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We designed an app to distribute aesthetically pleasing solar panels

Have you ever wondered why we don’t see more solar panels on everyone’s homes? It seems like people are always talking about how great solar energy is for the environment and even about how cost have declined 89% over the last ten years. So why isn’t solar on every home?

01. Explore residential solar challenges

I dove into this problem by exploring existing apps and conducting empathy interviews of homeowners and renters. What I found was really interesting:

  1. The existing apps for solar energy are not user friendly

  2. People want their homes to look aesthetically pleasing and don’t think solar panels look beautiful

  3. People don’t know who to reach out to to install solar panels on their home

  4. Individuals care about the environment

02. Ideate and prototype

So I was curious, what would happen if we made residential solar as simple as possible? What would happen if we designed something that met people’s needs? At Sustain Tomorrow, we attempted to answer these questions by prototyping an app called Sleek Solar.

Sleek Solar is an online platform that distributes aesthetically pleasing solar panels to architects across the country. These panels range from solar roofs to solar shingles to transparent solar to enhance the look of the home.

03. Develop business model

To develop the business model for Sleek Solar, we took IDEO U’s course focused on business model design, which helped us receive feedback on our idea and craft a creative, compelling model.

We selected architects as our distribution channel because they can influence individuals to implement solar. As part of our marketing strategy, our plan would be to partner with prominent home-flipping TV shows and celebrities to demonstrate the value of these panels. We also explored different revenue models and cost structures for the business.

Learnings

Solar has the potential to work amazingly if we tap into people’s needs and motivations, carefully select a target audience, develop user friendly solutions, and craft compelling business models. Through this process, I feel we have come up with a really innovative solution to accelerate the deployment of rooftop solar. My hope is that as people implement these technologies, the cost of solar will decline and these options will become more equitable. 

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