Solar installers should start thinking beyond the roof and consider how products and services related to energy efficiency could impact revenue streams in the coming years, panelists said during an SPI forum, “The Evolution of Solar: Offerings That Include Solar Plus … .” The panel mostly featured representatives of technology startups focusing on intelligent household devices.
Simon Walker, for instance, talked about LIFX LED Lighting’s wifi-enabled light bulb that can be controlled by a smart phone. Alex Reed talked about Big Ass Solutions’ ceiling fan, which monitors environmental conditions, senses occupancy and learns user preferences to make adjustments. Each technology could put a nick in utility bills.
But what did this have to do with solar?
While there wasn’t a tangible connection between solar and, say, smart fans during the forum, moderator Brian Farhi of Nest – a company that makes a “learning” thermostat – drew a picture for how the two could become one in the future.
“Solar could be married to other technologies to make it more compelling for customers,” Farhi said. “These additional products don’t require a lot of additional expertise, so solar companies could add these services and use their existing labor.”
In other words, when a company puts solar on a roof, they could also install intelligent lights, fans, thermostats and whatever other energy efficiency technology is certain to sprout up soon. While Farhi admitted installing a smart ceiling fan may net relatively little at first, over time it would add up.
And, according to panelists, it won’t be a hard sell.
“Connected, energy-efficient homes are the next thing people will get excited about,” Walker of LIFX LED Lighting said. “For solar installers to think about that potential business opportunity now, you’ll be ahead of the curve.”
The panel also featured Simon Lonsdale, VP of business development at ChargePoint, which makes electric vehicle charging stations, including ones powered by solar. Lonsdale provided a present-day example of solar leaving the roof. His company has installed more than 20,000 electric vehicle charge points.
But the thrust of the panel wasn’t about solar interacting directly with other technologies, but about how energy efficient technologies could pair well with solar installers and installations.
The panel dismissed one concern about installers getting into the energy efficiency business: That doing so would lead to smaller solar arrays. Quite the opposite, Farhi contended. He said arrays would simply enjoy a faster return on investment.