u.s. solar market insight 2014

As senior vice president of power supply, Avery oversees the company’s generation, system planning, project development and electric procurement business unit operations. Avery also is responsible for the company’s smart grid policies and initiatives.

Prior to joining SDG&E, Avery was a consultant with R.J. Rudden Associates, one of the nation’s leading management and economic consulting firms specializing in energy and utility matters.  Avery has extensive experience in utility operations and management.  He was the chief executive officer of the electric and gas operations at Citizens Utilities Company, a multi-service organization that provided electric, gas, telecom, water and wastewater services in 21 states across the nation.  He also held various positions at American Electric Power.

Avery is a senior member of the Association of Energy Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and American Mensa. He has previously served on the board of directors of the California Power Exchange, Vermont Electric Power Company and R.J. Rudden Associates.

Avery is a graduate of the executive management program at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. and holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Manhattan College, N.Y. He is an expert in energy markets, electric production, transmission and distribution operations.

Edgar has been investing in solar energy since 2009, leading the execution of over $1.5B in transactions with businesses, utilities, and governments.

At Sonnedix, he is responsible for business development, focused on acquiring and investing in solar assets in development, construction and in operation.

Sonnedix is a leading global solar independent power producer (IPP) backed by JP Morgan’s Infrastructure Investment Fund, focused on owning and operating assets long-term in attractive growth markets. Sonnedix owns interest in over 1GW of assets across North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Prior to Sonnedix, Edgar was Head of Latin America at sPower, a leading U.S. solar IPP. Previous to that, he was Head of Power Markets & Strategy at Gestamp Solar, a multinational European solar energy company.

Mr. Arvizu has a background in technology start-ups, venture capital and biotechnology banking from Silicon Valley. He holds an MBA from Cornell University as a merit scholar and a BS in Finance from SDSU.

Josh serves as a Senior Analyst in Equity Research at Canaccord Genuity, a global middle market investment bank, specializing in the Sustainability and Technology sectors. Josh joined Canaccord Genuity in 2006 and has covered a broad array of companies and publishes/presents market forecasts in the lighting, solar and semiconductor capital equipment markets around the world. Prior to joining Canaccord Genuity, Josh worked for First Southwest Company as an analyst in the municipal bond group and for Investors Bank & Trust. Josh graduated from Boston University cum laude with degrees in Economics and Physics and is a CFA charterholder.

John is President and Chief Executive Officer of Sunnova Energy Corporation, the leading privately-held U.S. residential solar and storage service provider whose technology-enabled service platform is centered on providing a better service at a better price through its unique 25-year service commitment with every homeowner’s customized solar or solar + storage system. With more than two decades of experience across various sectors of the energy industry, John is an energy entrepreneur who has always supported free market competition, consumer choice and the advancement of energy technology to power energy independence. Before Sunnova, John served as Founder and Chief Executive Officer at SunCap Financial, a residential solar system lease provider. He also founded Standard Renewable Energy (SRE), a top-10 provider of renewable energy and energy-efficient products and services. John received his MBA from Harvard Business School and graduated cum laude from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering.

Eric Blank is a lawyer and economist who has worked on electric utility and clean energy issues for more than thirty years, ultimately developing and bringing online over 1,200 MW ($2 Billion) of wind and solar energy projects. Eric spent ten years during the 1990s running the energy work for Western Resource Advocates (WRA), a Colorado-based non-profit group that established regulatory and other policies to make it economically feasible for electric utilities in the inter-mountain west to promote clean energy technologies. In 1999, Eric left WRA to co-found Community Energy, a renewable energy marketing and development company, helping to grow it into a profitable 40-person business that was successfully sold in 2006 to Iberdrola Renewables, the largest owner and operator of wind energy facilities in the world.  While at Iberdrola, Eric served as an executive vice president leading US wind development, placing over 700 MW of new wind facilities into commercial operation over a three-year period. In 2009, Eric and his business partner re-purchased Community Energy and are now focusing on both utility-scale and community solar development. Since 2009, Community Energy has developed and built almost 600 MW of solar PV, and has a significant pipeline for further additional construction. Eric holds a Master’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

John Bryan has more than 20 years of energy, utility, technology and automotive experience. He is currently the Vice-President of Product & Marketing at CODA Energy, a manufacturer and distributor of scalable battery energy storage systems headquartered in Monrovia, CA.

