee purchasing programs. For employees of companies offering the benefit, group buying makes going solar easier and cheaper. Most programs have focused purchasing solar PV systems; a few have incorporated solar hot water systems and energy efficiency retrofits. Program organizers – companies offering the benefit, or third-party administrators – set up the program and do most of the homework for participants. That includes soliciting installers through a rigorous RFP process, negotiating the group discount and either selecting the installer […]

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