Solar Power Franchises; Can They Really Work?

                                        

Can the Sun’s incredible amount of energy be franchised? Or is it just the dream of some of the new industrialists?

There is so much emphasis on Green these days.  We are buying low energy CFL’s for our homes and businesses. We are driving hybrid cars. Some of us are even starting to think twice before we throw a plastic bottle into the trash.  Our attitudes seem to changing. Maybe we are finally learning that there is only one Earth, and we better start preserving it. A lot of really smart people are figuring out ways to harness some of our natural resources. I happen to live on the southern shore of Lake Erie, one of The Great Lakes. One thought currently being tossed around is to use the Great Lake’s incredible amount of wind that is generated every day and turning it into useable energy. If done correctly, enough energy could be generated to power a third of our nation! Let’s talk about an alternative form of energy that is not something on the drawing board, but is something that is being used today….Solar Energy. The Sun is not due to die out for another 4 Billion years, so it certainly makes sense to harness some of its awesome power. But, is setting up a Solar Power “franchise,” the way to go?

There is one company that started franchising, and I wrote about it last year around this time.  Yes Solar Solutions has opened up a couple of franchise territories this year, including one near San Francisco, and a new one, in Cary North Carolina. “The Yes! Solar Solutions franchise will be centrally located to serve the state's north central Research Triangle Park Economic Region, which is home to 1.9 million people, and site selection for the new retail energy outlet is underway,” according to a recent Press Release.  Their franchise model is one where the franchisee opens up a storefront operation and designs and installs Solar Panel systems for homes in the area.

So far, it looks like this franchisor is going after the bigger fish, i.e. investor groups, as opposed to folks that just want to open one Solar Panel installation store in their local community.

Here is one thing that is very surprising to me; there are not a lot of Solar Power franchises popping up. I figured by now, that there would be at least 5-10 Solar Power franchises for me to report on. None. Nada. Zilch. [There aren’t even any goofy Network Marketing opportunities out there, peddling the amazing technology of Solar Energy} UPDATE

I am not sure what I am more fearful of; the fact that there are no major scam artists selling Solar Energy yet, or that there seems to be only one real Solar Power franchise company.  

I have been contacted by several folks who want information about buying a Solar related franchise opportunity, and I send them over to the Yes! Solar Solutions website. But, I have never been contacted by a Solar Power related company that wants to get information on turning their business into a franchise. Maybe, in the future, I will get some inquires, and I can help guide these folks to the right resources.

Update! February 2009! New Solar Franchise Opportunity Announcement! Look

Finally, I want to pose a question to those that are thinking about becoming a franchisee of a Solar Power franchise; do you want to be a Solar Energy related franchise owner because of your environmentally friendly views? Or are you going after this century’s version of The Gold Rush?

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Comments

[Joe Bono]

www.solaruniverse.com

Established, growing solar franchise concept out of the SF bay area.

[Suntricity]

We are in the process of establishing Solar Energy Franchising opportunities. It will incorporate training, top products, sales training/services, and financing/leasing programs for their clients.