Our founder, Devon Hartman, envisioned nonprofit-owned solar factories operating in many of America’s most disinvested communities. He saw these factories’ mission as stimulating local economies, delivering training and career opportunities to local residents, and generating profits that are reinvested in nonprofit programming and electricity subsidies for low-income community members.
We invite you to join CHERP in achieving Devon’s vision by launching a factory in your community. You will be most likely to succeed in this endeavor if you have:
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Experience in operating social enterprises, which are nonprofit owned businesses that provide training opportunities for individuals seeking to enter/re-enter the workforce
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Previously raised funds for large projects and/or have relationships with local and regional influencers who could potentially offer financial support to a factory
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A history of strong and successful collaborations and partnerships, particularly with local businesses and government entities
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Regional demand for solar panel purchases - CHERP will work with you to analyze your local market opportunities.
Factory Startup and Operations
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CHERP’s Design Build Services Team partners with the nonprofit’s leadership team to select an appropriate facility and build out and operate the factory there. In some cases, CHERP can become a co-owner of the factory with the nonprofit operator.
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Its Workforce Development team supports the nonprofit operator in creating all of the programming needed to train and support assembly workers and provide them with career advancement opportunities within other green energy businesses. It also helps to hire and train all key factory leadership from the factory manager and operations engineer to the marketing and sales directors.
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CHERP provides additional consulting services that help nonprofits to secure factory financing, purchase materials and equipment and create national panel marketing and sales opportunities.
Factory Profile
A solar factory operated by a nonprofit organization:
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Requires approximately 70,000 sq. ft. of space
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Produces the AMPS licensed panel, which is high quality, efficient and competitively price
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Runs on one shift, producing approximately 270,000 panels annually
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Becomes a member of the CHERP Solar Alliance, which is the national network of solar factories that engage in collective purchasing, marketing and best practice sharing.
