20th Anniversary Celebrations Coming to a Close
2020 is just about over, which means that Third Sun Solar’s 20th Anniversary year is coming to a close. We have published blog posts, videos, photos and social media items all year long to illustrate our long and interesting history in the young and inspiring clean energy industry.
When Geoff and Michelle started Third Sun Solar in the year 2000, they had a dream to follow their passion for “right livelihood” – to start a business that aligned with their desire to prove that clean electricity production is possible, that environmental preservation and reducing pollution is imperative, and that there is an alternative to the status quo of buying electricity from large billion-dollar corporations.
From their first employee in 2002, to their current team of 35 and growing, the Greenfields have stood by those founding passions and inspired others to join them in the mission to Accelerate the Shift to Clean Energy. Third Sun Solar was one of the first in Ohio to build solar before net metering existed and when costs were over $10 a watt in the early 2000s. They have watched as costs have fallen over the years: $9 a watt in 2007, $7.5 a watt in 2010, below $4 by 2016, and now 2020 hovering around $3 a watt. With each drop in costs, solar has become more and more accessible to more of the population.
Business as a Force for Good
Third Sun Solar put its notion of “business as a force for good” as a public priority in 2012 when it became certified as a B Corporation – an expression of its commitment to not only being a profitable company, but also putting the planet and people on equal footing with monetary measures of success. The following year, 2013, the company hit the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies list for the 5th time in a row, proving that a company can do well by doing good.
In 2020, Solar Power World’s Top Solar Contractors listing ranked Third Sun Solar is the #1 solar installer in Ohio and #50 in the nation for lifetime kilowatts installed. With over $75 million in sales and more than 1200 projects installed, Third Sun is truly living out the founders’ dreams of proving that producing clean electricity from the sun is not only a possibility, but that it is a growing reality.
The momentum of 20 years of expertise and action is the foundation on which Third Sun stands poised and ready for the next 20 years.
Third Sun Solar’s long tenure in solar has given them a front seat on the “solar coaster”. They know what it means to ride the ups and downs of this emerging industry, subject to the changes in political will or lack thereof; issues of global supply and tariffs; and both lack of consumer knowledge and an emerging boom in solar awareness.
The next 20 years of solar and clean energy looks bright.
The next 20 years of solar and clean energy looks bright. The industry has scaled to the point that costs are competitive with fossil fuel energy sources. It is no longer an environmental or an economic decision to go solar. It now makes sense on both counts. Soon, solar panels on homes, schools, businesses, and on rural farms will be as commonplace as air conditioning units or refrigerators are in our buildings. The market for solar power, while it has gone up and down over the last 20 years has been on a steady and consistent climb, with no indication of slowing the ascent.
As the solar coaster continues its upward ride, so will Third Sun Solar. In the unfolding of the next 20 years, expect to see the Third Sun team in more places around the region, making it even easier for people to take producing their own clean power into their own hands. There are exciting times ahead, for the company, the region, and the planet. The next 10 years have been called the “Solar Decade” and Third Sun Solar is ready to continue to be a force in the bright future of clean energy!