Prior to CODA, John was the CTO for Fleet Energy Company, a spinoff of the $2.1B Burt Fleet Services (BFS). John also worked at Xcel Energy in its Utility Innovations program, where he was responsible for overseeing vehicle-to-grid plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (V2G PHEV) projects, and served as program manager for the $100M SmartGridCity program and 1 MW/7.2 MWh wind integrated battery energy storage project. Earlier in his career, John spent several years in the automotive industry as a manufacturing quality engineer working for a major Tier 1 supplier to Ford, GM and Toyota, and managed telecommunications fiber backbone deployment programs for Qwest Communications, now known as CenturyLink.

He earned a M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Missouri and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Vanderbilt University.

Katie Bush serves as the Director of Project Acquisitions and Finance for Bright Plain Renewable Energy.  She joined Bright Plain Renewable Energy in early 2013 and has since transacted on a large portfolio of distributed and utility scale solar projects all across the U.S.  Bright Plain, in partnership with a leading global investment firm, invests in, builds, owns and operates solar projects in North America. Bright Plain’s current portfolio includes contracted solar projects in California, Hawaii, Arizona, Nevada, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Rhode Island.

Prior to transitioning to the acquisition side, Katie worked as a developer, project manager, and financial transaction manager at Boulder-based Main Street Power Company, and later in project finance at Tioga Energy. 

Katie holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Political Economy from the University of Puget Sound and a Master’s degree in Environmental Policy and Finance from Columbia University.

Matt Card brings over 20 years of marketing, business development, sales and product management experience working and leading in high-technology companies ranging in size and diversity from engineering start-ups, established software development firms and global telecommunications providers.

One of Suniva's first 20 employees, Matt has been instrumental in building Suniva's worldwide customer base since 2008, having led or managed the development of many of the company's key customer relationships. Under Matt's guidance, Suniva's sales organization has developed strategic commercial relationships with leading EPCs nationally and internationally, with major customers in North and South America, Asia, and Europe, and developed an industry-leading distribution channel.

In October, 2014, Matt was appointed to a two-year term with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee, chartered with improving export competitiveness of these sectors.

He has also held senior positions in Sales, Marketing, Channel Development, Strategic Alliances, Product Management, and Systems Development, at various high-technology companies including Air2Web, Infinium Software, KnowledgeWare and Sprint Telecommunications after starting his career in application development at MCI.

Matt holds degree a degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Georgia, and has done graduate studies, majoring in International Business, at Georgia State University.

Tim leads the Advanced Solutions team at SunEdison where he leads the deployment of energy storage solutions and technologies complementary to solar and wind.  Tim joined SunEdison in 2011 following the acquisition of his company Axio Power, where he was CEO and co-founder, a utility-scale project development company which delivered over 150 MW of solar PV projects in the US and Canada.  Prior to leading Energy Storage at Advanced Solutions, Tim served as General Manager of SunEdison’s North American solar business and as Vice President of Global Services. Tim has 14 years of experience in wind and solar, serving in project development roles at Enron Wind, General Electric, and 3 Phases Energy. Tim holds a BA from Dartmouth College, an MBA from the University of Michigan, and lives in Marin County, California.

