As things slowly get back to 'normal' during the unprecedented shared global sickness (and chance to heal) that is the current coronavirus, we at RPC have had a chance to step back and reflect on what is important to our shareholders, our staff and we hope- our customers.
The company ethos has never been more important '...primary objective of turning the tide away from environmental destruction and towards environmental harmony'; and in the last year not just the coronavirus has had Australia and RPC worried. We had climate induced drought, bush fires, floods, and now we are looking at a potential recession. It can be hard to fathom how we navigate the future in such rocky times, but if we follow our main ethos...it really all comes back to the environment, our love for the planet and desire to protect it. That's why we love why and where we work;
If home is where the heart is, then for many RPC is the heart and home of Nimbin. While many of us have worked from home, our little team has fragmented, but our RPC heart has continued to beat regardless, and now most are back at their desks, invigorated by extra family time, home schooling and home projects, solar upgrades, renovations, doing fire breaks and fuel/hazard reduction around houses, and learning new technologies and ways of communicating and working from home, which was and is a curve ball to some of the Luddites among us. And although we might have a few Luddites, we need and love them as they are; The sum of our parts is where we shine at RPC- hundreds of years of combined knowledge; one knows off grid technical stuff, one the pumps, lights and appliances, one can help with hot water and grid connect or hybrid enquiries, one can talk electric cars and modern technology, and you can even pick our brains about smart meters, apps, rebates and incentives, suitable appliances and old RPC products, if we can help you- we try to.
So what have we been doing these last months? We haven't been able to demonstrate much with the restrictions, but it gave us a chance to do a showroom revamp! And we are keen to be able to show off the new look: the easy access hands on off grid demo boards, where you can get close up to a real off grid system all plugged in and working, see what it actually comprises of and looks like, while chatting to one of our designers about what we might recommend for you if you wanted to go with solar power, i.e. how big a system you would need to power all the things you want like toaster, aircon, kettle or just phone fridge and lights. Although we haven't been able to demonstrate the systems much, or let anyone into the showroom, that doesn't mean we haven't been busy! The phones have been going crazy and we have never been more under the pump manufacturing, designing and selling systems and major components. Something selling like solar hotcakes at the moment are our various DIY off grid kits, and we even had time to make a little video about it, check it out online at our new YouTube channel (search DIY kit Rainbow Power Company- and don't forget to subscribe). Also kicking goals are our overseas projects; in Kiribati and Fiji we are putting solar power systems in some of the most remote places in the world, giving basic light, water and emergency power to isolated and impoverished regions; keeping in line with an original founding goal 'To aid developing countries of the world in improving their living standards by educating and trading with them in renewable energy products'. We think (and act) globally and locally and hope to do our part for our much loved community as well; along with our almost legendary weekend Living with Solar workshops, we have our new Terry McGovern apprenticeship program, to add to the many local initiatives we proudly sponsor; we continue to support many local sports and community organisations and events, independent media publications and of course many local businesses. Navigating the implications that Corona virus has and will have on the company has also taken full time commitment, and we are proud of the RPC team for traversing this tricky landscape; a testament in particular to the pedigree of our managers and directors.
Rainbow Power Company are your local authority on solar power and renewable energy: designers of high performing top quality Solar Power systems off grid, on grid and hybrid, plus specialising in Solar Battery storage, Hot Water and Solar Pumps. Our reputable products are made to stand the test of time, our installs are backed by long warranties. and we are here to stay - 33 years and counting! Quite a mean feat in this day and age, and this longevity is the foundation for some great supplier relationships, meaning we can compete with the big boys on component prices, but remain a local friendly business not putting profits first, putting people and the environment first.