Executive Summary
SolarArt is a movement in the fields of ecology, graphic design and electricity production years ahead
of its time. Company founder Aaron Smith aims to do to solar panels what Henry Ford did for cars.
SolarArt will form as a limited liability company as a design source and manufacturing base in the
production of designer solar panels. A revolutionary product and business model guarantees a strong
competitive edge across multiple industries of alternative energy and artistic endeavors. As a
company local to Michigan, the local talent pool and real estate market will be utilized to full effect
in its establishment. Using machinery from Spire Corporation, and photovoltaic screen-printing
developed at the Fraunhofer Institute, SolarArt will produce a product that satisfies the electrical
needs and aesthetic taste of its customers. Initial product selection will be modular to fit commercial,
residential and industrial markets. Our goal is to take an industrial application and transform it to
something that cannot be described as any less than a work of art.
It is well known that the current energy model of fossil fuel consumption has no future in the world
of tomorrow. Enormous trends in sustainability will be seen in the coming years, and eventually out
of necessity. SolarArt is committed to the advancement of sustainable energy as a whole, and will
adopt a policy of substantial research and development to improve the efficiency of photovoltaic
power and stay competitive in a changing world. If the ambitions of SolarArt are realized, then soon
we will see that the worlds electrical infrastructure is forever changed.
Concept
Solar panels are a wave of the future. Our sun is an excellent source of clean energy, and its role in
the generation of our electricity will become all the more vital as technology catches up with the
concept, leading to a more efficient conversion rate and a far more common device.
The earth receives more energy from the sun in one hour, then the entire world uses in one year.
This is a technology that all of mankind will be dependent on in the future. Imagine renewable
energy being generated from every pliable industrial surface.
And that's just the problem; the solar panel as it is today is an industrial device. Its integration with
residential and commercial infrastructure is a very costly endeavor. Worse yet, some communities
view solar panels as eye sores. Community groups have demanded the removal of expensive home
solar power systems because they can be viewed from the road.
Now what if we could take the same photovoltaic device, and turn it into an art form? It could be a
means to express artistic taste and individuality. Then we would see these "designer solar panels"
everywhere, not just on roofs and as industrial equipment. They would adorn the sides of buildings,
the sun roofs of cars, window shades and even outdoor decorations.
Company Description/Analysis
SolarArt will be established as a Limited Liability Company to benefit from the hybrid business model
and flexibility that such enterprises benefit from. Company management will seek human resource
proponents to diversify the skill sets of its ownership. It will be a necessity to draw heavily from the
experience of contributors and affiliates with experience in the fields of design, manufacturing,
ecology, electricity, and business. Owners will benefit from inherent lack of liability, while
administration will stay streamlined by the freedom of cumbersome corporate formalities. This will
also keep the door open if the decision is ever made to take the company within the public domain.
Solar Panels made in the quantity required to be profitable are typically not a garage level operation.
Full advantage will be taken of the real estate market in the Detroit Michigan area to find an
industrial space large enough to fit our needs at a relatively inexpensive cost. The facility of a former
print shop would be ideal to establish production. Machinery that might be available with the
property has the potential to be re-configured to what would be needed for the production and/or
assembly of the product.
SolarArt will value the potential of all of its employees and contributors. All design and production
will be done in house, or with constant contact through technological means to ensure consistent
collaboration between company management and its most creative minds. This cooperation between
members of the company will give the advantage of creating a more unique and diversified product.
Attempts will be made to maintain this kind of workflow even as the company expands.
It will become a company policy to re-invest a significant portion of business revenue into research
and development. The past has shown that an investment in technology yields strong dividends in
the product. This can be seen from companies such as Toyota with their production of the Prius. With
an emphasis on research and development, SolarArt will pioneer Photovoltaic technology with a
much higher energy conversion rate, as well as well as a product with a more dynamic variety of uses
and customer applications.
Product and Service
SolarArt will design and manufacture photovoltaic structures for all kinds of industrial, commercial
and residential needs. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems International
Research Organization developed a process of screen printing images onto solar panels by applying
an organic dye directly onto the photovoltaic cells. The Fraunhofer Institutes website does not
indicate any form of patent or trademark.
The product will be initially produced in a manner similar to the one described above, until more
elaborate sophisticated or sustainable methods can be found through research and development.
Production may initially need to be limited to the designs, rather than the shapes of the panels
themselves until a greater variety of production implementations can be developed to suit the
desires of the consumer.
The nature of the finished product leaves it self contained between two panes of glass to prevent
deterioration of the reactive substances inside. If produced correctly, this means an easy integration
into the windows of buildings and the sun roofs of cars. This would give a beautiful stained glass
mosaic effect while simultaneously producing electricity to power the building or automobile. This
could also be a popular or even an iconic fixture to some community centers or electric car brands.