Chris Diaz is a principal with Seminole Financial Services, LLC (SFS) a full-service national investment management / financial services organization. Mr. Diaz is responsible for the identification, evaluation, and negotiation of renewable energy finance transactions focusing on solar and wind projects between $2 million and $40 million in need of construction / interim financing; permanent debt financing; and tax credit equity. To date SFS has closed over $780 million in Construction and Permanent Financing for Renewable Energy projects, totaling 320+ MW as well as $150 million in ITC tax credit equity. Seminole Financial Services (SFS) provides construction financing; permanent debt financing; and tax credit equity for Renewable Energy Transactions as well as investment management services to various real estate investment vehicles. Currently, SFS manages over $330 million in commercial real estate and renewable energy assets nationwide, for the benefit of various public employee pension and retirement plans. Chris is a frequent National Speaker at industry conferences regarding Renewable Energy Finance and Energy Credits. He has published multiple articles regarding Renewable Energy Finance. Chris is Vice-President of the Board of Directors for the Distributed Wind Energy Association (DWEA) and an elected Alternate to the Board of Directors for the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA). Mr. Diaz has been involved with tax credits and financial services for over fifteen years previously with Credit Suisse, MMA Financial, and the Midland Companies. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science with emphasis in urban and regional planning from Florida State University and an MBA from Nova Southeastern University.

Zeina has fourteen years of renewable energy experience in development, origination and acquisitions. Currently, she is responsible for SunEdison’s North American business development team, leading acquisitions and joint venture agreements. Previously, she led an initiative establishing wind energy business development in Eastern Europe, Turkey and Mexico. Zeina graduated with honors from UT Austin with an MA in Energy and Mineral Resources and a BA in Economics and Middle Eastern Studies.  She speaks English, French and Arabic fluently.

Christian Fong is the CFO and co-founder of RET where he leads the finance and accounting groups. Prior to RET, Mr. Fong was a Managing Director and Head of Real Estate Capital Markets at AEGON / Transamerica, where he led an acquisition team in a multi-billion dollar private equity platform and managed the private mortgage trading desk. He was responsible for both credit and structured finance innovations, working with Wall Street counterparties in bringing alternative real asset classes into mainstream finance solutions in order to lower the cost of capital. Mr. Fong has previously been CEO of Corridor Recovery, and a consultant to real asset finance and financial services firms through both his own consultancy and McKinsey & Co. He received an MBA from Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, with High Distinction, and a B.S. in Statistics (Summa Cum Laude) from Creighton University.

Mark Goodreau is Director of Sales at Yaskawa – Solectria Solar. A 10-year veteran of the solar industry, Mark has held senior management positions with leading PV equipment manufacturers and PV syste integrators. He began his career in the semiconductor industry at Texas Instruments, and holds an MBA from Dartmouth College and an MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire.

Jesse Grossman is an established leader in the solar industry and has over 15 years of experience in project finance, emerging markets and renewable energy. In 2005, driven to transform the US energy economy through the rapid deployment of renewable assets, Jesse co-founded Soltage, an independent renewable power producer that develops, finances and operates distributed utility solar and solar-plus-storage project portfolios across the U.S. Jesse has served as Soltage’s Chairman and CEO since its founding, and has directed over $600M into solar asset investment through Soltage, which currently owns and manages a solar portfolio of over 300 MWs across 14 states.

Before going to work for CPS Energy, Tracy Idell Hamilton spent almost 15 years as a newspaper reporter, covering energy for the last three years of her career. CPS Energy hired her away to launch a blog that would allow the utility to tell its own story, including its New Energy Economy initiative, which has brought solar panel and component manufacturing to San Antonio, along with hundreds of jobs from other clean energy companies that have relocated there; its robust utility scale and rooftop solar programs, which have made it a leader in Texas and 6th in the nation for installed solar, and its success reducing the carbon intensity of its fleet, even as it adds generation. Her job has evolved to include assisting the executive team on communication strategies, especially surrounding their efforts to create a sustainable solar DG program that has the support of the local solar community.

Prior to joining CPS Energy, Hamilton spent nine years as a senior reporter for the San Antonio Express-News, covering energy, City Hall and politics. She earned her MS at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and a BA from Mills College.

