Environmentalist Danny Kennedy, founder of the rapidly growing solar energy company Sungevity, was born in Los Angeles, California of Australian parents. Author of a book (“Rooftop Revolution: How Solar Power Can Save Our Economy – and Our Planet – from Dirty Energy”) published in 2012, Kennedy was awarded as a Planet Forward Innovator of the Year by “Planet Forward,” a program aired on the PBS channel.
Kennedy’s mission has always been to explain to consumers, and anybody else willing to listen, why solar energy is a solution that is both easy to understand and implement. According to Kennedy, the technology is efficient, but the process remains “a hassle.” This was the primary reason why Sungevity was established by Kennedy together with good friend-entrepreneur Alec Guettel and erstwhile banker Andrew Birch.
The Solar Lease Program
Sungevity is an online company that has created a one-stop solution for home-owners who are thinking of going the solar energy route. The company walks prospective solar energy consumers through the entire process, from quotations to installations. Admittedly, the initial investment – required to be paid up front for the solar panels and their installation – has proven to be daunting for most consumers.
This is resolved with Sungevity’s solar lease program, a scheme in which customers pay a certain monthly rate for solar panels to save money on electricity bills at the onset. Customers can get a free quotation online when they give their address and some facts regarding their energy consumption and roof exposure. Customised solar panels can then by installed by local contractors, a fact that Kennedy encourages to improve local community relations and social pride while obtaining the advantages of centralised business.
Origin of Sungevity
Kennedy became an entrepreneur after a stint with the Sydney office of Greenpeace where he assisted in running operations including campaign management in the Pacific region. His Greenpeace experience, according to Kennedy, taught him numerous lessons about connecting people through common aspirations. Greenpeace has also helped him with developing the skills and the tools essential in running a business.
He began his mission for development of solar energy when he went back to the U.S. in 2006 after living in Australia since he was 11 years old. Sungevity was born because of Kennedy’s desire to promote clean energy use and eliminate fossil fuel dependency. Today, the company is at the forefront in designing of residential solar energy systems, financing new solar energy systems with the Sungevity Solar Lease Program, and managing not only the installation but the maintenance and performance of solar energy systems.
