Sounds simplistic but there is an important message here for businesses that offer green services, be it solar installations or otherwise, about what they need to deliver to the consumer to get their business.
via a Greentech media article about solar projects in the current financial meltdown environment.
Lyndon Rive, CEO and founder of Foster City, Calif.-based SolarCity, said educating consumers about the benefits of tax credits, which will cut the solar energy system cost by 30 percent, will be key in persuading consumers to invest in solar during the economic downturn. Convincing banks to loan money to solar energy system installer such as SolarCity also will become tougher.
"The banks are being more strict on businesses plans and execution," Rive said.
Rive said another problem that installation and service company like his faces is a lack of standards to assure consumers that they are getting their money's worth.
Without some metrics, consumers have a hard time distinguishing among a slew of solar energy service companies that have emerged in recent years.
"We have to step out and guarantee what the production is going to be, and you have to be there to support it," Rive said. "It will eliminate fears from consumers."
Ahearn said no good policies exist that encourage accountability from solar power developers carrying out million-dollar projects to sell energy to utilities. The same issue also happens in the residential solar market, he said.
"There is no policing around the quality of offers. If you look at the warranties today, it will be difficult for consumers to understand where there is a claim proven and who's responsible," Ahearn said. "You can get wide-spread disappointment over time, and it will come back to bite us."
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