The actual cost of solar cells and their components is low given the economy of scale in which they
are produced. The primary expense comes in the assembly phase in the construction of the panels,
including the wiring required to connect all the individual cells. This cost can grow quite
cumbersome, especially considering the hundreds or thousands of cells that can be contained in each
panel depending on its size. However, future research and development as well as enhanced
production automation and controls will inevitably reduce this cost.
Although the designs are what will give SolarArt the competitive edge, a selection of modular panels
will be sold in a variety of sizes where electrical generation is a higher priority. Modular Sizes will
include:
● 2x4 - for smaller tighter spaces such as residential structures
● 4x8 - for medium commercial structures such as storefronts
● 8x16 - for heavy industrial use such as the rooftops of factories
In addition to the standard packages, SolarArt will stand ready for the distribution of emergency
relief packages, able to be shipped and installed easily in areas suffering from natural disaster.
Following events such as tornados, hurricanes and floods, the company will immediately dispatch
portable units to where electricity is needed. In effect, they will become portable electric generators
for powering devices used communication, water purification, etc. where they are needed with hours
of notice. This will form an important part of our advertizing, public relations and branding strategy.
Market/Key Customer/Industry Analysis
The most attractive selling point for this type of product and service will be the unique designs that
adorn the product. Customers will have the option to have panel designs custom made for their own
tastes. A huge potential kind of clientele would be companies seeking to literally give their brand an
alternative look. Companies would have the option of purchasing the product with their own logo
and brand name in them.
Currently the large majority of all the energy produced in the world is in the hands of a large
corporation or government. The Monopoly currently seen has left room open for competition to grow
by people thinking outside the box. The aesthetic aspects of the product, along with unique
marketing strategy and promotional implications will consume a large quantity of future market
share as it grows.
A great potential market for SolarArt panels are at public fuel stations. With the inevitable
prevalence of electric cars in the coming years, the demand for inexpensive on site electricity will
increase as well. Wouldn't it be nice if an emissions free car could be re-charged from an emissions
free energy source? Just another way SolarArt will help Americans move towards netzero lives.
Marketing Strategy and Implementation
Designer Solar Panels are a product targeting organizations and individuals interested in
environmental preservation, long term investments and with appreciation for artwork. A variety of
low cost marketing tactics will be employed, including an attempt at getting articles in popular news
organizations. A Federal Energy Tax Credit will be applied for that identifies the product with an
energy star label. The category for solar energy systems qualifies customers for a 30% tax credit with
no upper limit, aiding the marketing cause greatly and opening up all sorts of avenues for free
advertisement and product exposure.
To capitalize on the nature of the product, SolarArt will hold a "grand product reveal" to garner as
much publicity as possible. The company will submit stories about our innovation to local and
national news networks, print outlets and radio stations such as ABC News, The New York Times,
Detroit Free Press and National Public Radio. SolarArt will establish a website and begin advertizing
across a variety of other websites and social networks to draw traffic. Targets of advertisement will
include websites of construction companies for potential customers to think about having a home
built with solar panels rather than added on later, and websites like facebook to keep the product
and brand in context with popular culture.
SolarArt will also attempt to purchase rights to have panels adorned with the company logo installed
in proximity to popular public places such as parks, malls and community centers. Once again, the
nature of the product itself proves to be some of the best advertizing.
Operations/Design and Development Plans
SolarArt will first focus on producing a modular graphical product, and then after enough substantial
growth, expand to architectural applications. Modular panels will allow for a smoother integration
into a traditional product model. Investment will begin with an adaptation of the Spire Solar
Automated 100 megawatt per year production line.
Once the company is better established in the modular market, an architectural branch will be
opened up for greater opportunities for the products medium. SolarArt will have the capability to not
only create fine photovoltaic artwork as special projects, but in mass as well. This means we will have
the capability to put solar fountains in every park, solar sundials outside every community center,
and solar trees at every street corner.
A key feature of SolarArt as a whole will be its commitment to the research and development of
photovoltaic technology to advance the industry, and the world's electrical needs as a whole. A more
efficient solar panel enhances the monetary benefits of choosing solar as a sustainable source of
power, and give it a greater impact on the rate of greenhouse gas emissions across the grid. SolarArt
panels could be everywhere once Photovoltaic's are seen as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.
Financial Plan/Analysis
Initial startup cost will cover the rent/purchase of a location, advertizing and insurance. SolarArt will
initially begin with 5 design stations, being 5 Mac Pro's each equipped with Adobe CS5 Design
Premium. Legal Fees will include the establishment of the LLC as well as copyright and trademarks.
