Hometown Heroes: Sanford Goes Solar

When Solcium Solar first opened their doors in 2021, owners Gustavo Panosso and Michelle Solano knew they wanted to be an active member of the community and a reliable resource for green initiatives. Almost immediately, the company dove into conversations and started building bright partnerships with key players. So much of the success behind the City of Sanford is homegrown with growth and innovation happening at the entrepreneurial level, and Solcium Solar wanted to help those who helped create the thriving downtown sector that they love so much. 

In August of 2021, Solcium Solar launched the Small Business Partnership – a program that offered fellow entrepreneurs a small solar system that would power a portion of their business, whether it be a source for their market lights, stage or other electrical feature, at no cost to them as a way of saying thank you for making Sanford a great place to be an entrepreneur. 

Historic Downtown Sanford Green Initiatives

We counted on this program allowing Solcium Solar the opportunity to make a small difference in our hometown, paving the way for the organization’s philanthropic endeavors. What Solcium Solar didn’t count on was the innovative thinking of these entrepreneurs in wanting to take the Small Business Partnership to the next level, engaging in conversations about large-scale projects. We immediately got to work, determining how we can bring green initiatives to the downtown sector on a broader scale and partnered with our hometown heroes to change the landscape of Sanford forever. 

A leader in all things #Sanfording, Paul Williams and partner Shane Hardenbrook were immediately intrigued by the concept and engaged in conversations with Solcium Solar about transitioning their local businesses to renewable energy. The first project for the program kicked off in September of 2022 with a large-scale solar installation at Celery City Craft – a staple taphouse and beer garden located in the heart of Historic Downtown Sanford. 

Celery City Craft Goes Solar

This commercial project consisted of installing bifacial panels on the historic building’s flat roof using the non-invasive mounting system created by Solar Stack. The results produced a gorgeous 41.28 kW solar installation that is offsetting a large portion of their energy needs. 

When asked about his decision to go green, Paul Williams stated that it just made sense. “I’ve always been interested in solar but it wasn’t until I met with Solcium Solar that I trusted moving forward. The ROI from installing solar for business owners is a no-brainer and Solcium Solar has been a great partner throughout. I hope that this is just the beginning for Sanford going green.“ 

East Coast Sunshine at The West End Trading Company

The second installation occurred at Historic Downtown Sanford legendary and long standing establishment – The West End Trading Company – also owned by Paul Williams. No visit to this town is complete without a stop at what locals refer to as “Westy”. Their infamous Sunshine State Bombs are now truly powered by the sunshine by the newly installed 44.3 kW solar system, producing approximately 63,000 kW a year. 

The Wild Wild West Saloon Partners with Solcium

No honky here – Paul Williams wasn’t finished. He and Solcium Solar moved next door to tackle the energy consumption of Sanford’s newest establishment, The Wild Wild West Saloon. Here, Solcium Solar installed a whopping 45.6 kW system that will generate the honky tonk themed bar approximately 65,000 kW a year. Let’s kick up some boots to that offset! 

With the downtown region being within a historic preservation district, Solcium Solar ensured that all certificates of appropriation were obtained, permits were in order and approved by the City, as well as the Historic Preservation Board. All part of the Solcium Difference in customer experience. 

CSO, Owner & Founder, Gustavo Panosso, has great hopes for bringing more green initiatives to the town that Solcium Solar is headquartered in and surrounding areas. “Solcium Solar is proud of our partnerships to date and our established reputation of being a trusted partner in education for energy conservation initiatives throughout Central Florida, but I’m especially proud of our hometown leaning into solar solutions. Our organization has some of the brightest minds in commercial solar – I can’t wait to see what is on the horizon for renewable energy in the business community.” 

Solcium Solar’s dedicated team of commercial solar developers are hard at work with several other large-scale projects in Sanford, Orlando and beyond. This team are the local experts in the development and design of commercial solar, as well as a wonderful resource for determining an entrepreneur’s ROI and tax credits for going green. With backgrounds in property management, real estate and large utility municipalities, the Commercial Development Team at Solcium Solar is Central Florida’s top team for business owners who are interested in lessening expenses and maximizing profits. 

The Future of Downtown Sanford Looks Bright

Through great partnerships and the forward thinking of Sanford’s finest entrepreneurs, including Solcium Solar’s two owners, downtown Sanford now has over 300 panels lending to the start of the future of renewable energy in Historic Downtown Sanford. These incredible leaders are the true hometown heroes. 

So, next time you are #sanfording through downtown, please make sure to raise a toast to your sun-kissed beverage at these solar-powered establishments and thank these incredible hometown heroes for making a difference! 

To learn more about Solcium Solar’s commercial development team or going solar for your business, contact commercial@solcium.com or 662.SOL.CIUM