Namaste Solar Electric

Unique business aims to spread the use of Solar Power !

Namaste \’nah-mah-stay\: [Sanskrit] = Greeting of great respect, celebrating the interdependence of all living things.

Namaste Solar Electric is an employee-owned solar electric company dedicated to the betterment of the planet by bringing clean, reliable, and affordable renewable energy technologies to homes, businesses, and nonprofits throughout the Denver/Boulder area. Integrating both holistic and traditional business methods, Namaste Solar is the leading solar electric company in Colorado. With a values-based business model and reputation for philanthropy, Namaste Solar is a likely partner for homeowners and local businesses that want to make a positive impact on the community by purchasing a solar electric system.

Blake Jones, after three years in Nepal, returned to the USA in early 2005 to co-found Namaste Solar and implement solar PV projects in Colorado.

His business plan for Namaste Solar Electric, was so unusual; he confounded a lot of business experts !

• Environmental concerns would be a driving force in every aspect of the Namaste Solar.
• Six weeks of paid time off !
• A concept called FOH - frank, open and honest - to help eliminate gossip and grudges.
• Employees, no matter what their job description, have the same pay scale.
• One percent of yearly revenues go to solar systems donated to community groups.
• All major decisions would be made by consensus of all company employees.

How Namaste Solar Electric makes it work:

Solar photovoltaic (PV) cells convert sunlight (photons) into electricity (voltage) via the “photovoltaic effect.” They are made of semi-conducting materials, the most common being silicon, which is the second most abundant element on the planet, exceeded only by oxygen. Solar PV technology has been commercially used since the 1950s and has long been used to power calculators, satellites, road signs, phone call boxes, remote industrial applications, remote homes & cabins, etc. Due to decreasing prices via economies of scale and increasing government support, solar PV is now more cost-effective than ever for residential and commercial applications in urban areas.

Grid-tie solar electric systems are installed on homes and businesses where the electricity grid is available. They interface seamlessly with the electricity grid, allowing excess power that is produced from the sun during the day to be sold back to the utility company. When this happens, your electric meter spins backwards to give you retail credit for the electricity you produced. At night or during cloudy weather, your home or business takes power from the grid as normal, thereby spinning your meter forwards again. Each day your electric meter will spin backwards and forwards as part of “net-metering,” which allows you to reduce your electric bill to a “net-zero” on a monthly or annual basis. Going solar is a quick and easy process, requiring no changes to your lifestyle or to the internal wiring of your home or business. Each month, you’ll feel good about your lower electric bill and the positive difference you’re making for our environment.

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