The Solar Outlet

Entrepreneurship
Innovation Plan Event

Produced by:
Stephen Bray
Tayler Rae Roney

Castro Valley High School

Castro Valley DECA
19400 Santa Maria Ave
Castro Valley, California 94546
DECA Regional Conference
January 16, 2015
Table Of Contents

I.
II.

III.

Executive Summary

Proposed Product/ Business/ Service Idea

A. Explanation of the Product
B. Description of the opportunity that exists
C. Description of the Target Market

Rationale and Feasibility

A. Trend
B. Differentiation
C. Potential

IV. Conclusion

V. Bibliography

I. Executive Summary
The Solar Outlet has created a way to provide endless amounts of power to electronics.
The portable aspect creates easy accessibility of energy wherever you may go. Whether youre
Camping, vacationing, working, or even stuck in a car the Solar Outlet can be used anywhere
with absolutely no struggle. Unlike other chargers which have the huge problem of needing
endless amounts of electricity to work, the Solar Outlet sticks true to its name in being 100%
Solar, taking energy from the sun and light to produce vivacity. This aspect will have a colossal
effect on consumers who have to go a period of time without electricity.
With the Solar Outlet consumers wont have to go out of their way to find an outlet in a
wall or a port. Customers can simply have a hand held sized outlet with them to revive from the
unlimited amount of solar energy. Using this product would help to make consumers lives easier
and simpler, while creating an opportunity for consumers to buy into a product that can truly help
our deteriorating earth one step at time. With every single source of electric power today, the
consumer has to find an outlet in a wall, or buy a port for their car to
charge their electronics. This causes an immense inconvenience
because they now need to find an outlet, while having to buy a
charging cord to plug into it.
Thats why the Solar Outlet will make the lives of millions
so much simpler. The buyer will no longer need to find an outlet to
charge their electronics, because they will always have an outlet with
them wherever they go. The Solar Outlet is truly suited for our new
era by creating the opportunity for easy accessibility in a charger,
while providing a way for consumers to buy into creating a better,
healthier world.

I.
II.
III.
IV.

II.

The objectives for the Solar Outlet are:

Sell 2,000 units in 3 months after first release
Expand out of California within 6 months
$250,000 in revenue in the first year
Create a easy to use website with an average of 1000 viewers per day within the first year

Proposed Product/ Business/ Service

A. Explanation of the Product

The Solar Outlet is a revolutionary new product to the power industry. It allows consumers to
have the power and comfort of their home wherever they go. In a world filled with environmentally
destructive fossil fuels, The Solar Outlet is the next big product in the green power revolution. It is a
power outlet that is directly connected to a solar panel to generate electricity that can be used to power
any electrical device. The Solar Outlet can be taken anywhere where no immediate source of power is
available including remote places out in the forests or even just in the consumers local park. With a solar
panel that can generate an unending source of power, there is no need for worrying about running out of
battery or remembering to charge it. With a simple, easy to use
outlet, any device that could normally be plugged into a wall
outlet in a home can be used with The Solar Outlet. No matter
where the consumer goes it can be taken with them and give
them the comforts of power from home.
B. Description of the Opportunity that Exists
The market for the Solar Outlet is worldwide. The need
for easily accessible and efficient power sources for advancing technology is common to everyone. There
is no other product on the market that can do what the Solar Outlet can do. Other portable chargers can
only charge a phone through a small USB port. The Solar Outlet has unlimited opportunities. Any
consumer using portable electronics such as cell phones, iPods & laptops will be able to charge them
using this product. The outlet also allows for the Solar Outlet to be used to power lights and any other
item with a standard power cord. Not only can it be used to charge all electronic devices, but it also does
so without the need of fossil fuels. The solar panel allows for easy recharging without the consumer doing
any extra work and remembering to plug it in to charge it overnight. The Solar Outlet can be used in
emergency situations as well where power may not be readily available for people to use. This is why it
can also be given to places like the Red Cross to bring to any emergency situation they encounter.

C. Description of the Target Market

According to the American Outdoor Federation and the Coleman Company Inc, 38 million
Americans went camping last year for a total of 516.6 million days. With this statistic in mind, the
preliminary target market of the Solar Outlet will be to consumers in the camping industry. The Solar
Outlet will first be released and sold in outdoor stores like REI and Any Mountain to ensure that it gets
the maximum exposure outdoor enthusiasts. The American Outdoor Federation and the Coleman
Company Inc also stated that of those 38 million campers, the most popular power source was liquid fuel,
especially propane. Many campers use propane for its easy acquisition and storage because there is no
better option on the market. The US Energy Information Administration shows that over the last 20 years
the price of propane has almost tripled. This continued price increase will lead to more consumers buying
the Solar Outlet for its money saving abilities. As sales increase, the target market can also be expanded to
more urban areas or anywhere where power may not be readily available. The Solar Outlet can be sold to
consumers who want easy access to power outdoors at the park or having a party in the backyard. As a
convenient source of free energy, The Solar Outlet has strong ties with green aficionados that will praise
the next big energy saving solution.
III.