Solar Manufacturing equipment quoted from Spire Solar includes six modules; Test and Sort, Tab and
String, Cells Alignment and Transfer, Inspect and Laminate, Complete Module Assembly, Test
Module Performance. Quoted price will also cover the cost of the Solar Cell Screen Printer.
Star up Expenses:
Location: $115'000
Industrial Machinery: $857'000
Hardware - Mac Pro X5: $12'495
Software - Design Premium X5: $9'495
Legal - Establishment of Copyright/Trade Marks: $4'000
Website: $500
Other: $15'000
Start Up Total: $1'013'490
Recommended Initial Investment: $3'000'000
Revenue Model is based on the Corporate Profile of Spire Corporation, which has had company
revenue ranging from $20.1 million to $69.8 million in the past 5 years.
Year 1 Projected Balance:
Revenue $200'000
Wages: $65'000
Maintenance: $17'500
Advertizing: $25'000
Insurance: $12'000
Utilities: $9'000
Tax - MBT and Property: $14'500
First Year Projected total: -$956'490
Year 2 Projected Balance:
Revenue $450'000
Wages: $75'000
Maintenance: $20'000
Advertizing: $35'000
Insurance: $14'000
Utilities: $12'000
Tax - MBT and Property: $16'500
Second Year Projected total: -$678'990
Year 3 Projected Balance:
Revenue $775'000
Wages: $95'000
Maintenance: $25'000
Advertizing: $50'000
Insurance: $16'000
Utilities: $14'000
Tax - MBT and Property: $18'500
Third Year Projected total: -$122'490
Year 4 Projected Balance:
Revenue $1'025'000
Expansion: $225'000
Wages: $115'000
Maintenance: $32'000
Advertizing: $75'000
Insurance: $19'000
Utilities: $17'000
Tax - MBT and Property: $22'500
Fourth Year Projected total: $519'500
Year 5 Projected Balance:
Revenue $1'725'000
Expansion: $325'000
Research and Development: $150'000
Wages: $162'000
Maintenance: $46'000
Advertizing: $95'000
Insurance: $29'000
Utilities: $19'000
Tax - MBT and Property: $21'500
Fifth Year Projected total: $877'500
Future Projection
The Date is February 8th 2019, SolarArt LLC. is a company that designs, manufactures and sells
custom solar panels, photovoltaic surfaces, and other environmentally friendly infrastructure.
Founded in 2014 to humanize the industry of photovoltaic power, our goal is to continue producing a
means of clean, renewable energy through a medium that cannot be described as any less than a
work of art. SolArt has developed a method of "Photovoltaic Screen Printing" (PVSC) that actually
allows the panels to absorb light on a greater range of the light spectrum. The result is a hybrid
product that serves to beautify the area of its placement as well as generate a greater output of
power. SolarArt panels are rapidly becoming commonplace for commercial as well as residential
implications.
SolarArt now has its world headquarters in the renovated old Michigan Central Station Building.
Having such a large central location allows all the facets of our company to better work in tandem to
provide a superior work environment and produce a better quality product. This is a company that
values the contributions of all of its staff and designers.
Through the vigilance and determination of many talented people, the world is keeping up with the
growing energy demands, artwork and design have been integrated into people's lives, and the
infrastructure of the world is forever changed.
Sources
● Energy Matters.com
http://www.energymatters.com.au/renewable-energy/solar-wind-trivia.php
● U.S. Energy Information Administration:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page/solarphotv/solarpv.html
● Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems International Research Organization
http://www.fraunhofer.de/en/
● Design Flute.com
http://www.design-flute.com/2008/02/02/designer-solar-panels/
● Thermoelectrics: Direct Solar Thermal Energy conversion
Terry M. Tritt (Clemson University, USA), Harald Böttner (Fraunhofer Institut für Physikalische
Mebtechnik, Germany), and Lidong Chen (China Academy of Sciences, China)
● solarpowerengineering.com
http://solarpowerengineering.com/category/solar-power-design/photovoltaic/
● How to make Solar Panels
http://www.make-solar-panels.org/
● High efficiency concentrator solar cells and moduls
http://www.fraunhofer.de/en/press/research-news/2010/05/concentrator-solar-cells.jsp
● Probing Solar Panel Design Systems - Alexander C. De Feo
● Michigan Incentives/Policies for Renewables & Efficiency
http://www.wholesalesolar.com/states/Michigansolarpanels.html
● Spire Solar Manufacturing Equipment Michigan Taxes
http://www.spirecorp.com/spire-solar/solar-manufacturing-equipment/index.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUO3MDH_4Qo&feature=player_embedded
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=76421&p=irol-irhome
● Michigan Taxes Website
http://www.michigan.gov/taxes/0,1607,7-238-46621---,00.html
