Renewable Energy World and Crowdfunding Platforms
The internet is bringing an exciting new form of democracy to the world with the crowdfunding trend a prime example. Digital crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo are giving innovators and entrepreneurs unique opportunities to find novel new ways of securing funding.
Trawling for venture capital or drawing up an endless trail of paperwork applying for government grants may soon become activities of the past. The good news is that proactive renewable energy projects are also starting to secure much-needed startup capital in this way. They are taking full advantage of the opportunity to divide the required funding between several backers willing to take a significantly lower risk with smaller amounts invested.
Filling funding gaps
Although it may at first have been perceived as an internet fad, crowdfunding has become known as a unique and effective way of achieving funding, even when other avenues have proven to be unsuccessful. Unfortunately, not all crowdfunding campaigns are met with success. Projects that have achieved optimum funding generally have three things in common: they have a relatively wide potential audience, the idea is good and the marketing pitch is solid. As awareness of the need for this is increasing, the market is getting wider and wider. While renewable energy is always a good idea, not every related project is. What’s left is the marketing pitch which will vary with each project. Here are three renewable projects that have packed a powerful punch in the crowdfunding world.
Sunembrace – Solar energy has been the most pervasive form of renewable energy in the crowdfunding world. Although many of these projects seem to be repetitive, Sunembrance claims to be different. It harnesses the power of the sun and is also outfitted with a range of other useful tools like a pocket knife, plier and a lantern, making it ideal for emergency and off-the-grid situations. The Sunembrace Kickstarter campaign is hoping to raise US$32,000. Let’s see how they do in the coming months.
Green Energy Farming Investment Platform – This project is using Indiegogo to try to solve problems faced by Africa with eco-friendly energy sources such as solar energy irrigation. It involves developing a website and a phone app and obtaining farming land with a view of using solar energy power sources on the farm. The project aims to target poverty, hunger and unemployment while also tackling greenhouse gasses. An ambitious project, but well worth following!
Enercamp – Moving away from the permeating solar energy trend on crowdfunding platforms, Enercamp is a device that uses turbines to harness the power of water and wind to generate energy. Like Sunumbrace, Enercamp also markets the product’s usefulness in emergencies and for off-the-grid situations. Yet another interesting project to keep an eye on, on Indiegogo.
Is crowdfunding the answer to funding renewable energy projects?
In recent years several energy-related projects have achieved outstanding success in the crowdfunding world and have become thriving companies offering useful products. It will be interesting to keep watching the projects mentioned here, and others, to see how they perform.
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