Karolina Attspodina, Co-founder of We Do Photo voltaic
Karolina Attspodina, Co-founder of We Do Photo voltaic, is a Ukrainian entrepreneur primarily based in Berlin. He is on a mission to make home-grown photo voltaic vitality out there to everybody – whether or not you lease or personal a house.
“The startup is concentrated on offering entry to renewable vitality for everybody.
“Once I got here up with the thought, I felt it was unfair that everybody who owns their very own residence or can afford to purchase their very own residence has entry to renewables and individuals who dwell in flats or lease their very own personal place doesn’t have the chance, “mentioned Attspodina.
“So every thing is constructed across the thought of giving entry to renewables to everybody who desires to have it of their residence. And many individuals as we speak, particularly within the struggle, wish to be extra impartial and wish to create and create the their very own electrical energy.
The We Do Photo voltaic equipment gives low cost photo voltaic panels that may be simply put in on the balcony, “they’re very mild and skinny and they’re straightforward to put in. We’ve an app the place you’ll be able to see how a lot CO2 you save and the way a lot electrical energy you produce,” Attspodina defined.
We Do Photo voltaic launched in February 2022, “it is a full coincidence that the struggle broke out on the identical time,” mentioned Attspodina, “it was undoubtedly a harder time as a result of I even have a household, and lots of pal in Ukraine. I’m going to the borders, select individuals, develop my product, discuss to buyers, and it is a fully loopy time. However now it is a bit simpler as a result of I do know that the everyone seems to be a minimum of secure,” Attspodina mentioned.
When vitality costs spiked in March after the Russian invasion of his homeland, We Do Photo voltaic’s gross sales jumped 70%: “There was loads of demand for the product, and naturally, with the beginning of the struggle, our demand elevated . Now, we ship to 24 international locations in Europe and we’ve the UK on that checklist quickly,” mentioned Attspodina.
“Everyone actually desires to do their half in really getting concerned and ensuring we get off fossil fuels, and particularly that we get fossil fuels purchased elsewhere.”
In a yr of sky-high vitality costs, solar energy has seen outstanding development throughout Europe and has already delivered vital cost-savings for European customers.
Solar energy use in Europe will nearly double by 2022, in accordance with business group SolarPower Europe.
The EU will set up 47% extra photo voltaic in 2022 in comparison with 2021 – sufficient to energy 12.4 million properties. Euronews studies that the bloc’s photo voltaic producing capability will improve by 25% general by 2022.
Speedy development in photo voltaic installations throughout Europe is about to proceed by means of 2023 and past with the race to bridge the supply-demand hole for Russian gasoline working excessive.
“The European Union has made vital progress in lowering dependence on Russian pure gasoline provides, however it isn’t but within the hazard zone,” mentioned Government Director of the Worldwide Vitality Company (IEA), Fatih Birol. “Lots of the circumstances that allowed EU international locations to fill their storage websites earlier than this winter will not be repeated in 2023. The brand new IEA evaluation exhibits {that a} extra robust push for vitality effectivity, renewables, warmth pumps and easy vitality saving actions are important to keep away from the chance of shortages and additional nasty worth will increase subsequent yr.”
For photo voltaic startups like We Do Photo voltaic, this implies a busy couple of years of enlargement lies forward, because the transition to renewables has that means past the atmosphere and has grow to be an pressing financial necessity.
We Do Photo voltaic’s light-weight, easy-to-install balcony photo voltaic panels can cut back electrical energy payments by as much as 25% – and at a price of €1,299 – it is an funding that may actually repay for households for years to return.
“Every nation has its personal regulation on how a lot you’ll be able to set up your self with out electrical energy. For instance, in Germany, it is 600 watts and that is what our set offers as we speak. It is 600 watts, and that reduces as much as 25% of your electrical energy invoice. In fact, if you wish to set up extra and also you even have the house to put in extra, you are able to do it with the assistance of an electrician,” mentioned Attspodina.
He is able to deliver his solar energy answer to his residence nation of Ukraine if circumstances permit: “Proper now, what Ukraine wants are off-grid mills. My answer works when the grid is current.
“We’re assembly with the Ukrainian authorities and should launch in Ukraine when the time is correct.”
