Birthday Month – 20 Years in Business

June 1, 2020

For Third Sun Solar… It’s birthday month!

How fitting that approaching the Summer Solstice, 20 years ago this week, founders Geoff and Michelle Greenfield took the ultimate plunge. Third Sun Solar, a budding dream of the Greenfields, was incorporated as an LLC in June of 2000. Inspired by long sunny summer days, the need for electricity at their rural off-grid home and neighbors who were interested in going solar themselves- Third Sun Solar was born. It is for that reason that we celebrate this month!

Since 2000, Third Sun has installed over 23 MW of total renewable power, mostly solar, which produces over 26.5 million kilowatt-hours of emission-free power every year. As a result of Third Sun Solar’s work, 39 million pounds of CO2 emissions are avoided as customers switch from using utility power to their own clean power systems.

The company is truly fulfilling its long-time mission to “Accelerate the Shift to Clean Energy”.

In addition to clean energy metrics, Third Sun fulfills another dream set out by the founders back in 2000: to use business as a force for good. As a Certified Benefit Corporation, Third Sun Solar is held accountable to people and the planet. Whether purchasing carbon offsets for our vehicle fleets or supporting the non-profits who are doing important work in our communities, we believe that to see the clean energy future of our dreams, businesses must do good in the world. Learn more about our B Corps status here.

Looking Forward: Announcement

To celebrate we are instating a 20-year workmanship warranty at no cost for customers, the longest workmanship warranty for solar in Ohio. Why 20 years? As Ohio’s longest standing solar installer, we’ve proven to the community that we’re in it for the long haul. We’ve seen a lot of progress in the past 20 years & we will be here until we see the clean energy future that we dream about.

Any home improvement such as a roof replacement or a remodel typically has a “workmanship warranty” covering the quality of the work done. This promise from the contractor that they will install things correctly is typically 2 years and in the solar installation business often ranges from 2-5 Years, sometimes up to 10.

We understand that our clients are focused on quality, safety, and performance, and they are choosing their solar installer carefully as most installations involve both high voltage electrical work that must be done right and securely attaching the modules to the roof while maintaining a durable 100% water-tight seal.

Check out our upcoming webinar: How to Choose a Solar Installer to learn additional elements to look out for when choosing an installer in addition to warranties and company longevity!

Looking Back: The History of Solar in Ohio

Since January, CEO Michelle Greenfield has been reflecting on cornerstone projects from the past 20 years. She’s woven together blogs, photos, newspaper clippings, and stories. These pieces of history reflect the changes in the solar market that paved the way for solar as we know it today. These items are listed below – check them out!

Our goal in sharing this history is to celebrate how far we have come and recognize how the current solar opportunity is built on a foundation laid in the past.

Timeline:

2000 – The Founders Leap. Read More >
2000 – Green Living Magazine- Greenfield home feature. Read More>
2001 – The state of Ohio institutes net metering. Read More>
2002 –From 2001 to 2004 Third Sun Solar partnered with the Foundation for Environmental Education to install 35 systems on schools throughout the state. The school featured, Granville Elementary, and had a special ribbon cutting and solar celebration with then-Congressman Pat Tiberi. Read More>
2002 – Michelle Greenfield appointed to Green Energy Ohio (GEO) Board of Directors where she floated the idea of GEO becoming a statewide organizer of the National Solar Tour, which was organized along with the American Solar Energy Society, on the first weekend in October every year. Read More>
2002 – Third Sun used to install wind! Check out this 10kw Bergey wind generator that was installed on a 120-foot tower at Glacier Ridge Metro Park in Plain City, Ohio. Read More>
2003 – Students participate in a solar installation at New Albany High School, on a path that connects the football stadium with practice fields. Read More>
2003 – Ohio Magazine highlights the Ohio Solar Tour, organized in the years prior to 2003 by Michelle Greenfield, and then adopted by Green Energy Ohio as an annual event. Read More>
2003 – In 2003 Third Sun Solar moved to Ohio University’s Innovation Center, which provides office space and business assistance to emerging regional technology businesses. Read More >
2005 – Third Sun Solar participated in an all Ohio collaborative effort to install a net-metered solar power system on the coach house of the Governor’s residence in Bexley. Read More>
2006 -Third Sun Solar led a community effort to install 42 solar panels on the Athens Middle School. Read More>
2006 –Third Sun used to install hot water systems. Read More>
2006 – In 2006 when homeowner and science teacher David Carpenter hired Third Sun to install his 4.8 kW system, he was on the cutting edge for homeowners. The cost of that system would have been $44,200 ($9.20 per watt) Read More>
2007 – Governor Strickland visits Greenfield Home. Read More>
2008 – A group of 10 homes in Arbor Village, an affordable housing development in Washington Court House, Ohio, became the “largest collection of solar homes in the state”. Read More>
2008 –In 2008, Mathews had moved to their new building on Columbus Rd. and decided to install solar to help cut their energy costs as well as add clean energy to their business. The natural partner was Third Sun. “I still have a letter from Russ from 2000, confirming that our business was now insured. We are still with them 20 years later!” — Geoff Greenfield, Co-Founder and TSS President. Read More>
2008 – In Akron, Ohio, the METRO Rapid Transit Authority officials wanted to be leaders in both alternative transit and alternative energy. Read More>