Apollo Energy is the first B Corp-certified solar company
Apollo Energy is a woman-led company that recognizes that the quality of life for future generations is impacted by the decisions they make. Their mission has always been to be the change they wish to see in the world by doing what is best for our employees, customers, and community.
Apollo, a solar company based out of Denver, was founded by Melissa Theesen, who’s helped bring more sustainable solutions to communities all over the world while also building her own solar company serving Colorado and Wyoming residents.
Not only is Apollo a local, women-owned solar installation company, but it’s also a certified B Corp. According to its website, Apollo makes solar more accessible by hiring English- and Spanish-speaking technicians and offering training and employment to more vulnerable communities.
Plus, Apollo has partnered with a counterpart of the company for a “Women’s Build,” during which women who work in solar come from all over the country for a solar installation. In 2019, Theesen helped build an enormous 40-kilowatt solar panel system for low-income veteran housing.
Amanda Perez has a Colorado wireman — ahem, wire woman — license, a certification from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), and five years of experience under her utility belt. Yet, she said she still has to achieve “above and beyond” that of her male coworkers to be seen as an equal on the job.
“I’ve been asked for proof of my license at a much higher rate than that of my male co-workers,” Perez said. “As a woman, you will have incredible challenges in every aspect of the field, but to me, it has been worth the extra effort.”
Perez is fortunate enough to work for Apollo Energy. Because the company was operated by a woman; Perez chose to accept the job offer.
“I work directly for her, so it’s been a really great experience for me to work so closely with another woman in a traditionally male-dominated field,” Perez said.
Apollo Energy has installed over 3 Megawatts (MW) of solar energy in the past 3 years, which is roughly about 10,000 solar panels. Our 3 MW of new solar capacity has offset 4 billion pounds of coal, which has prevented over 3,000 metric tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.
In addition to improving local air quality and lowering their customer’s utility bills with solar panels, Apollo has consistently been driven to always do the right thing, in every instance.
They believe that consistently incorporating social and environmental impacts into their decision-making is critical for their business’s ongoing success. That’s why at Apollo, it has always been standard to:
- Pay all of our workers a livable wage
- Provide employment opportunities for underserved communities
- Strive for employee retainment and enable room for growth
- Create the maximum amount of value for our customers
- Make energy-conscious decisions outside of the solar installation
- Recycle all parts and packaging
- Make business decisions considering what is best for our employees, partners, and community
B Corporations are an international set of businesses defined by balancing purpose and profit to meet the highest standards for social performance, public transparency, legal accountability, and environmental consideration.
To become a B Corporation a company must be certified by B Lab, which is a non-profit organization that has verified organizations in over 70 countries around the world.
Sources:
- https://youtu.be/vYNOsBGXH_I
- https://www.harnessoursun.com/post/apollo-energy-the-first-b-corp-certified-solar-company-in-denver-co
- https://www.ecowatch.com/women-in-solar.html
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-theesen-85886954
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