SoCore Energy wins Chicago Innovation Award

Innovation is alive and well in the United States, especially in the solar-energy industry. After taking home a Chicago Innovation Award Monday night, SoCore Energy, a national supplier of portable, custom solar arrays, is being heralded for changing the way commercial buildings harness solar power.

Making solar power a reality for businesses and commercial buildings requires solar panel systems to be economically viable and to be installed with the least possible disruption.

SoCore Energy saw this need and adapted their business model accordingly, implementing a revolutionary Solar Rental Agreement and a patented installation system that eliminates the need for solar panels to pierce or penetrate existing roofs.

“We talked to potential customers and businesses about what they would need in order to get solar on their roofs,” said SoCore Energy President Pete Kadens. “We did a good job listening to our customers, and I think that’s why we won the Chicago Innovation Award.”

SoCore Energy’s new Solar Rental Agreement cuts the typical 20-year lease term to only 10 years, making solar leasing an economically sound decision for businesses and corporations.

The modular and ballasted SunLock system is easily disassembled for ease of movement, so the business isn’t locked into a location due to their solar lease. And because it doesn’t affect the roof, it doesn’t affect roof warranties or lease terms which is a huge concern.

“We certainly haven’t changed the solar game,” said Kadens. “But we’ve changed the way the solar game is played. The higher degree of flexibility, the more likely solar will proliferate. By bringing more flexible solutions and not making solar power an enormous 20-year commitment, we’re able to make it a reality for businesses.”

The Chicago Innovation Awards are given to ten visionary businesses that have made significant strides in innovation. SoCore Energy was the only energy company selected as a 2010 winner.

“People sometimes confuse invention with innovation. SoCore has taken two new concepts to the solar power market, offering new flexibility in the financial and physical sides of the business,” said Dan Miller, co-founder and co-chair of the Innovation Awards. “SoCore has opened the door to solar energy for businesses and local governments, which expands the market in ways that fundamentally change the industry.”