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Why Solarcity Is Succeeding in a Difficult Solar Industry

technology review -- After a steady stream of bankruptcies, poor earnings reports, and canceled IPOs for clean-energy companies, this week Solarcity bucked that trend by announcing that it had filed the necessary paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an IPO.

The key difference between Solarcity and many other clean-energy startups is that it isn't trying to take on incumbents with new technology. It makes money by deploying existing solar technology with a novel approach to financing.

Solarcity designs, installs, and maintains solar-energy systems fitted to homeowners' roofs. Instead of asking for a big upfront payment, it leases the systems. As the panels produce power, surplus electricity is sold back to the local utility. Combined with the savings that come from using less

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Submitted May 04, 2012 By: aservant

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RADIOCANADA499 Champion Author Ontario Posts:2,346 Points:778,880 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:38:19 AM Ignore RADIOCANADA499 Report Abuse ok
trojanbuck Champion Author Dayton Posts:8,250 Points:1,683,105 Joined:Aug 2007	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:37:07 AM Ignore trojanbuck Report Abuse We'll see where they are in five years.
gasandgoAL Champion Author Alabama Posts:7,161 Points:1,591,615 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:36:52 AM Ignore gasandgoAL Report Abuse hope it succeeds
1178richmond Champion Author New Jersey Posts:2,901 Points:799,250 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:36:19 AM Ignore 1178richmond Report Abuse ok
wt0826 Champion Author Ontario Posts:3,736 Points:838,100 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:35:23 AM Ignore wt0826 Report Abuse At least one of these companies is successful
WestMichigan Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:2,488 Points:557,790 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:34:59 AM Ignore WestMichigan Report Abuse ok
Skipper52 Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:7,423 Points:1,593,910 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:34:09 AM Ignore Skipper52 Report Abuse Good for them...
my2002m Champion Author Tulsa Posts:6,084 Points:1,671,500 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:33:52 AM Ignore my2002m Report Abuse Time will tell if their plan works. Hard to compete against the subsidized panels being sold by the Chinese.
JLSindy Champion Author Cleveland Posts:3,496 Points:674,990 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:33:25 AM Ignore JLSindy Report Abuse I agree with most of what everyone says.
Gearitis Champion Author Waco Posts:1,293 Points:729,960 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:33:23 AM Ignore Gearitis Report Abuse Another Obama comic. When does these jokes stop!
bar1035 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:9,172 Points:1,300,170 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:33:22 AM Ignore bar1035 Report Abuse Doesn't saound like much of deal for the homeowner.. hopefully break even it seems
BJ1947 Champion Author Oklahoma Posts:1,272 Points:481,925 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:32:34 AM Ignore BJ1947 Report Abuse I hope this is not government funded.
lakeaffected Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:1,280 Points:1,476,705 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:32:33 AM Ignore lakeaffected Report Abuse Solar is never going to be economically viable unless some major discovery pops out from underneath a cloud...
Edpap Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:4,342 Points:508,875 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:32:28 AM Ignore Edpap Report Abuse nice to know there are solar companies that aren't in the Obama cash giveaway parade...maybe that is why they are actually successful. It's a real business.
Rt118E Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:9,498 Points:1,370,220 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:31:05 AM Ignore Rt118E Report Abuse You sure need the waffles or nothing works.
GatorDone Champion Author Savannah Posts:2,411 Points:1,990,755 Joined:Feb 2006	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:30:29 AM Ignore GatorDone Report Abuse k
Clubmaker2003 Veteran Author Illinois Posts:369 Points:108,240 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:29:34 AM Ignore Clubmaker2003 Report Abuse Good bucking bucky.
MountedShooter Champion Author Georgia Posts:3,090 Points:743,420 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:29:02 AM Ignore MountedShooter Report Abuse Ok.
Heltonw Champion Author Montana Posts:3,319 Points:1,661,315 Joined:Dec 2007	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:28:56 AM Ignore Heltonw Report Abuse I hope that it works for them.
PurduePete86 Champion Author Indiana Posts:2,164 Points:1,155,770 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:28:46 AM Ignore PurduePete86 Report Abuse And they might be a legitimate company vs the shell companies that were designed only to embezzle our tax dollars that Obama so freely gives away.
HockeyLady Champion Author New Jersey Posts:5,568 Points:2,105,520 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:28:21 AM Ignore HockeyLady Report Abuse time will tell
91Hilux Champion Author New Haven Posts:2,177 Points:683,645 Joined:Aug 2007	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:28:20 AM Ignore 91Hilux Report Abuse Yeah, fiscal irresponsibility with our tax dollars...
cmsense Champion Author Columbus Posts:1,358 Points:165,345 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:27:36 AM Ignore cmsense Report Abuse As prices for all energy continue to climb, people will find ways to curb their use and lower their bills.Some individuals are already living off the grid, but it's takes intelligence and that eliminates approx 50% of the population.
biza4u Champion Author New Haven Posts:8,533 Points:1,629,850 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:26:48 AM Ignore biza4u Report Abuse ok
