First national solar company comes to NC

Sungevity, Inc., a solar-energy company co-founded by a UNC alumus, will become the first national solar company to operate in North Carolina, according to a Feb. 19 announcement from the company. 

Alec Guettel, a Morehead-Cain scholar who graduated from UNC in 1991, co-founded Sungevity with two friends in 2007.

“Like most new companies, we were trying to fill a hole in the market,” Guettel said. “We knew the public’s mindset on solar energy wasn’t extremely positive, and we sought to change that.”

Sungevity’s business model centers on leasing solar panels to homeowners to expand the use of renewable energy across the nation — incentivizing them by guiding them through the process, he said.

Guettel said Sungevity is different from other solar companies because of its partnerships with companies such as Lowe's and General Electric.

The N.C. Sierra Club is also partnering with Sungevity to bring solar energy to the state.

“We have a large network that has worked to advocate for clean energy in the state for years,” said Dustin Chicurel-Bayard, spokesman for the N.C. Sierra Club. “North Carolina needs to become the premiere state for solar energy, and this partnership can make it happen.” 

While the public might have misconceptions that solar power is unaffordable — a solar power system for a residential home can cost between $15,000 and $30,000 — Chicurel-Bayard said financing programs offered by Sungevity make it an accessible form of energy.

“People in this country want to responsibly power their homes,” he said. “We just need to make them aware that it’s possible.”

Guettel said every member of the N.C. Sierra Club who goes solar will have their panels financed by Sungevity.

Both Guettel and Chicurel-Bayard said North Carolina is a leader in clean energy, and Sungevity’s plans should come as no surprise.

“With over 1,200 clean energy businesses generating nearly $5 billion in revenue, North Carolina only seeks to gain from expanding its solar industry,” Chicurel-Bayard said. 

The announcement has also piqued the interest of sustainability groups at UNC.

“Sungevity’s decision to enter North Carolina points to both increased consumer interest and access to financing that is creating an attractive market opportunity in the state,” said Isaac Hacerola, president of the MBA Energy Club at the Kenan-Flagler business school. 

College students will also be able to take advantage of the opportunity.

“Our mission is to make solar easy and accessible for everyone, and that includes college students. Anyone who meets the credit requirements can take advantage of this unique opportunity,” Guettel said.

There are already plans in place for interested homeowners to preview the process. Sierra Club members will be having viewing parties at their homes for those who are interested to learn more about the process, said Chicurel-Bayard.

Guettel is confident that North Carolina is the right choice for Sungevity and for solar energy.

“There’s clearly an opportunity for us to help the market grow, and working towards more clean energy is simply doing the right thing.”

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