“Investing in the future shouldn’t feel so far away,” says Max Roe, strategic manager at Shasta Power, a company that facilitates investing opportunities in solar renewable energy. Shasta Power’s goal is to “help connect you directly with your investment, so the impact is felt.” Unlike stocks, index funds, or crypto – investments that don’t “make you feel like you’re making a difference” – solar investing is a chance to contribute to a cause far greater than ourselves. Not only has it proved to be a financially lucrative investment for some, but it’s also an opportunity to pledge support to something that really matters.
Shasta Power
Founded in 2020, Shasta Power — based in Bend, Oregon, and Los Angeles — was built on the premise that society needs to re-power existing grid infrastructure with clean solar energy and battery solutions. “We make investing in utility-scale solar projects attainable and profitable for average accredited investors,” says Roe. “We are a nimble, smart, and lean energy development company, typically characterized by slow and static behemoths.”
The company started to develop utility-scale solar projects with the dual goal of delivering high returns and clean energy. “We feel the energy market and big players are ripe for disruption and are in the vanguard of that disruption,” Roe says. “Our team is dedicated to climate solutions and sustainable business practices.”
What is solar investing, and how is it beneficial?
While it’s one of the lesser talked about investing opportunities, solar investing can be an attractive opportunity because it’s focused on growth in the early stages and income in the later years. Solar investing can refer to several things, such as: investing in solar companies, purchasing solar panels themselves for personal use, and investing in solar funds. At Shasta Power, it means investing directly into the Shasta Power Fund for direct solar development investing.
Solar investing is uniquely beneficial due to the potential for long-term results that go beyond individual gain. Reduced dependency on fossil fuels and the positive environmental impact is especially pertinent after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s final climate change report this month, which plainly underlines the immediate need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Coal has been the leading source of energy globally for over a century, but it continues to devastate the environment. As economic and socio-political factors precipitate the retirement of coal, now is the time to really get behind solar.
How does it deliver on ROI?
Investing brings several positive benefits: converting to renewable energy, creating jobs, displacing carbon, and diversifying away from foreign energy, which leads to a high return. “By finding the right project site and implementing a high level of experience, lean operations, and swift action, solar can give you a 50-300 percent return at the completion of our projects,” Roe explains. This is along with reducing CO2 emissions on a large scale. For people who may have experienced a lack of return on investment in the past, with renewable energy, you can take comfort in knowing you are “reducing emissions and creating jobs.”
Take Tesla’s recent solar investment success, which saw the company report $801 million in revenue from its energy generation and storage business in 2021. Along with this, the price of panel tech has dropped 97% in the last two decades. “Our company has a track record of delivering high returns in previous offerings by the founders,” says Roe.
Are there any risks?
Several factors can impact the ROI of solar investments, such as government policies, changes in technology, and market trends. Like anything, there are potential risks associated with solar. These can range from environmental policy changes to market volatility and technological disruptions. There are also risks associated with individual solar projects, including unforeseen consequences like endangered species in the area, an archaeological discovery, or a NIMBY (“not in my backyard“) protest.
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Is it worth it?
Investing in solar energy is a viable possibility for those with a passion for the environmental change such a commitment seeks to achieve. Like anything, thorough research is essential before making investment decisions. However, solar investing is unique in that we can be almost certain of the increased reliance on solar renewable energy coming our way. “You can invest in one of the best solutions to climate change while earning an outsized return,” Roe says. “Climate change is the most significant global threat to humanity, and Shasta Power is tackling this monumental effort.”
Find out more about Shasta Power here.