Solar Generator and Solar Oven Rentals at Campgrounds

With fewer people taking lengthy, far off vacations, a camping trip is becoming the destination of choice. While they are there, many people would like to continue living in the green manner they are used to but they do not want to have to haul everything along. Being able to rent solar generators and/or solar ovens at the campgrounds that they are heading to can be a big bonus.

Renting these items may also be a way to recruit new families to the green army after they find out how easy it is to use and how much money they could be saving once they get back home.

What skills should I have for this business venture?

You should be organized, people friendly and passionate about the earth. Be able to speak clearly about the benefits of using a solar generator or solar oven, but do not become preachy in anyway. You want to help guide people to decisions, not browbeat them into it.

You should be able to set up and troubleshoot the units as you rent them out if help is needed, as well as making any repairs when the units come back in at the end of a camping trip.

What licenses or permits do I need?

If you are renting these items in a national or privately run park or campground area, you will need express permission to do so. In some areas, you may be contracted to provide this service by the park because of concerns about camp fires, etc.

Who is my target audience?

You will be looking to rent these units to campers as they come into the park or campground. Hopefully, when they leave they will want to use more solar power when they return home. You will also have many people who are already avid solar users but could not bring their own unit with them for this trip.

Who is the competition?

You will compete against the traditional, gasoline powered generators in some campground as well as the campfire in the more "rustic" type camp sites. If you are in direct competition, gently point out the advantages of the solar powered generator to people and see how many of them convert after they have to continually get up and refill the other for one night.

What are the risks?

There are risks with any business venture, of course. You may find that no one on a particular weekend wants to rent either item, or you may find that everyone brought their own with them. You may also find that you are dealing with die hard gas fiends for one weekend and nothing you say or do will change that. You will have slow days and you will have out of control days where all of your units are out on the first day.

Green Entrepreneurship Resources
• *75 Green Businesses You Can Start to Make Money and Make A Difference
• *Finding the Sweet Spot: The Natural Entrepreneur's Guide to Responsible, Sustainable, Joyful Work
• *101 Ways to Turn Your Business Green: The Business Guide to Eco-Friendly Profits
• *Start Your Own Green Business (Start Your Own...)
• *Global Warming Is Good for Business: How Savvy Entrepreneurs, Large Corporations, and Others are Making Money While Saving the Planet
• *The Plot to Save the Planet: How Visionary Entrepreneurs and Corporate Titans Are Creating Real Solutions to Global Warming
• *Starting Green: An Ecopreneur's Guide to Starting a Green Business from Business Plans to Profits