Veranda Solar founder Capra J’neva aims to bring green power to the “plug and play” crowd with stylish, user-friendly solar panels. Her target customers are 20- and 30-somethings who want to make a statement about sustainable living, but don’t necessarily have the time or money to invest in installing traditional roof-mounted photovoltaics.
The company is developing compact, 60-watt panels that will run about $600 with a small inverter. The design is based on a petal-shaped prototype (pictured) J’neva, MFA ’08, designed in collaboration with Emilie Fetscher, MS ’08, for her master’s thesis project. The panels snap together to create a modular system that can expand as your budget does.
Veranda’s business plan won 100,000 euros (about $124,000) in a European green design competition last year. Now J’neva hopes to launch a pilot program by 2010.
MARGARET STEEN is a writer in the Bay Area.
