August has been living up to its reputation in the Pacific Northwest as the one month out of the year where we are virtually guaranteed a bit of sunshine. As we celebrate our brief dance with summer, a Vancouver company that relies on those rays is celebrating a new home.
Earlier this month, SunModo, a three-year-old solar panel mounting company, welcomed the sunshine with an open house at a new, expanded location at 1905 East 5th Street.
“Our rapid growth in the solar business we owe to our employees and to our loyal customers,” said Tony Liu, SunModo founder and president.
Since its inception, SunModo has primarily sold its products – including its Patented EZ Roof Mount product lines – into the marketplace through direct sales, word of mouth endorsements, and by responding to project bid solicitation. It has quickly become known in the solar arena, despite being headquartered in a part of the country known for its rain.
“In spite of our perceived lack of sunshine, Oregon and Washington are both great solar energy states. Our air quality is also very good, meaning more solar energy makes it to the rooftops,” said Cliff Schrock, the company’s vice president of engineering.
Seeking an even brighter future, SunModo is banking on continued word of mouth marketing from its loyal customers – something Business Development Director Stella Sun said they’ve relied on for the past three years. Additionally, she said, growth is anticipated as the demand for renewable energy technology rises.
“I strongly think the demand for solar energy is going to sustain into the future,” Sun said. “Solar panel installations may surge in the next two years as the solar PV industry keeps bringing down the production costs.”
State-level support is another reason the company expects the green trend to stick. Currently, Washington is working toward a 2020 mandate that requires 15 percent of electricity production at large utilities to come from renewable resources. In addition, “Washington has a Renewable Energy Credit (“REC”) program that will pay you for every kilowatt-hour (kwh) of solar energy you produce,” said Brandon Gwinner, SunModo sales account manager.
As any drive across the state of Washington will prove, solar isn’t the only renewable energy source in the region. However, Schrock explained, it’s probably the easiest for homeowners and small business owners to invest in, despite the price.
“A homeowner solar system allows the home to have a portion of their power bill fixed for the lifetime of the system,” he said. “[For businesses] the benefits of solar [are] reduced operating costs.”
“The price of a solar system has been more than halved between 2006 and 2010,” added Sun. “In many markets, solar is already competitive with peak electricity prices.”
In addition to enjoying decreased costs and state-level support for renewable energy, SunModo employees said their Southwest Washington location allows them to be close to nature and a stone’s throw from a large metro area. They’re also proud to create local green jobs and to enhance the community’s sustainability.
“Solar energy will definitely be an important part of the future energy mix with energy demand continually increasing, along with the need for new and clean energy sources,” said Schrock.
