Company: Sharp Electronics Corporation, Mahwah, NJ
Entered by: Stanton Crenshaw
Company Description: Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group (SESG) is a subsidiary of Sharp Electronics Corporation and the U.S. solar arm of Sharp Corporation, the world's leading provider of solar electric solutions and a worldwide developer of one-of-a-kind home entertainment products, appliances, networked multifunctional office solutions, solar energy solutions and mobile communication and information tools.
Nomination Category: Company, Office & Product Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program

Nomination Title: Sharp Shines in New Orleans, Demonstrating Solar Industry and Community Leadership at "SOLA' IN NOLA" Customer Event

   1. Tell the story about what this nominated company achieved in the past year (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

          More than a year and a half after Hurricane Katrina, the rebuilding initiative
          in New Orleans is still very much underway.  Sharp's Solar Energy Solutions
          Group (SESG) chose New Orleans as the site of its annual customer conference
          this year,  leveraging its position as the U.S. solar market leader to have a
          positive effect on this community while also raising public awareness of
          solar.  Sharp is devoted to being an environmentally and socially aware
          company, and strongly believes in the role of solar power in the effort to
          rebuild New Orleans. 

          Sharp supplemented the conference with a solar build project benefiting the
          community, calling the unique event "SOLA' in NOLA." Sharp worked with
          numerous local organizations and businesses to identify the appropriate
          community where it would donate and install 10 solar electric systems,
          eventually choosing the Holy Cross neighborhood in the Lower Ninth Ward.  This
          neighborhood suffered extensive damage during Hurricane Katrina and many
          residents remain without electricity.  On February 28 and March 1, 2007,
          members of Sharp's nationwide customer network gave their time and expertise
          to install the 1.5-kilowatt systems on nine homes and a community center in
          the Holy Cross neighborhood.  These systems will supply a lifetime of free,
          clean energy and provide a shining example to other residents of the power of
          solar electricity.  The completion of the solar build was celebrated on March
          3 with a special ribbon-cutting event that featured appearances by several
          community leaders as well as homeowners that "went solar" thanks to the SOLA'
          in NOLA effort.

          Though Sharp's donation was small compared to the resources needed to rebuild
          the neighborhood, the project is intended to have a long-term impact on the
          community by educating residents on the possibilities of solar energy and
          demonstrate how it can be instrumental in reconstructing the city.  A key
          criteria during the selection process for the donation was that homeowners
          must agree to give tours and testimonials of their "solar homes" to other New
          Orleans residents for three years.  The homes will be featured on
          quarterly "Clean Energy Tours" for the next three years, conducted by the
          Alliance for Affordable Energy.  The idea is that as other homeowners repair
          their homes, they'll get an up-close look at what solar panels look like and
          how they work. Similarly, the media coverage coming out of the event was
          primarily educational in nature.  These stories were meant to raise awareness
          for solar power and its positive affect on the community and for residents,
          rather than promoting Sharp and its products.

          As part of its continued commitment to New Orleans, Sharp will return to the
          city to inspect the 10 installation sites to ensure optimal performance and to
          interview homeowners about their solar experience.  Sharp plans to conduct
          hands-on training for local contractors so that when residents opt to install
          solar systems, they have qualified professionals to turn to.  Sharp also
          intends to spearhead efforts with local government officials to help establish
          a viable state-wide solar incentives program.

   2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

          Press release on Sharp's Web site:
          http://solar.sharpusa.com/files/sol_dow_Sola_in_Nola_022807.pdf

          The Advocate, Baton Rouge (March 5, 2007)
          http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/6304387.html

          Alternative Energy Retailer (February 22, 2007)
          http://www.aer-online.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.300

          Bayou Buzz (April 9, 2007)
          http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/Weather/Storm/IPCC_Global_Warming_Report_Bad_For_New_Orleans__3386.asp

          Greenoptions.com (March 1, 2007)
          http://www.greenoptions.com/news/sharp_giving_out_free_solar_panels_to_new_orleans_neighborhoods

          Gumbogroove.com (February 27, 2007)
          http://www.gumbogroove.com/node/3210

          Maria Energia blog (February 26, 2007)
          http://mariaenergia.blogspot.com/2007/02/solar-power-donated-to-new-orleans_26.html

          The New Wave (March 21, 2007) - published by Tulane University
          http://www2.tulane.edu/article_news_details.cfm?ArticleID=7204

          The New Yorker Online (March 9, 2007)
          http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/neworleansjournal/2007/03/healing_thyself.html

          RenewableEnergyAccess.com (February 21, 2007)
          http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=47520

          RenewableEnergyAccess.com (February 28, 2007)
          http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/partner/story?id=47592

          RenewableEnergyAccess.com (March 6, 2007)
          http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=47637

          RenewableEnergyAccess.com (March 15, 2007)
          http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/podcast?id=47755

          RenewableEnergyAccess.com (March 20, 2007)
          http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=47816

          The Sietch blog (March 1, 2007)
          http://www.blog.thesietch.org/2007/03/01/sharp-giving-away-free-solar-power-
          systems-in-new-orleans

          The Times-Picayune (March 11, 2007)
          http://www.nola.com/business/t-p/index.ssf?/base/money-
          1/117359952326600.xml&coll=1

          The Trumpet (March 15, 2007)
          http://www.npnnola.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/the-trumpet-3-15-07.pdf

   3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader of this nominated company:

          Sharp's Solar Energy Solutions Group is a unit of Sharp Electronics
          Corporation, the U.S. subsidiary of Sharp Corporation, Osaka, Japan, a
          worldwide developer of one-of-a-kind home entertainment products, appliances,
          networked multifunctional office solutions, solar energy solutions and mobile
          communication and information tools.  Sharp is the world market leader in
          solar panel production and also the U.S. market leader, and maintains solar
          panel assembly operations at its manufacturing facility in Memphis, TN.  The
          solar manufacturing facility assembles a variety of panels for residential and
          commercial installations.  Sharp aims to become a zero global warming impact
          company by 2010.