From the way electricity is generated to the ownership structure of utilities, we are at the beginning of a decades-long shift in energy production and consumption in the US. It is a powerful and positive force that moves us toward a 100% regenerative energy future, benefiting consumers and the environment in equal parts. With the current perfect alignment of technology, policy, and interest in climate solutions from the public, we are convinced now is the time to dive into regenerative energy headfirst. We have secured a site in Oregon as the first project location while we work in parallel on other offerings. The initial objective is to add a solar array to a single family home with a south facing roof and a capacity of sixteen 320 Watt panels. The electricity generated will offset the usage of the house and any excess will be sold to the local utility company, Pacific Power. And best of all, by using a representative blend of Oregon’s standard grid source (coal, natural gas, solar, wind, and hydro) we estimate that this project alone will offset 1,780 pounds of CO2 every single year!
How should I think about this kind of investment?
We hear this question a lot, and wanted to help you understand how investing in solar compares to other kinds of investments you might be familiar with. Energy and utility investments are very stable, long term investments. They are reliable and safe, and as a result generally do not have as much of an upside (or downside) compared to more volatile investments like stocks, cryptocurrencies, gold, or even real estate. As a result, we find it is helpful to think of investing in solar as a smart way to balance out riskier investments, guarantee income every year, and accomplish these goals while also directly supporting renewable energy. So whether it is diversifying your portfolio, hedging against a stock bubble, or searching for lower-risk, passive income, there are many reasons joining a GreenSeed project might be for you.
This initial offering will allow the GreenSeed team to explore construction costs, timelines, consumer interest, and other finances. Please know that all projections are estimates and are subject to change. However, we do not foresee any barriers to rapid completion of this rooftop solar at this time. In addition, there are plans to expand this project to a 14kW system on an adjacent patio roof. That project extension will be published as a second offering in the near future.
The project will cost $6,800 after factoring in a 26% federal tax incentive as well as local incentives that GreenSeed will apply for on investors behalf. Your purchase of a solar panel will include all required items for interconnection: electrical components, an inverter, and mounting hardware. Each kit (1 panel + equipment) will cost $425. The listed price only factors in the federal tax incentive. Local incentives will be credited to your account once GreenSeed has acquired them.
GreenSeed’s buy back policy means that you start making a profit on day 1 of interconnection, and you cash out of your investment at any time after our 1 year minimum investment period. That means you can feel secure in the knowledge that your investment will always be there should your plans change.
Projects with nameplate capacity less than 30kW typically take about 2 months to install. While the size and capacity of the project are a large factor of the timeline, they are not the only factor. GreenSeed must work with the local municipality, state regulations, and utility providers to ensure a project is safely installed. This means a project can take as little as 1 month to as much as a year to install and begin operation at a project. GreenSeed will of course be working expeditiously to complete the project as soon as possible, and way update investors regularly with project updates.
We estimate that an investment with GreenSeed will provide a return of 2% to 5% annually. The projections for this particular project will become more precise after the project has been in operation for 1 year. It is important to note that these are only estimates, and do not represent guaranteed returns. There are many different factors that affect the return of a solar project, from the sale price of electricity to the weather. For an estimate of this project’s return, please see an abbreviated model HERE. If you have any questions, please see our FAQs (linked at the top of this page) or feel free to write us at contact@greenseed.ventures.
A sincere thank you in your interest in GreenSeed. Our hope is that together, we can drive renewable energy uptake in a sustainable way while earning investors like you a reward for commitment to our shared planet.
Investment Tiers
$500
1x Solar Panel + Inverter + Interconnection and Installation + Lease Spot
$1000
2x Solar Panel + Inverter + Interconnection and Installation + Lease Spot
$1500
3x Solar Panel + Inverter + Interconnection and Installation + Lease Spot
$2500
5x Solar Panel + Inverter + Interconnection and Installation + Lease Spot
Frequenly Asked Questions...
How does investing with GreenSeed work?
- An investment with GreenSeed means you are actually purchasing solar panels, which GreenSeed will then install in its solar project. The investor (that’s you!) owns the panels and leases the space in GreenSeed’s project.
- Once installed, your panels are busy every day creating clean energy and sending that electricity to the public grid. Every year you receive a dividend payment from your panel’s sale of that electricity – your return on investment.
- And when your lease agreement is up (or you cancel/withdraw your investment funds), you receive the full value of the solar panels back, minus 3.33% annual depreciation.
