By Anneke Mueller, Research Analyst, AltaTerra Research
The U.S. residential solar market is poised for growth. For solar companies seeking to capitalize on the growth potential of this market, the keys to success will be sales volume and operating efficiency. Solar employee purchase programs (solar EPPs), which have been initiated by companies as diverse as SunPower, REC Solar, and SolarCity, represent a new and potentially important channel for increasing sales and improving sales efficiency. Driving these programs are increasing corporate sustainability initiatives and growth in voluntary employee benefit offerings, especially employee purchase programs and green benefits. This article provides an introduction to solar employee purchase programs, analysis of the business ecosystem, and discussion of an example program. It is based on the industry’s first report to identify and analyze this emerging trend, which was published by AltaTerra Research in November 2008 [1].
