Monday, November 16, 2015

SUNRNR OF VIRGINIA, INC. JOINS TRADE MISSION TO CANARY ISLANDS

Harrisonburg, VA. SUNRNR of Virginia, Inc. is one of nine U.S. companies in the Canary Islands this week on a trade mission exploring opportunities on the Islands as well as West Africa. Companies from four states and Washington, D.C. are participating in the mission.

“Africa presents an incredible opportunity for the entire U.S. business community,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Antwaun Griffin. “The economic growth and market diversity on the continent mean there are opportunities for companies in just about any sector, and I’m glad to see such a strong delegation of businesses participating in this mission.”

The mission is organized by the Virginia and Washington, D.C. District Export Council, and certified by the U.S. Department of Commerce. It will connect companies to government decision-makers from eight West African markets, facilitate business-to-business appointments with pre-screened potential partners in the region, and include technical site visits across the Canary Islands.

SUNRNR is a Shenandoah Valley based solar generator manufacturer. The SUNRNR line of products facilitates collection and storage of over 2,000 watts of solar, wind, or water energy that can be used for supplemental, remote, or off grid power in a wide-range of business and residential applications. The products’ durability, long life span, and low maintenance requirements make them particularly suitable for grid outages, disaster relief, rural electrification, and stand-alone power.

“Bringing SUNRNR to more markets that can truly benefit from access to portable power generated from available resources is not just a smart business move, it’s an important contribution to humanitarian and disaster relief efforts worldwide,” said SUNRNR principal Jenny French. “The Canary Islands is an excellent avenue for introducing more people to a renewable power option that not only has a multitude of commercial and personal energy applications, but that can run water pumps, refrigeration, and support medical operations during times of emergency.”
SUNRNR is also participating in the Africagua Conference, an event for renewable energy and water firms connecting to development opportunities in the region.

West Africa had the strongest economic growth on the continent in 2014, and the Canary Islands’ network of ports makes it an excellent launching point for entering multiple West African markets. The Canaries also boast a stable legal framework under the EU, and a low four percent corporate tax rate.

This trade mission is an important part of the United States’ Doing Business in Africa campaign, and comes two months after the U.S. Commercial Service led Trade Winds—Africa, the largest-ever U.S. trade mission to the continent. The U.S. government has committed billions of dollars to development initiatives in Africa, and has facilitated billions more in U.S.-Africa business deals since the start of the Doing Business in Africa campaign.