brbts Champion Author Charlotte Posts:3,648 Points:777,340 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:26:30 AM Ignore brbts Report Abuse OK - So now they have a model that is proven to work - why not make those (bankrupt) companies who took the government hand-outs use this as a lesson to recapture our wasted tax payer dollars? Let them LEASE the equipment they have to homeowners and get it deployed nation-wide so it's a win-win for everyone!
WeasleyOC Champion Author Orange County Posts:3,159 Points:804,275 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:25:30 AM Ignore WeasleyOC Report Abuse Seems to be working for them.
jci25946 Champion Author Tampa Posts:3,276 Points:941,740 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:25:27 AM Ignore jci25946 Report Abuse Not something I would invest in, just another tree hugger pipe dream!
grandmacbc Champion Author Buffalo Posts:6,545 Points:1,431,000 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:24:48 AM Ignore grandmacbc Report Abuse I guess they have found a way to make it work for them.
alleycatMO Champion Author Kansas City Posts:1,197 Points:293,430 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:24:48 AM Ignore alleycatMO Report Abuse ok. :\|
rcohan2 Champion Author South Carolina Posts:1,897 Points:1,259,290 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:24:37 AM Ignore rcohan2 Report Abuse We need a paint that can capture solar energy, then paint all the cars with it, use induction technology to transfer that energy to an embedded road cable. Then cars could pay for themselves as they drove.
Fish167 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:3,994 Points:2,480,740 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:23:35 AM Ignore Fish167 Report Abuse We'll see.
LoneGuy Champion Author Lansing Posts:8,490 Points:2,319,945 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:23:19 AM Ignore LoneGuy Report Abuse So how much are the taxpayers paying in this another solar company that may in the end fail?
chevellefan Champion Author Georgia Posts:2,738 Points:594,520 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:22:55 AM Ignore chevellefan Report Abuse k
Zuman Champion Author New York Posts:6,174 Points:1,900,630 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:22:35 AM Ignore Zuman Report Abuse For how long ?
gsofrs Champion Author Greensboro Posts:4,163 Points:1,219,490 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:21:53 AM Ignore gsofrs Report Abuse Hope they can make it and keep growing jobs.
BoerneWatch Champion Author San Antonio Posts:15,551 Points:2,455,890 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:21:31 AM Ignore BoerneWatch Report Abuse Sounds good but it is still based on everyone paying for a few to be green. Without the government subsidies, this company would not have a chance. That means everyone pays a little to a lot more to "help" a few save on their utility bills. You wanna pay for your neighbor's over priced solar panels, electric car or wind generator? Me neither.
rbrowdersr Champion Author Detroit Posts:5,730 Points:1,820,915 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:20:57 AM Ignore rbrowdersr Report Abuse Dosen't mean a thing in relation to pump prices.
bumpygas Champion Author Nebraska Posts:8,140 Points:1,903,035 Joined:Oct 2007	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:20:19 AM Ignore bumpygas Report Abuse The real difference is Solarcity is putting a little work into it and not expecting free handouts. Most of the companies that have gone broke stole taxpayer money that oBUMa gave them.
Valricoslash Champion Author Tampa Posts:6,704 Points:1,355,175 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:20:09 AM Ignore Valricoslash Report Abuse Interesting concept. What are the lease payments?
bladecutter Champion Author Houston Posts:4,866 Points:986,025 Joined:Nov 2009	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:19:19 AM Ignore bladecutter Report Abuse This article has nothing to do with gas prices.
snarkysmarko Champion Author Baltimore Posts:3,073 Points:690,000 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:19:07 AM Ignore snarkysmarko Report Abuse who cares?
JagXKR Champion Author British Columbia Posts:3,169 Points:1,093,330 Joined:Dec 2009	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:16:52 AM Ignore JagXKR Report Abuse As the cost comes down I will be able to make solar work at my home, but right now it's still too high.
weenerdog Champion Author Detroit Posts:9,471 Points:1,886,840 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:15:59 AM Ignore weenerdog Report Abuse interesting
LuckyD43 Champion Author Long Island Posts:32,050 Points:2,170,020 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:15:03 AM Ignore LuckyD43 Report Abuse This sounds like it has good possiblities.
Buffalo Joe Champion Author Alberta Posts:8,606 Points:2,510,825 Joined:Feb 2003	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:14:21 AM Ignore Buffalo Joe Report Abuse Job creation project.
livewire300 Champion Author South Carolina Posts:3,380 Points:166,710 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:10:38 AM Ignore livewire300 Report Abuse Too High...
tbgasmizer Champion Author Ontario Posts:6,053 Points:1,230,620 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:09:39 AM Ignore tbgasmizer Report Abuse Not everyone can use solar because of the high cost.
TommyTraveler Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:8,684 Points:1,699,280 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:09:31 AM Ignore TommyTraveler Report Abuse I hope they do it right.
GasPriceHelp4u Champion Author Dayton Posts:2,697 Points:570,750 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:09:05 AM Ignore GasPriceHelp4u Report Abuse Must be doing something right!
PADI Champion Author Ontario Posts:5,144 Points:1,261,870 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:08:21 AM Ignore PADI Report Abuse ounds interesting, but what costs are consumers really paying for solar energy?
sljbc475 Champion Author Tucson Posts:4,230 Points:874,325 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: May 4, 2012 6:08:09 AM Ignore sljbc475 Report Abuse A good idea for a state like Arizona that averages over 300 days of sunshine. [Edited by: sljbc475 at 5/4/2012 7:08:55 AM EST]