Adopt-A-Watt establishes an alternative energy presence in Metro Detroit

metromode, 8/7/2008

About two years ago, Tom Wither looked at an Adopt-A-Highway sign and a lightbulb went on over his head. Actually, it was more a streetlight, a sustainable streetlight.

"All of a sudden it came to me why can't we reward companies for supporting alternative energy in a similar fashion," says Wither, the principal and founder of Adopt-A-Watt.

That moment of inspiration led to the creation of Adopt-A-Watt. The Royal Oak-based firm basically does the same thing for streetlights that adopt-a-highway programs do for highways. It lets companies sponsor street lights with solar panels in highly visible areas.

Rates range from $5,000 a year for the solar streetlights to $10,000 a year for bigger solar displays. Wither has already lined up support from 21 cities and is talking to airports to get potential streetlight sections inline. He hopes to start signing up companies this summer and put up the first solar streetlight before the end of this year.

The company, which Wither describes as a social enterprise disguised as a corporation, employs six people and expects to add more when it takes off later this year.

Source: Tom Wither, principal and founder of Adopt-A-Watt
Writer: Jon Zemke

Royal Oak