The "Tron" Look

The “Tron” Look Sells Solar

Image credit: Andrew Fysh at flickr under a creative commons license.

…and touts the first mega-viral solar video in recent memory.  What’s the commotion all about?

Well, it started as just another long-shot solar startup with a big idea and even bigger ambitions.

Then, this video happened (you might want to turn your volume down a couple clicks).  It’s closing in on 9 million views as of today and picking up steam.

With the YouTube help, Solar Roadways is utterly demolishing previous crowdfunding records.  Take two soft-spoken engineers, a save-the-world attitude, and artist renderings that could easily be mistaken for laser-tag advertisements.  Shake them up, and what do you get?  Galvanization of the general public behind a solar project, that’s what…to the tune of $1.6 million and counting from crowdfunding alone (see their campaign on indiegogo).

Unlikely?  Your government doesn’t think so: Solar Roadways has already received two phases of funding from the U.S. Federal Highway Administration.

Remarkable product + big dreams + a little viral marketing know-how: is this the new formula for startups in renewable energy?