The solar industry has steadily become one of the fastest-growing industries in the country, and the Solar Energy Industries Association is aiming for solar to account for 30% of U.S. electricity generation by 2030. By Elice Morgenson
The solar industry has steadily become one of the fastest-growing industries in the country, and the Solar Energy Industries Association is aiming for solar to account for 30% of U.S. electricity generation by 2030. This growth leaves a massive potential for solar sales and installation companies to meet the growing demand. Astrawatt Solar, a solar sales and installation company, has created a turnkey business model that makes owning and operating a solar business accessible to anyone.
“Solar has become the new gold rush. It is a high-revenue business, and we have created a system that helps maximize the profit margin,” said Keith Murphy, founder and CEO of Astrawatt Solar. “These processes allow someone to do a higher volume in sales with fewer employees, and we have people in place that will train all of the employees for them. A typical franchisee will only need around eight employees to effectively manage the workload necessary for over $3 million in revenue. We are able to train them according to proven processes and procedures that will increase their work performance and exponentially increase their workload and profits.”
Solar sales and installation involve a complex set of steps from estimation to completion, which inspired the brand’s owners to develop an automated system that provides real-time communication concerning the progress of a project. “Now one project manager can increase their workload because they are not bogged down by maintaining constant communication. The system does it for them. A manager is able to keep up and grow the business,” said Murphy.
Interest in the solar concept has exponentially increased as energy costs are spiking throughout the country and news of climate disasters are becoming more common. “The recent solar tax credit increase to 30% and extension through 2033 is a huge win for our industry, employees, customers, and our franchisees. A solar investment can eliminate or reduce the need for purchasing additional electricity, and customers are able to lock in a cost related to the purchase of the system. Everyone we meet is interested in solar,” Murphy said. “Ten years ago, that interest was not there, and we were forging our own interest. No matter the location, in every state and every town, you are going to have people that are interested in going solar and that demand will only continue to climb. We want our franchisees to hit the ground running, and grow their market share to be leaders in every territory across the country.”
From day one, Astrawatt provides franchisees with consumer financing partnerships, vendor relationships and other valuable resources, so they can start to attract the best customers and make the most of the tremendous opportunity that solar is creating for new business owners. In a way, Astrawatt lets you skip the line and start profiting from your investment.
“Unfortunately, financing partners will not let you offer their loan products unless you have two years in the industry or have two million in sales already, so there is already a barrier of entry. With us, you are able to offer the consumer financing loans options that customers need from day one. Also, we are able to offer access to supplier partnerships, and since we are certified specifically for solar installation, we have access to exclusive solar products regardless of supply chain issues and are able to offer longer warranty terms than other solar companies,” Murphy said.
Elice Morgenson