- Therefore, an investment in GreenSeed has many similarities to a bond. It is can be generally viewed as a lower risk investment from which you receive regular fixed payments, like a bond coupon.
Do I actually own a portion of the project I invested in?
- Yes! The panels and microinverter you purchased through GreenSeed are fully yours. At GreenSeed, we think solar panels are happiest while generating clean energy for people to use and we are happy to host your panels in our project site for up to 30 years, the average useful lifespan of solar panels. In this way, GreenSeed acts a bit like a Self-Storage facility. We simply lease space for your property in our projects the way storage units lease space for your antique furniture and that record collection you forgot you had.
- However, if you would like to physically claim your panels after your investment with GreenSeed ends, GreenSeed will ship the panels to you or arrange for their pick-up.
How do you determine where projects are built?
- We consider factors like mean solar hours, local impact of climate change, low-income accessibility to clean energy, the sale price of electricity, and more when deciding where to build projects. We are always trying to find locations for community solar gardens where low-income communities that are highly impacted climate change can benefit from the clean energy.
- Finding the perfect project site is a balancing act between these factors, and this means we may develop projects through State Land programs, in partnership with private businesses (on farms or rooftops), or even on residential properties. In the future, we hope to develop multiple projects simultaneously, allowing investors to pick and choose the projects that are geographically closest or simply most interesting to them.
Why do you use the solar panels in the stated User Agreement? Can I use a different size or brand of panel?
- GreenSeed purchases solar panels, microinverters, mounts, and auxiliary components required for proper project installation wholesale. We do this to keep the up-front costs as low as possible, ultimately meaning larger returns on investment for our investors. Part of keeping these costs low is using the same low-cost, high efficiency panels in the entire project to minimize complexity. Therefore, we do not allow any substitutions or changes to the type of panel installed at the project site.
How long does it take to build a project?
- It depends! The size or capacity of a project are a large factor in installation timeline. But they are not the only factor, as GreenSeed must work with local municipality, state regulations, and utility providers to ensure a project is safely installed. This means a project can take as little as 1 month to as much as a year to install and begin operation at a project site. A project less than 30kW will typically take about 2 months to install.
- GreenSeed does its best to install projects as quickly and safely as possible, because it is in everyone’s best interest to get a project fully operational as soon as possible.
Who can invest?
- You must be over the age of 18 and a US citizen or resident to invest with GreenSeed.
Do I have to do anything to ensure a project operates smoothly?
- Nope! GreenSeed is responsible for installing and maintaining the project over its lifetime. Investors do not need to think about or worry about any of the details related to operating a solar garden. All you have to do is receive your payout for investing with us and feel great about helping expand renewable energy in the US.
How risky is investing in a GreenSeed project?
- An investment with GreenSeed is very low risk. Solar panels are a mature and reliable technology, and demand for electricity is not going to disappear anytime soon. In addition, GreenSeed will insure each solar project against any unforeseen damage, thus your property is protected in the unlikely event it is hit by a tree or struck by lightning.
- As an informal comparison, we find the risk profile to be roughly equivalent to that of a US Treasury Bill (that is, one of the lower risk investments one can make), but with returns significantly higher than can be obtained from Treasury Bills.
- On top of all this, to ensure absolute safety and encourage early investors, all investments with GreenSeed will be cash secured on early projects. This means GreenSeed will always have the capital to return your investment to you no matter what happens.
Why would I invest with GreenSeed?
- Everyone has different motivations for joining us at GreenSeed, but some reasons we commonly hear include:
- I want to invest in green technologies directly, instead of indirectly though stock markets or other security exchanges
- I want to offset my carbon emissions
- I want to support the US’ transition to a 100% renewable energy future
- I want to make money while helping the environment
- I want to diversify my investment portfolio with alternative investments
- I want to support small black and Hispanic owned businesses
- Do any of these describe you, or are is there another reason you are considering an investment with GreenSeed? Write to us and let us know at contact@greenseed.ventures.
Can I decide to invest more in a project at a later date?
- As long as there is capacity available in a project, you are more than welcome to invest more at a later date. Although capacity may be limited and is first come first served, space may become available when investors’ lease expires, or when GreenSeed expands a project’s size.
Is there a minimum investment amount?
- Investment quantity is set in discrete quantities related to whole numbers of solar panels. In other words, you can invest by purchasing one, two, or 32 solar panels to be added to a GreenSeed project.
