Solar Energy Resources

Solar Energy ResourcesWhy you should do your research before installing solar

• Make informed decisions about your energy use and your potential purchase

• Choose the financing option that’s right for your business• Understand the financial case for clean energy• Understand how solar energy works• Understand your state’s policies and incentives for solar

energy• Find an installer with a solid reputation for quality work,

who uses quality solar panels and inverters

In this presentation, our goal is to provide a diverse group of resources to help you get a head start on your solar energy research , or just to help you find a source for helpful information.

Solar Energy ResourcesIndustry resources

Industry resources often provide insider information and help you understand the installer’s perspective, as well as policies and incentives.

• Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) – http://seia.org • Renewable Energy World – http://renewableenergyworld.com• Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency

(DSIRE™) – http://www.dsireusa.org• National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL) – http://nrel.gov• PV Magazine – http://www.pv-magazine.com• Green Tech Media – http://www.greentechmedia.com • Clean Technica blog – http://cleantechnica.com• Solar Novus Today – http://solarnovustoday.com

Solar Energy ResourcesClean Energy EconomicsThere’s a strong financial case for installing solar energy. These sources and blogs report news, data, and case studies to support it.

• Osmosis Investment Management – Osmosis is a British financial firm that specializes in sustainable investments. They engage in what they term “practical sustainability” and often publish helpful research. – http://osmosisim.com

• The Inspired Economist blog – the Inspired Economist is “a bridge between idealism and capitalism,” often posting on the business case for sustainability – http://inspiredeconomist.com

• Bloomberg New Energy Finance – Source of “insight, data and news on the transformation of the energy sector” – http://bnef.com

• TriplePundit – cultivating understanding of the triple bottom line – http://triplepundit.com

Solar Energy ResourcesBusiness Favorites Gone CleanMany heavy hitters in business news have sections or contributors focused on the emergence of clean and sustainable technology and business practices.

• Forbes – Contributors like Terry Waghorn, Philip Fava, and Danny Kennedy write about sustainable business and innovation. Try searching Forbes.com for “sustainability,” “solar,” or similar topics.

• The Guardian – the British newspaper has a robust Sustainable Business section and even hosts educational courses – http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business

• Washington Post – this major U.S. newspaper has a blog – Post Carbon – devoted to environmental news and a news page devoted to “green” categories, including energy – http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/green/

• Wall Street Journal – Not only does the financial paper host an environmental capital conference – ECO:nomics – but there’s no lack of sustainable business articles among their pages – http://online.wsj.com/public/page/environment-economy.html

Solar Energy ResourcesSustainabilityIt’s a popular buzzword these days. What’s it really mean to be sustainable? These sources and blogs provide news and reports and prompt discussion.

• Grist – Environmental News, commentary, advice – http://grist.org• FastCoExist – From Fast Company: World changing ideas and innovation –

http://fastcoexist.com• Sustainablog – http://sustainablog.com• OnEarth Magazine – reporting and commentary on science & technology,

nature & wildlife, cities, food, health, and business – http://onearth.org• SustainablePlant – Nope, not that kind of plant. Sustainable Plant is a great

resource for the manufacturing industry – http://sustainableplant.com

Solar Energy ResourcesSocial FollowsSome of the best insights come from individuals on Twitter, or from following industry news on LinkedIn.

• LinkedIn – Ever explored LinkedIn today? It’s a great place to aggregate the day’s news, tailored to your interests. Try following Sources like Fast Company or greenbiz.com and Influencers like Deepak Chopra or Joel Makower – http://linkedin.com/today/settings

• Twitter – Many of the world’s top C-Suites – including Chief Sustainability Officers, CFOs, and Chief Operating Officers – and authors take to Twitter to share their insights. A few suggested follows:

• Dave Stangis – VP of Public Affairs/CR at Campbell Soups - @DaveStangis• Umair Haque – author, economist, slayer of zombies - @umairh• Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) - @SEIA• Mark Coleman – author of “The Sustainability Generatio” - @TheSustainGen

Solar Energy ResourcesSolar energy is a multi-faceted energy source.

No matter how in-depth or surface-level you want to go in your research, it always helps to have a wealth of diverse resources. We hope you’ve helped you get a start in that – whether you’re interested in installing, the technology, the financials, or the industry.

Think there’s something we missed? Leave us a comment and we’ll address it.

Brightergy, one of the nation’s fastest-growing full-service solar development and finance firms, offers turn-key solar design, installation, monitoring, and inhouse financing services.

Our extensive experience includes hundreds of projects completed for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies and utilities to nonprofits and mid-sized businesses.

We make it simple, rewarding, and profitable to do the right thing.

Our Purpose

We make it simple, rewarding, and profitable to do the right thing.

• Manage every aspect of each project – we are as scalable as the projects we do

• Focus on the financials and economics to allow entities to adopt solar as a viable energy source

• Energy is the lifeblood of commerce – now you can save on something you have to have to do business

• Investing in solar results in sustainable profits