1. What does Sun Run do and when did the company start servicing customers?

Sun Run is the first all-inclusive solar service provider for the residential market. We offer the Sun Run Electricity Package, which saves homeowners the expense and hassle of purchasing and maintaining a solar power system while providing all the benefits of solar power. It also gives homeowners peace of mind knowing their solar system is guaranteed to generate clean electricity or their money back.

Sun Run started providing solar power to customers in 2007.

2. How did the idea for Sun Run come about?

I first had the idea for Sun Run in 2005 while working on an energy project for Governor Schwarzenegger's office and the California Department of Water Resources. I thought there should be a service available to help families adopt solar in an easy and affordable way.

3. Why is this a good option for homeowners who want to go solar?

With rising electricity prices and increased pollution, solar power makes economic and environmental sense. In California, for example, residential electricity rates have increased on average almost 7 percent a year for the last 30 plus years.

Sun Run's solar service offers homeowners the most cost-effective option. Through a service that is similar to the way homeowners buy electricity from local utilities, Sun Run owns and maintains the panels, not the homeowner, thus eliminating the hefty upfront cost and maintenance woes. Once the system is installed, Sun Run provides monitoring and all required maintenance at no additional cost, as well as guaranteed system performance. The system generates a guaranteed amount of electricity, or your money back.

4. What are the basic requirements needed for a home to benefit from a Sun Run solar system?

Every home is unique, and as such, we provide custom tailored solar systems to meet the needs of each individual homeowner. While most homes will benefit from the Sun Run service, a certain amount of sunlight hours and un-shaded roof space is required to make a system beneficial for the homeowner. The rate at which residents pay their conventional utility bill is also factored in.

5. How does a homeowner get started with the process and how long does it take to have the system up and running?

When a homeowner first contacts Sun Run, we begin with a few initial questions about their power bill and home. This will be followed up by a visit from one of our installation partners who will present a custom system design for the home, demonstrating the environmental and economic savings of a Sun Run solar system.

After the homeowner signs a Sun Run Residential Agreement to lock-in a fixed rate for clean energy, we take care of the rest. We coordinate the design, construction, testing and grid connection process using the latest solar technology. Start to finish, your Sun Run service will be up and running in one to three months.

6. Who are Sun Run's partners and why did Sun Run choose to work with them?

We have partnered with REC Solar, Borrego Solar and Premier Power to deliver custom solar solutions for our customers. We have been very careful to partner with highly qualified and established installers to maximize the value and reliability of every solar power system.

7. What are the basic requirements needed for a solar installation company to partner with Sun Run and how do they get started?

Because we maintain and own the solar systems, we have chosen to work with credible installers, all of whom have a proven record of providing the highest quality solar electric systems available. If installers are interested in offering the Sun Run service to customers, we encourage them to contact us directly.

8. How much can a customer save using Sun Run?

How much customers can save is dependent on a number of variables, most notably the size of their home and the rate they currently pay for electricity. However, all customers save more than 50 percent off their upfront cost, and at least 15 percent over the 20-year life of the solar system.

9. How long will the system last and how much maintenance does it need? Is there a charge for this?

All of our systems are guaranteed to generate power for 20 years under the Sun Run Residential Agreement. Our solar systems will be a reliable source of clean energy well beyond the life of the contract, but do require proper installation, maintenance and monitoring. As part of our solar services, all maintenance and system monitoring are provided to the customer at no additional cost. Again, because we share our customer's goal of top system performance, we continually maintain and monitor each system to ensure peak power generation.

10. What happens to the Sun Run system if I want to sell the house?

There are three options if you decide to move. The first solution is to assign the Sun Run electricity package to the new homeowner, providing them with flat-rate clean energy service. Second, you can pay Sun Run to move the system to your new location. Or finally, you can pre-pay the remaining contract and wrap the value of reduced electricity costs and energy independence into the sale price of your home, increasing its overall value.

Nat Kreamer, President & Chief Operating Officer

Nat decided to start Sun Run Generation while serving with the U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan because he wanted to live in a cleaner, safer nation. He worked in power industry consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers, serving Fortune 500 energy companies and financial institutions. Before PricewaterhouseCoopers, Nat completed $300 million in venture investments in the Clean Technology Ventures group and was a member of the Emissions origination and trading group at Enron. He was also the Manager of market research and customer care at Epipeline. Nat holds an MBA from Rice University and a BS from Northwestern University. He is a U.S. Navy Officer (Reserves) and a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal. An avid sailor, he co-founded Delphia Yachts USA, the fastest growing brand of pleasure sailboats in North America. Nat is a member of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Nature Conservancy, and Sierra Club.