Banking on the sun

Imvestments in solar offer more than just financial returns

In 2013, for the first time in history, everyday people will be able to invest in solar power projects thanks to an innovative crowdfunding platform through Mosaic. Not only is 2013 an incredibly exciting time for the future of solar and renewable energy, but it marks the beginning of a revolutionary new financing era where the 75% of people who cannot currently go solar are able to invest in a tangible emerging asset class. Ordinary people investing in solar provides a new capital source to the solar finance industry.

Solar as an asset class means banking on the sun. It means your investment has an impact. It means supplying thousands of communities and people who have the ability to go solar, but do not currently have the capital, with the financing needed to get their projects off the ground. Solar as an asset class means people, planet and profit.

People
Through innovative new crowdfunding models, millions of people can help supply liquid capital to the rapidly growing renewable energy and solar industries. Crowdfunding connects investors who are looking for stable investments with project hosts who need additional capital. This model ultimately benefits groups on both sides of the equation, but it also helps innumerable others. Solar projects often have positive implications for the independence and strength of the surrounding communities. Solar projects can bring jobs, clean energy, healthier communities, and independence from the grid.

Planet
The implications of a renewable energy economy and a renewable energy future cannot be overstated. If we hope to combat the trend of rapidly escalating climate change, we must change the way the world works. Creating solar as an asset class is ideal because of its revolutionary implications for the world’s energy and finance markets.

No longer will renewable energy lack the capital it needs to grow and flourish to support our economy in the 21st century. And no longer will the world of finance be a zero-sum game where people either achieve security through paltry returns, or invest their money in the often volatile traditional asset classes. Furthermore, when investing in traditional asset classes, it can be difficult to know what your investment is supporting, and an investment in the stock market can frequently mean an investment in fossil fuels. This is why a growing movement of people are pushing for divestment from fossil fuels. Solar investments ensure a positive impact on the planet rather than an uncertain one.