Country's Oldest Non-Profit Solar Association Rolls Out Online Solar Marketplace to Advance Awareness and Adoption of Solar

ANAHEIM, Calif. - September 14, 2015 - Today, at Solar Power International 2015, EnergySage and the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) announced that they have partnered to show U.S. homeowners and businesses how they can easily cut energy costs, support energy independence and reduce carbon emissions by going solar. As part of this multi-faceted relationship, EnergySage's online case study technology is powering the ASES 2015 National Solar Tour, and giving the clean energy community the ability to quickly register tour sites and feature pictures, financial savings and other related information for the anticipated 5,000 solar homes and businesses opening their doors to the public.

The Society has also launched the ASES-endorsed EnergySage online solar marketplace, furthering its mission to help accelerate the nation's transition toward a sustainable energy economy. The new marketplace makes comparison-shopping for solar systems simple and transparent, giving consumers the information and tools necessary for understanding and calculating the true costs and benefits of solar adoption.

"The single most important factor driving a person's decision to install solar is peer influence. The tour gives people the opportunity to talk with their neighbors about local installers, local incentives, and local regulations," said Carly Rixham, executive director of ASES. "EnergySage is equipping ASES with free technology services that serve as a vital backbone for the National Tour. The EnergySage marketplace enables ASES to convert awareness into action, which is a key piece of the solar adoption puzzle. This partnership gives people tangible, objective resources to go solar."

The ASES National Solar Tour is the largest grassroots solar event in the U.S., and involves approximately 150,000 participants and 5,000 solar-energy sitesnationwide. Homeowners and businesses in neighborhoods across the country invite the public in to see what they've personally done to slash utility bills and help cut pollution from power plants. ASES turned to EnergySage to provide the technology infrastructure needed to make the tour an even bigger success. Once approved by the Society, participants can easily register their property as a tour site and upload key information and statistics about their solar installations. Attendees are able to search and navigate a comprehensive listing of their local tour sites and access pertinent details.

"Grassroots promotion and events like the ASES National Solar Tour are crucial to advancing solar energy adoption because they generate awareness from trusted peers in the community rather than from sales and marketing efforts that often alienate consumers. This partnership with ASES reflects our shared commitment to advocating for the consumer as well as the environment," said EnergySage CEO Vikram Aggarwal.

Although visitors to the ASES National Tour sites can receive instant access to data and educational information from EnergySage, the Society also wanted to be sure to extend the benefits of marketplace shopping to anyone interested in solar adoption. The ASES-endorsed EnergySage marketplace is a single online destination where homeowners and businesses can quickly obtain free, unbiased information about solar technology, receive answers to questions about all aspects of "going solar," and obtain competitive price quotes on turnkey solar energy systems. Consumers purchasing a solar energy system through the marketplace can expect to save up to 20 percent on the total cost of their purchase, as compared to getting a quote directly from an individual installer.

Aggarwal continued, "Despite the fact that large solar installers spent over $1.5 billion on sales and 'push' marketing last year, our research shows that only 30 percent of homeowners were actually influenced by these tactics to make a purchase. Solar shoppers with access to unbiased information and multiple price quotes are substantially more likely to go solar. In fact, we've found that more than 30 percent of consumers who obtain three or more solar quotes through EnergySage move ahead with a purchase."

If you would like to support the National Solar Tour visit the ASES National Solar Tour GoFundMe campaign.

About ASES
Established in 1954, the nonprofit American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is the nation's leading association of solar professionals and advocates. ASES is the US Section of the International Solar Energy Society. Its mission is to inspire an era of energy innovation and speed the transition to a sustainable energy economy. For more information, please visit: http://www.ases.org/.

About EnergySage, Inc.
EnergySage provides the first comprehensive online marketplace for consumers and businesses interested in converting to solar energy. By enabling people to comparison shop for "apples-to-apples" competitive quotes from pre-screened installers and financiers, the EnergySage Marketplace typically delivers cost-savings of up to 20 percent when compared to going directly to installers. EnergySage also simplifies today's complex solar industry by providing tools and unbiased information that enable people to fully understand their product and financing options as well as their return-on-investment scenarios. Many leading organizations have forged partnerships with EnergySage to promote the adoption of solar energy, including Connecticut Green Bank, Staples, Walgreens and the World Wildlife Fund. For more information, please visit: www.energysage.com.

If you would like to support the National Solar Tour visit the ASES National Solar Tour GoFundMe campaign.