With the prices of fossil fuels rising and recently imposed “green” mandates to improve energy efficiency, commercial, institutional and industrial companies are actively looking for alternative energy solutions to reduce energy costs and become more energy efficient. Given that there are over 5.3 million commercial and industrial buildings in the U.S., and that approximately 44% of energy consumption by commercial buildings is for space heating and hot water, developing a viable solar thermal energy system for commercial, institutional and industrial applications represents a significant opportunity.
Unfortunately, when evaluating solar thermal energy systems, many commercial, institutional and industrial applications could not 1.) achieve the high temperatures needed to replace traditional fossil fuel energy sources or 2.) achieve the efficiency needed to make the adoption of a solar thermal energy system financially viable.
The patent pending SunQuest 250® by Solar America Solutions (SAS) changes all of that. Rather than generate electricity like many solar panels, the SunQuest 250® solar collectors generate thermal energy from the sun's UV rays that is used to heat water and provide space heating. Up to 3x more efficient than competitors, it has shown to reduce traditional fossil fuel energy usage for hot water and space heating by 30% to 70%. The large amount of thermal energy produced and the efficiency of SAS's solar panels make them an ideal solution for commercial and institutional buildings and industrial processes.
SAS has solar collectors installed at over 50 customer locations, including the University of Indianapolis and the Indiana State Wabash Valley Correctional Facility. It has a strong pipeline of customers that includes correctional facilities, state government buildings, large hotels, commercial greenhouses, university dormitories, and car wash franchises.
Financial Summary
Previous Fundraise Summary
| Security Type | Revenue Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Investor Eligibility | All Investors | |
| Minimum Investment | $1,000 | |
| Payback Multiple | 1.5x | |
| Payment Frequency | Quarterly | |
| Disbursement Late Fees | 5.00% | |
| Loan Collateral | Unsecured | |
| Seniority | Junior | |
| Equivalent Interest Rate (/yr) | 30.20% | |
| Maturity | June 1, 2021 |
Offering Materials
Team
About Solar America Solutions
Company Updates
Discussion
It seems like your pricing strategy is based on an anchoring bias, possibly to counteract it in potential clients. My read on your pricing strategy is that you have a Lexus quality product, but you are charging Toyota prices. You have a superior product, you have an order pipeline, you are charging an inferior price. Why not charge a fair price where people are still motivated to choose your product? For example, if your competitor charges $1,400 and produces 1400Energy in gains, you charge $1,400 and produce 2800Energy in gains. Why not charge $2,100 for your product?
How many of your customers rely on government grants, credits, or subsidies to overcome the higher initial selling price of your product to realize cost savings? What percentage of total installation costs does the government cover for your customers on average?
What are the implications for your business if natural gas prices stay below $4.50 MMbtu? What is the company doing to mitigate this risk? How have low natural gas prices impacted your business since it was started?
Company Updates
Discussion
OK, how about this wrinkle... You maintain prices for the first order from an institution, but then make it known that their prices will go up for subsequent orders when the technology is proven? If they know they will payback the upfront cost within 5 years, then 6 years is still a great payback period...?
It seems like your pricing strategy is based on an anchoring bias, possibly to counteract it in potential clients. My read on your pricing strategy is that you have a Lexus quality product, but you are charging Toyota prices. You have a superior product, you have an order pipeline, you are charging an inferior price. Why not charge a fair price where people are still motivated to choose your product? For example, if your competitor charges $1,400 and produces 1400Energy in gains, you charge $1,400 and produce 2800Energy in gains. Why not charge $2,100 for your product?
How many of your customers rely on government grants, credits, or subsidies to overcome the higher initial selling price of your product to realize cost savings? What percentage of total installation costs does the government cover for your customers on average?
What are the implications for your business if natural gas prices stay below $4.50 MMbtu? What is the company doing to mitigate this risk? How have low natural gas prices impacted your business since it was started?
OK, how about this wrinkle... You maintain prices for the first order from an institution, but then make it known that their prices will go up for subsequent orders when the technology is proven? If they know they will payback the upfront cost within 5 years, then 6 years is still a great payback period...?