Recent News, Articles, Updates, Blog Posts and More!

Vines and Sunshine: Why Solar Energy is the Perfect Wine Pairing

April 12, 2018

Galileo Galilei, the famous Italian philosopher turned Renaissance polymath, was a pretty smart guy. Like really, really smart. Not only did he know a great deal about...pretty much everything, but he also knew a lot about wine. Go figure! According to the Father of the Science, “Wine is sunlight, held together by water.” Well, that pretty much sums it up. There’s actually a great deal of science that goes into winemaking, and the sun plays an integral role in both the quality and flavor of the grapes that eventually become wine. The right amount of sunlight is crucial to creating a…

How Solar Energy is Shaping a More Sustainable Future For Livestock Farming

April 12, 2018

Livestock farming has always played an integral role in both the culture and economy of the United States. But as the landscape of agriculture continues to change, American farms are now facing a series of unprecedented environmental and financial challenges. This is especially true in the case of livestock production, as mounting concerns over greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, and ethical treatment continue to shape consumer behavior. Clean, renewable energy sources, such as solar, aim to meet these challenges head on, allowing American farmers to continue building on their reputation as environmental stewards. The use of clean energy in the…

Rochester’s Fastest Growing Company Rebrands as GreenSpark Solar

April 6, 2018

Same Company, New Name - SunCommon NY rebrands as GreenSpark Solar with a strong focus on the Greater Rochester Area. Rochester, NY - Inspired by the community they serve, SunCommon NY, Rochester’s Fastest Growing Company and number one on Rochester’s Top Workplaces list, is excited to announce its future as GreenSpark Solar. With a focus on independence, both as a company and for Rochesterians, GreenSpark’s spotlight will continue to be on advancing solar energy right here in the Greater Rochester Area, while also expanding its already robust portfolio of renewable energy products for the region. GreenSpark Solar, loyal to people…

GreenSpark Awarded the Number One Spot on the 2017 Rochester Chamber Top 100

April 5, 2018

Fastest Growing Business We are incredibly proud and humbled to announce that GreenSpark Solar (Formerly SunCommon NY) was awarded the No. 1 spot on this year’s Top 100 list of fastest-growing companies in the Rochester area by the Rochester Chamber. We are excited about the opportunity to showcase our company to the Rochester business community because as our CEO and Co-Founder Kevin Schulte says, we are “in love with the economy of Rochester, it’s a rebuilding economy, which is the perfect time for us to be engaged.” In 2002, five college friends hatched Sustainable Energy Developments, Inc. (SED) in Schenectady, NY. Through…

Proudly One of Rochester’s Best Places To Work

March 29, 2018

Work is a fact of life, and one that occupies a great deal of our time. On average, it’s been estimated that nearly a third of our lives is spent at work. Keeping this in mind, wouldn’t you want to work for a company that adds to your life? Wouldn’t you want a job you feel good about going to each day? Well, GreenSpark thinks so. Recently named one of Rochester’s Top Workplaces in 2018, GreenSpark won first place in the small employment size category, which is reserved for companies that employ 35 to 124 employees regionally. GreenSpark's collaborative, family-focused…

Renewable Energy: A Public Health Imperative

March 19, 2018

Increasing the use of renewable-sourced energy is a public health imperative and healthcare organizations are in a prime position to lead the way. We know that at every stage of traditional fossil fuels and the ever-more extractive fossil fuels, from extraction to burning, are a leading source of negative health impacts across the globe. The healthcare sector combats and mitigates the resulting health problems every day. Renewable sources of energy like solar and wind offer healthier, brighter, and more resilient communities. Today, we shine a light on healthcare industry leaders as they strive to sustain their legacy of caring for their…

Rochester Electric Vehicle Accelerator’s Workplace Charger Challenge

March 5, 2018

Join GreenSpark at the Rochester Chamber SPOTlight- Workplace Charging- March 6th at 4:45 to 7pm GreenSpark is delighted to be one of six companies to join the Rochester Electric Vehicle Accelerator’s Workplace Charger Challenge! Sponsored by the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, this challenge will encourage other businesses to install electric vehicle (EV) chargers onsite for employees —and take a step toward a brighter future. GreenSpark began with two EV charging stations in 2016 and within one year, increased to six charging stations due to demand by both employee-owned and company-owned EVs. It is no doubt that EVs are key to…

Solar Tariff – We’re Not Slowing Down

January 23, 2018

Hello Rochester Area Friends, Yesterday the President decided to impose a 30% tariff to the price of solar panels. As you may guess, we at GreenSpark, Rochester's Fastest Growing Company, think this decision is remarkably shortsighted and detrimental to the economy and do not agree with anything that would slow us on our mission to tear down the barriers to clean energy by deploying solar, and doing our part to slow the effects of climate change right here in our community. The good news is this decision will have little to no impact on our growing solar community in…

Seneca Nation Leaders of Renewables, by Danny Resch

January 16, 2018

The Seneca Nation of Indians have always respected and relied on their land. They continue to hunt and fish in the wilderness, run and play on Lacrosse fields, and grow vegetables they call Deohako, "the life supporters.” More recently they have been powering their lives with clean renewable energy. They are people proud of the cultural, educational, and economic efforts they take to preserve their great heritage and beautiful homeland. The Nation of nearly 8,000 citizens has recently taken steps to continue this preservation work, a process GreenSpark was happy to help guide. Working with momentum from their 1.5 megawatt…

B Corporation Conference Recap

December 11, 2017

Written by Land Developer, Rachel Clar In early October, 550 members of the mission-based business movement gathered in Toronto for our guiding organization’s annual conference. We are united in the belief that business can be used as a force for social good - to paraphrase Ghandi, that we must be the change that we want to see in the world. This year’s theme was Inclusivity, as B-Lab is encouraging its worldwide membership to take on a specific call to action called The Inclusive Economy Challenge. This challenge is defined by a voluntary commitment to work toward improving scoring on…