- The cost of each solar panel (and thus the minimum investment amount) is calculated by GreenSeed before a project is launched and takes into account the wholesale price of the panel, its microinverter, its share of mounting, and any 1-time installation or regulatory fees. See the project description for the minimum cost to invest in each project.
Is there a minimum investment period?
- Investors are paid a regular annual dividend; thus the minimum investment period is 1 year.
What kind of returns can I expect?
- We estimate that an investment with GreenSeed will return annually 2% to 5%. These estimates will become more precise after the project has been in operation for 1 year. It is important to note that these are estimates only, and do not represent guaranteed returns. There are many different factors that affect the return of a solar project, from the sale price of electricity to the weather.
- For an estimate of this project’s return, please see an abbreviated model HERE.
How are my annual dividend payments calculated?
- Investors own a share of a solar project proportional to the number of solar panels they own that are installed in that project. Thus, an investor with 3 panels installed in a 30-panel project owns 10% of the project.
- The dividend is calculated as the investor’s share of the project multiplied by the total revenue generated by the project from the sale of electricity. Continuing with our example, if the project’s revenue is $1,000 annually, the investor’s dividend payment is $100 (10% of $1,000).
- Lastly, the lease fee is subtracted from the dividend before it is issued. The lease fee is a small percentage of project revenue to cover the costs of project maintenance, legal fees, and other costs incurred by GreenSeed. It is fixed in the agreement the investor signs with GreenSeed and varies by project.
- If a user has had ownership of a project for only a part of the year, their share of revenue and fees will be pro-rated as appropriate.
- Full detailed calculations of the dividend payment will be issued along with the dividend payment annually.
Can I choose when or how frequently I receive my dividend payments?
- No. The dividend will always be issued to investors once annually in January, based on the prior calendar year’s project revenue.
When can I cancel (withdraw funds)?
- An investor may cancel any time over the duration of their lease agreement after the first year. GreenSeed enforces a 1-year minimum investment period during which funds cannot be withdrawn for any reason. This is to ensure a project will be constructed once funded, and to minimize complexity and risk to all investors.
- After the 1 year period has passed, investors may cancel (withdraw their investment) with 6 month notice to GreenSeed by contacting contact@greenseed.ventures.
- While investing in a physical project should be viewed as a longer-term investment, we understand liquidity is important to investors and the desire to withdraw an investment prematurely may be unexpected for any number of reasons. We will always do our best to honor cancellations in a timely and expedited manner.
What happens when I cancel (withdraw funds)?
- When your lease ends or if you need to cancel and withdraw funds, GreenSeed will calculate any outstanding dividend payment that is owed to the investor. This payment will be issued as a pro-rated dividend payment in January of the current period along with all other dividend payments.
- GreenSeed will then calculate the remaining value of your solar panels using a 3.33% linear depreciation rate. This means that each year, your panels are worth 3.33% less due to their decreased efficiency and the availability of newer technologies. As an example, if an investor purchased panels with a $1,000 investment, after 1 year they will have depreciated to a value of $966.67, and after 2 years they will have a value of $933.34. After 30 years (the current average useful lifetime of a solar panel), they will have depreciated to $0.00.
- Upon cancellation, you will have the option to take physical custody of the panels (either by picking them up or having them shipped to you). Alternatively, GreenSeed will always agree to purchase the panels from you at their depreciated value, allowing you to “cash out” and recoup your original investment.
- Although the panels will have depreciated, do not worry! The dividend payment will more than exceed this small depreciation, and you still be earning a positive net return on your investment. See here for an example of returns using this model.
What happens at the end of life of the solar panels?
- After 30 years, or when a panel has lost its ability to efficiently convert energy within photons into electricity, GreenSeed will recycle the solar panels or incorporate them into smaller projects that do not require high efficiency. As always, the investors who own the panels will have the option to claim physical custody of them by picking them up or having them shipped.
- GreenSeed is committed to minimizing the impact of waste and carbon emissions, and will recycle or reuse the panels to the best of our ability and within the limits of current technology. Unlike residential solar installers or other solar providers, instead of charging you to remove panels, we will also pay the investor half of any incentive we receive for recycling or reselling the used the panels.
Do I have physical access to my panels at the project site?
- No. For your safety and to ensure there are no disruptions to project operation, both investors and the public will not be allowed to access the project site. Should you feel you have a compelling need to visit the site for any reason, please let us know at contact@greenseed.ventures
Have a different question?
- Feel free to reach out with any questions or comments at contact@greenseed.ventures