SMP 19: Customer Acquisition and Billing in Community Solar

In regards to financing terms for community solar: “We see a wide range but 3-5 years is the standard contract length, with fairly minimal exit fees.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.

“Billing in these markets has always been the strength of what we’re doing. We consider ourselves a software company.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.

“I am happy to say that we have billed in excess of one million dollars in community solar transactions and we’ve never had a mistake.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.

In regards to realizing the need for Power Market: “This industry (the utility industry) needs the software architectures and techniques that we had in the financial services industry where the risk system is talking to the accounting system which is talking to the P&L system, to the settlement system and all of that works together and works well. ....I realized there ought to be an opportunity to build out some systems for this clean energy industry.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.

“...One of the other crucial things that I learned and had to be taught -which is part of the process of being an entrepreneur - is that you have to offer something very specific when you’re starting a company.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.

“It’s really focusing on one thing and being the expert on it, as opposed to doing multiple things." Benoy Thanjan, Episode #19.

In regards to community solar trends: “Governments are starting to require a low-income component to it.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #19.

“(a customer acquisition agent) can sell 5 individual apartment owners or go up into a much wealthier neighborhood and get one individual sale. The credit requirements and things that community solar was supposed to solve in terms of allowing low-income subscribers and participants to take advantage of that product have been thwarted a little bit by the fact that it’s more lucrative for the customer acquisition agents to go after bigger, wealthier customers.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.

“It’s been a struggle, let’s be honest, but it has been pretty exciting. I’ve heard other entrepreneurs say it doesn’t really feel like work when the challenge in front of you is as big as it is so there is an upside to it.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.

In regards to preparing for entrepreneurship: “The thing that makes a successful entrepreneur more than anything is just experience; experience, know-how, contacts, all of that. So the extent that you can put that together in your career as it exists before you step out will be a good way to go about it.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.