SUN RISING ON MINNESOTA AND LOCAL SOLAR HERO

Many Americans still think of solar energy as a crazy California idea or, at best, something for where the sunshine is intense like Arizona or Dubai.

The biggest solar energy producing nation in the world? Germany. Germany has a solar potential similar to Anchorage, Alaska.

Solar energy makes a lot of sense in the U.S., even for places like the Upper Midwest. Ralph Jacobson has built a business and career selling sun in Minneapolis.

Jacobson is currently selling Minnesota policymakers and opinion makers on the idea of the U.S.’ biggest urban solar farm (25,000 solar installations on rooftops along the Twin Cities’ Central Corridor light rail line providing the 5 megawatts of electricity necessary to power the rail system) even as he fights new competition from others who now see the wisdom in solar energy.

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Solar energy on the rise; Interest in alternative energy has brought more business, competition to Innovative Power
Dan Haugen, April 5, 2008 (St. Paul Pioneer Press)

WHO
Innovative Power Systems (IPS) (Ralph Jacobson, Founder; Tom Carhart, Marketing and Business Development Director); Minnesota Office of Energy Security (Stacy Miller, listings) Other Minneapolis solar installers: Best Power International (Mario Monesterio, owner), Energy Concepts, Great Northern Solar

In Minnesota. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
Jacobson describes the solar energy market in the Minneapolis and discusses his 17 years of experience selling sun in the Upper Midwest as founder of what is now the largest installer of solar electricity and solar water heater systems in Minnesota.

WHEN
- Jacobson founded Innovative Power Systems in 1991.
- 1998: 1st employee hired.
- 2000: new location.
- 2007 revenue: $1.8 million.

Moderate sun and real passion will win through every time. (click to enlarge)

WHERE
- IPS is based in Minneapolis, MN
- Jacobson’s 25,000 solar installation system would follow the Twin Cities’ Central Corridor light rail line along University Avenue.

WHY
- IPS designs and builds solar electricity systems and solar water heaters. It started as a hobby for Jacobson, installing solar panels on remote, off-grid cabins and such.
- IPS sells systems that start at $10,000 and, depending on size and rebates, take 5 to 30 years for pay off.
- IPS marketing Director Carhart has expanded the company’s business by using the internet (ips-solar.com).

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QUOTES
- Jacobson, on wanting to build solar when he started out: "There was no market at all, so if I was going to do anything I had to start my own business…We've been bootstrapping it from day one…"
- Monesterio, owner, Best Power International: "All of the top, blue chip companies are investing in (solar) companies in a big, big way…When you get that kind of activity, it gives you a sense that the industry has arrived."