As the solar industry continues to expand, Houston-based Missouri Sun Solar has decided to launch a new division of its company that will complement its core business and help keep solar affordable for the average, middle-class family when utility rebates and other incentives are no longer available.
Called “Smart Energy Solutions,” the new division will specialize in making homes more energy efficient through the use of professional energy audits and home improvement measures. It will work in concert with the solar side to make homes more comfortable and to reduce the size of solar system needed, thereby reducing the cost.
“This is a way for us to be able to stand on our own and keep solar affordable for the average family without the help of utility rebates or federal assistance,” said Missouri Sun Solar CEO Caleb Arthur. “While those are great incentives that are really helping to drive prices down and build our industry, they won’t always be there. It is our responsibility to make sure that opportunity isn’t wasted and that we are able to stand on our own once that assistance has been phased out.”
Smart Energy Solutions is already operational and expects to add 20 more jobs by the end of the year.
“This is really a perfect match,” Arthur said. “Solar is a renewable energy source and when you pair it with home energy efficiency, not only do you make the customer’s home more comfortable year-round and the price of the solar system more affordable, you further reduce their carbon footprint. It’s really the best bang for your buck and a win-win situation for everyone.”
The company’s energy auditors will be fully certified by the Building Performance Institute (www.bpi.org), which is the recognized industry standard for home energy efficiency assessment and safety. In addition to supplementing the solar side, Smart Energy Solutions will also offer energy assessments and energy efficient home improvements as a separate service to the public.