Sharing Our Clean Energy Vision on ABC7 News Bay Area

What a conversation with Kristen Sze and the ABC7 News team. Being featured as part of their AANHPI Heritage Month segment gave me a chance to share what Bright Saver is building — and why I think the clean energy transition has to include everyone, not just homeowners with the right roof and the right resources.

Why This Segment Mattered

AANHPI Heritage Month is about recognizing contributions and stories that don't always get the spotlight. For me, it was an opportunity to talk about entrepreneurship through a different lens — not just the startup world I came from, but the nonprofit world I chose. The decision to found Bright Saver as a 501(c)(3) rather than a venture-backed company came from a specific belief: that the clean energy transition can't be just for people who already have advantages. It has to work for everyone.

What We're Building

Bright Saver makes plug-in solar NEM expansion kits for California homeowners with existing rooftop solar. Four 250-watt panels. Plug-in installation. About 45 minutes. No electrician, no permit, no contractor. Starting at $1,499. It's designed to be accessible — in terms of cost, complexity, and the kind of home it works for. If you already have rooftop solar and your electric bills are still too high, this is the product we built for you.

The Bigger Vision

In just a few months, Bright Saver has gone from an idea to serving dozens of households in the California Bay Area, with coverage from The New York Times, PBS NewsHour, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Washington Post, and NPR. We're working with legislators in 29-plus states to build the legal framework for plug-in solar nationwide. The ABC7 conversation was one more step in telling that story to the people who need to hear it.

Visit brightsaver.org to learn more.