Meet Kristal Hansley, the first-ever Black woman to own a community solar energy company!

According to Black Business, Hansley, founder of WeSolar and an advocate for the use of solar power, knows how solar energy has helped thousands of low-to-moderate income families save on their electricity expenses. She says this is what motivated her to get her company established that is “dedicated to specifically opening community solar farms in neighborhoods like Baltimore.”

While she focuses on neighborhoods in Baltimore, she specifically wants to help families in underserved areas save on their utility bills.

“During my time leading the Community Affairs policy at Congresswoman Eleanor Norton’s office, Maryland passed new laws to increase the use of solar energy across the state. I saw how effectively solar could reduce the cost of electricity for households, and decided to get involved in the emerging world of community solar,” Hansley told Black Enterprise.

Her aim as the first Black woman to launch a solar company is to disrupt both the green energy and solar industries. The African-American Business Guide reports Hansley’s effective leadership has allowed WeSolar to be a fast-growing company that provides affordable solar energy to consumers regardless of gender, economic status, or race.