Featured Installation »
Extreme Makeover Chose Akeena Solar and Award Winning Andalay Panels for Largest Build.
When Extreme Makeover was looking to install solar power at the Forever Wild Animal Sanctuary, in its largest build ever, they reached out to Akeena Solar. The sanctuary has been managed by husband and wife team Joel and Chermaine Almquist, located in
Phelan, CA for 13 years. The sanctuary is home to a variety of exotic and endangered
animals including cats, lizards and arachnids. Over the years Joel and Chermaine have
donated their time and money, but it never seemed to be enough. Feeding the cats alone
can cost up to $4,000 a month, not to mention creating holding enclosures and cages,
upkeep and maintenance of their home and the sanctuary as well as navigating the never
ending slew of documentation required to keep Forever Wild operational with no funding
from the government. The sanctuary and the Almquist family were in dire need of help
and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Akeena Solar created a winning solution for
everyone.
Extreme Makeover began demolition of the Almquist home officially on a Sunday in early
February, and moved very quickly through the build out process. Akeena Solar arrived on
site on Monday with our team of expert installers and crates of Andalay Solar panels.
Andalay panel installation on the Almquist home began late Monday (about 11pm) on a
chilly desert night and only 5 hours later a completed 24 panel Andalay system was
installed.
Adding Andalay Solar panels to the new Almquist home and Forever Wild Exotic Animal
Sanctuary has allowed them to take advantage of the abundant Mojave Desert sun and to
convert it to useful energy. The solar generated electricity is providing clean energy for the
Forever Wild Animal Sanctuary, the newly built education center and the Almquist home.
Joining Ty Pennnington, host of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” was Linda Panitz, the
winner of an Akeena sponsored contest that awarded to one lucky Akeena customer a trip
to Forever Wild Animal Sanctuary to be on set. Linda won the contest with submission
describing her commitment to her community and her tireless efforts to spread the word
about the benefits of going solar.
“There is so much work that goes into a project of this scale. When you’re behind the
scenes, you see everything, from the big moments - like when the house is torn down to
when it’s framed - to the little details,” said Linda. “There’s a lot of camaraderie amongst
the installers. During the middle of the night I watched the sleek and modern Andalay
panels go up at midnight - there were lights blazing on the set so it was bright as day - that
was exciting to watch.”
To see the installation action, visit www.akeena.com/extreme_makeover
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 Message from our CEO »
Innovators Paving The Way For Mainstream Solar
The solar industry has changed a lot since we started installing in 2001. Many times it’s been a challenge trying to explain to
people that putting glass on the roof will generate enough electricity for an entire house or commercial building. But now something
different is occurring in the marketplace – people who doubted that solar works are now buying systems.
It’s uncanny – they’ve seen us driving around in those tacky yellow cars (taxi?) for years – and now, finally, they say they want a
system. Hooray! But what’s changed? Although net prices haven’t changed, solar has become more mainstream. Marketers
call it the “Innovation Adoption Curve.” A sociologist named Everett Rogers noticed that new innovations diffuse into the marketplace
in stages. First by what he calls “innovators,” then “early adopters” and then the “majority” and “laggards.”
Congratulations to all those Akeena Solar “innovator” customers out there. Innovators are the first individuals to adopt an innovation
– like rooftop solar power. Innovators are willing to take risks, youngest in age, have the highest social class, have great financial
lucidity, very social and have closest contact to scientific sources and interaction with other innovators (Rogers obviously failed
to observe that innovators are smarter and more attractive).
This innovation framework explains why so many more people are coming out of the woodwork and buying a solar power system.
These new customers are the “early adopters” – people who’ve waited to see if solar power is real. Now that just about everyone
knows at least one person who has rooftop solar, a whole new category of people is interested in installing a system.
We’ve still got a long way to go; when I look around a neighborhood, more than 99% of the homes still don’t have solar. But for
many reasons (economic, environmental and political) it’s getting easier to convince people to go solar. If you’re so inclined,
Akeena Solar’s customer referral program and solar parties are a great way for you to explain how solar works to your friends and
neighbors so that they can see the light, too.
-Barry Cinnamon, CEO- Akeena Solar
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Give Green Get Green! »
Sharing is Caring!
Spreading the news about solar to your friends and family is easy with Akeena Solar’s
Give Green, Get Green Referral Program.
Since launching our California program in March 2009 we have:
* Planted over 250 trees in our national forest with the help of the Arbor Day Foundation
* Offset 9.75 tons of CO2
* Referrals have come from all over California
Host a Solar Home Event!
Invite your friends to admire your installation. We provide refreshments and answer solar
questions for your guests. You get $1000 per referred installation and your friend also
benefits from a $500 solar system discount!
Talk to your Akeena Design Consultant and set up your Solar Home Event today!
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Announcements »
Akeena Website
We’ve launched a new website!
Visit us at www.akeena.com
Yelp! Yelp!
We’re on Yelp! Help us spread the
word by sharing your Akeena Solar
experience with your community.
Submit a review on Yelp.com!
Awards
Industry Innovator Award (2009)
- The Solar Energy Industries Assoc
honored Akeena Solar for its new
Andalay AC Solar
Power system.
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What our customers say... »
The Akeena team is very professional and knowledgeable in their field.
The installation crew did a top notch job on my roof top and I cannot compliment Akeena’s Andalay product enough! The panels along with their special mounting system are super low profile and leave no dangling wires! Thanks a whole bunch for
a job well done! -Tom Yamamoto, Campbell, CA
Akeena Solar is highly organized and professional in its relationship with the customer at all the stages of design and installation. It was impressive to work with a business that has such a high value in cordiality and efficiency. Cosmetic as well as technical concerns were addressed. The installers were exceptional and put my interests first. Kudos to Akeena for a real classy operation. -Ken Kasper, Monte Sereno, CA
Would you like to share your Akeena Solar experience?
Email your experience to Ali Monge (amonge@akeena.com)
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Life in the Green »
Replace Light Bulbs
Replace standard incandescent
light bulbs with compact fluorescent
light
bulbs (CFLs)
and save 75% off
lighting
costs.
Buy Energy Efficient Appliances
Always buy ENERGY STAR qualified
appliances and equipment - they're
up to 40% more efficient. Find rebates
and incentives in your area using our
rebate finder.
Unplug Electronics
Unplug electronics, battery chargers
and other equipment when not in use.
Together, these small items can use
as much power as your refrigerator.
Keep Cool With Ceiling Fans
Reduce air conditioning costs by
using fans, keeping windows and
doors shut and closing shades
during the day. Most ceiling fans use
less energy than a light bulb.
Be smart about lighting.
Wash Clothes in Cold Water
When possible, wash clothes in cold
water. About 90% of the energy used
in a clothes washer goes to water heating.
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