The Connecticut Green Bank (“CTGB” and formerly The Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority or “CEFIA”) is recognized as the first full-scale state-level “Green Bank” in the nation. As Chief Investment Officer, Bert Hunter leads the development of new and innovative financing programs.

Before joining CEFIA, Bert was VP Finance and CFO of Spectrum Capital, Ltd, an investment bank focused on global commercial aircraft finance and investment in US electric power generation. Prior to Spectrum, Bert was VP and treasurer of the international leasing company of what was then Chemical Bank (now JP Morgan Chase) where he managed the funding for a billion-dollar portfolio of aircraft and equipment loans outside the USA.

Bert has an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School and a BS in Mathematics and Economics from Wake Forest University.

Since it’s founding in 2011, Stephen has been President of Amicus Solar Cooperative, the first purchasing cooperative in the U.S. solar industry. Amicus is jointly owned and democratically managed by its membership of solar development, EPC, integration, and installation companies. Amicus currently supports over 30 member companies across 23 states, which employ over 1,300 solar professionals.  Stephen led the creation of Amicus while serving as CFO for Namasté Solar, a Colorado-based integrator, who specializes in the design, construction, and long-term monitoring and maintenance of solar PV systems.  Stephen was one of the original employee-owners of Namasté Solar, and treasured playing a small part in the evolution of its unique business model for 7 years.  Before Namasté Solar, Stephen worked in academia on the non-market valuation of public goods, and renewable energy incentive programs in developing countries, such as Nepal.  Stephen’s publications can be found in the text “Economic Valuation of River Systems” and various working papers supported by the National Science Foundation.  His early career included four years at Chase Manhattan Bank and The Provident Bank.  Stephen has a B.S. in Mathematics from Vanderbilt University, an M.S. in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics from The Ohio State University, and a M.A. in Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

A founding staff member of the company, TJ has been with Inovateus Solar since 2007. Driven by the Inovateus pledge to “Build A Brilliant Tomorrow,” he has been instrumental in developing a world-class solar team that has successfully deployed solar energy projects and products internationally. Under his leadership, Inovateus has been recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work in Indiana” by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce in 2014 and 2016. TJ was recently invited to the White House to participate in a special briefing on clean energy and also received the 2016 “Outstanding Young Business Leader” award by the St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce. Among his business and community awards, TJ was honored as a 2013 “Forty Under 40” recipient for northern Indiana and southwest Michigan. He is also a board member of the Fernwood Botanical Garden. Before starting his career at Inovateus, TJ worked for General Growth Properties in Chicago. He graduated from Columbia College (Chicago) in 2004 with a BA in business management.

Jeff Lee is the Director of Sales and Business Development at ReneSola America based in San Francisco, a leading brand and technology provider of green energy products, where he is leading strategic growth and sales initiatives.  Mr. Lee brings fifteen years of wide-ranging experience in high tech solar and semiconductor industries across R&D, program management, product marketing, business development, sales, operations, and financing.  Prior to joining the company, Mr. Lee held the position of Strategic Accounts Manager at Hanwha SolarOne where he launched direct sales and channel partnerships in new North America market segments.  Prior to Hanwha, Mr. Lee held the position of Sales Manager among others at Solyndra where he launched strategic corporate initiatives and generated substantial sales and pipeline in the US and Asia Pacific.  Prior to Solyndra, Mr. Lee held the position of Project Manager among others at Novellus Systems, a leader in front-end semiconductor capital equipment where he led the development and commercialization of a flagship product in record time.  Mr. Lee received his B.S. in Mechnical Engineering from University of California at Berkeley and his MBA and M.S. in Engineering with systems focus from San Jose State University.