Rationale and Feasibility

A. Trend
As oil and coal become less abundant, sources of free energy will be crucial in the trek toward the
world running on complete green power. With rising prices of fossil fuels, many consumers look toward
solar power to power their homes and heat their swimming pools. With this increase in the knowledge and
use of solar panels, consumers look admiringly to the free energy received from them. This positive
image will allow more consumers to be aware of the energy saving possibilities of The Solar Outlet and
be more accepting to it. Every day more and more people are switching to solar power and leaving fossil
fuels behind. The only reason consumers are not switching to solar power is because they don't want to
spend the time for them to be installed in their house. The Solar Outlet provides a quick and easy way to
use solar power and save money and energy. As more consumers switch to solar power, The Solar Outlet
will become a dominant force in the marketplace.

B. Differentiation

The Solar Outlet is like no other product on the market. Its unique design allows for not just one
single item to be charged, but many items to be charged or powered. So many other portable chargers
only allow for the charging of a phone and nothing else. The Solar Outlet is like any normal wall outlet
but its portability allows the user to take the comforts of power at home with them anywhere they go. So
not only can it charge a phone or a laptop, but it can also power lights and portable electric stoves. The
Solar Outlet never needs to be recharged and can provide
continual power that is free and environmentally friendly. Other
portable generators that contain an outlet weigh over 40 pounds
and are very hard to consider portable. The Solar Outlet has a
lightweight design that really deserves the name of portable.
During an emergency situation, there will be no ability for a
consumer to carry a massive 50-pound generator for portable
power. The Solar Outlet can be taken to any place where power is needed in the aftermath of a disaster to
the people who need it.
C. Potential
The Solar Outlet will start by targeting campers and environmental enthusiasts. As the Solar Outlet
grows and becomes a more successful product, it has the potential to be common household item. Families
can buy our product for not only emergency power, but outdoor barbeques or events as well. As a company
The Solar Outlet can grow as well and has a large earning potential. If just 10% of all consumers who went
camping last year bought The Solar Outlet, it would have 3.8 million units sold. As The Solar Outlet grows
it can be sold to homeowners and consumers who may not be campers, but still want to use it for free
energy. The solar outlet can also be used by my different organizations across the country and world. It can
be taken into a burning building with a firefighter or even taken into combat overseas with our countrys
military.
IV. Conclusion
The Solar Outlet is the next new thing in green energy. This new upcoming product has
stupendous potential to achieve great progress. As oil begins to run out, there will be a need for free,
environmentally friendly energy which is what the solar outlet was made for. The Solar Outlet has a large

consumer market. There are millions of consumers solely in the camping market that will need this new
innovative product to help them proceed throughout their day. It will also appeal to green friendly
consumers that would buy this product over any other regular energy-wasting outlet. Many portable
chargers claim to be portable but in reality it takes much more effort to move it when they weigh over
50 pounds. The solar outlet can really be defined as portable with its lightweight design that can be
carried anywhere. Also, the Solar Outlet is the only portable outlet that is completely solar and takes
energy from the sun. This aspect will provide an opening for consumers to help the world be more green,
and to stop destruction of our earth one step at a time. The Solar Outlet has huge potential of making large
amounts of money, and to continuously grow.
We are requesting $50,000 to help develop this product, in exchange for a 10% stake in the
ownership of the Solar Outlet. A $50,000 investment will be split in numerous ways. The first and biggest
amount of this money will be spent on increasing the inventory of the Solar Outlet by 1,500 units. Each
Solar Outlet costs around $20.00 to make at the moment. A large order of supplies will allow us to skip
the middleman supplier and go straight to the manufacturing companies, which would lead to a lower
price to create the product. Another $10,000 would be spent on improving the product and its design. At
the moment it is a bit clunky and needs funding to be improved and look better. The last $10,000 dollars
would be spent on advertising and improving awareness of the Solar Outlet through local commercials
and billboards.
V. Bibliography
The Coleman Company, Inc. and The Outdoor Foundation. 2013 American Camper Report. 2013
American

Camper Report (n.d.): n. pag. Web

<http://www.outdoorfoundation.org/pdf/research.camping.2013.pdf>

"U.S. Propane Residential Price (Dollars per Gallon)." U.S. Propane Residential Price (Dollars per
Gallon). U.S Energy Information Administration, n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2015.
<http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&s=M_EPLLPA_PRS_NUS_DPG&f=M>.