Local Solar Energy Marketplace for North Carolina Goes Live

Comparison Shopping Platform Makes It Simple for Consumers and Businesses to Evaluate Options, Obtain Best Price Quotes and Get Greater Returns on Solar Energy Investments

News provided by

EnergySage, Inc.

May 26, 2015, 08:55 ET

BOSTON and RALEIGH, N.C., May 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- EnergySage and the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center at NC State University (NC CETC) announced today a partnership to help consumers and businesses make well-informed and profitable decisions about solar energy adoption. The resulting EnergySage North Carolina marketplace enables residents and business owners to quickly research and compare solar options and obtain multiple price quotes from pre-screened solar installers. The marketplace also provides the state's solar installers access to a large pool of knowledgeable prospective clients, giving them the ability to reduce customer acquisition costs and efficiently grow their businesses.

"It is our mission to advance a sustainable energy economy by educating, demonstrating and providing support for clean energy technologies, practices and policies," said Steve Kalland, executive director for the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center. "Our collaboration with EnergySage, a fellow recipient of the U.S. Department of Energy supported SunShot grant, is one significant way in which we're executing on this strategy by helping consumers to become knowledgeable about solar and actively assisting them throughout the research and purchase process."

When visitors enter the EnergySage North Carolina portal from the NC CETC website (www.greenprofessionals.org), they have access to a wealth of unbiased information about adopting solar energy. The one-of-a-kind marketplace is a resource for everything from learning about local financial incentives and comparing installers, to obtaining answers to common questions crucial to informed decision-making. Users can also get an instant home or business estimate on the costs of buying, loaning or leasing solar panels, and request customized quotes from local, pre-screened installers for their particular property.

"The EnergySage marketplace greatly simplifies the process for those looking to adopt solar energy and gives consumers more choice and greater market price transparency," added Kalland. "Solar energy is a particularly good investment for homeowners and business owners in North Carolina today, and thanks to our partnership with EnergySage, they now have an objective forum for evaluating multiple options. With a large state tax credit and the federal tax credit, consumers can get as much as a 60 percent discount on solar right off the top, making their payback quick and the financial benefits attractive."

"EnergySage shares the goal of the NC CETC to provide consumers and business owners with the unbiased information and support they need to make the smartest and most profitable decision about solar adoption," said John Gingrich, senior vice president of partnerships for EnergySage. "We deliver an innovative online tool to help do this—all through one simple platform. Users can easily comparison shop, but, equally important, they can also tap the expertise of our Solar Advisors to get answers to their questions and obtain impartial guidance about the solar options that will be most advantageous for them."

About North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center
The N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center, as part of the College of Engineering at North Carolina State University, advances a sustainable energy economy by educating, demonstrating and providing support for clean energy technologies, practices and policies. It serves as a resource for innovative, green energy technologies through technology demonstration, technical assistance, outreach and training. For more information about the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center, visit: http://www.nccleantech.ncsu.edu. Twitter: @NCCleanTech

About EnergySage, Inc.
EnergySage provides the first comprehensive online marketplace for consumers and businesses interested in converting to solar energy. By enabling people to comparison shop for "apples-to-apples" competitive quotes from pre-screened installers and financiers, the EnergySage Marketplace typically delivers cost-savings of up to 20 percent when compared to going directly to installers. EnergySage also simplifies today's complex solar industry by providing tools and unbiased information that enable people to fully understand their product and financing options as well as their return-on-investment scenarios. Many leading organizations have forged partnerships with EnergySage to promote the adoption of solar energy, including Connecticut Green Bank, Staples, Walgreens and the World Wildlife Fund. For more information, please visit: www.energysage.com.

Media Contacts:
Tracey Frederickson
Davies Murphy Group
781.418.2414
[email protected]

Shannon Helm
NC Clean Energy Technology Center
919.423.8340
[email protected]

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SOURCE EnergySage, Inc.