One of the early solar pioneers, Tom Leyden began his solar career in 1980 and over the years has held a number of executive management positions. He was VP of Sales and Marketing at EPV, a thin-film PV manufacturer, and at WorldWater, a remote-power and solar-water pumping company that installed solar projects in Africa and Asia. He served as VP of East Coast Operations for PowerLight, the commercial PV pioneer bought by SunPower, where he became SunPower’s East Coast Managing Director, and later was VP of Commercial Development at SolarCity. In 2012 he became CEO of the energy storage start-up Solar Grid Storage that was acquired by Sunedison in January 2015 where he became VP of Energy Storage Deployment.

Tom has served the industry in various other roles, including President of MDV-SEIA and Mid‐Atlantic Solar Energy Industry Association, board member of national SEIA and PV Now, and advisor to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. He holds a BA from Princeton

Matthew Maroon joined Aquion Energy as the Senior Director of Product Management bringing with him 10+ years experience scaling new battery electrochemistries from  laboratory into products.   Matt has a broad technical background in a variety of chemistries including: advanced lead acid, lithium ion, ultracapacitors, sodium nickel chloride, and aqueous hybrid ion.  Matt’s professional background ranges from directing research and development teams to international business development and sales with an emphasis on product management.  Prior to joining Aquion Energy, Matt was the Director of Product Management for GE’s Durathon product line.  Before GE, Matt worked at two start-ups: EnerG2, an advanced materials company; and Firefly Energy where he was one of the original inventors of the advanced carbon foam lead acid battery.  Matt holds a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering.

Mr. McCullough leads utility project development  for Hanwha Q CELLS in North America and was the founder of Hanwha SolarEnergy America (Solar Monkey), which Hanwha acquired. Mr. McCullough has over 25 years of experience in business development and project management.  Prior to starting his own business, Mr. McCullough was Vice President of southern California for Harding Lawson Associates (Formerly NASDAQ: HRDG [since acquired]), a major environmental engineering and construction company with over $130 million annual revenues, and was a Principal Engineer at McLaren/Hart Environmental Engineering.

Mr. McCullough has participated in numerous solar industry expert panels and has authored thirty publications on environmental issues.  He is a member of the Solar Energy Industries Association, California Solar Industries Energy Association, American Wind Energy Association, United States Green Building Council, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and the American Chemical Society.  Mr. McCullough has an M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from Yale University, B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from University of California, San Diego, and is an alumni of Harvard Business School.

Tamara Montague is Director of Sales for JA Solar USA and responsible for customer relationships, business development and operations for PV modules and cells in North America.  She has been with JA Solar since 2011 and worked in the solar PV industry for seven years.  Prior to joining the company, she launched Lumeta Solar’s BIPV products globally as the Director of Marketing.  Tamara has broad experience in the semiconductor and energy sectors.  As Product Marketing Manager at Advanced Micro Devices, she was responsible for business planning and competitive intelligence.  During her tenure at the Clean Energy Incubator, Tamara developed focused marketing and growth strategies for early-stage renewable-energy companies.  At UOP LLC, she designed and operated process plants for petroleum refining and petrochemical production.  Tamara holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an MBA from the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Ali Nourai joined DNV GL Energy (formerly KEMA) as an Executive Consultant in 2010 after a 30-year utility career with American Electric Power (AEP) where he launched AEP’s successful sodium sulfur (NaS) battery program and introduced the concept of the Community Energy Storage (CES). As the Storage Segment Director, Dr. Nourai is responsible for supporting thought leadership, road mapping and outlining the company’s strategic options in energy storage. Dr. Nourai is an IEEE Fellow, a board member and former chairman of the Energy Storage Association (ESA). He holds six US patents for his innovative ideas to improve operation and performance of electric grids.

Haresh provides vision and leadership for Mercatus, Inc. Since co-founding the company in 2009 as an energy finance and services organization, he has led the evolution of the business strategy, service offerings, and the Mercatus Origination and Syndication platform. To date, these solutions have empowered over 22 Gigawatts of solar projects for appraisal and screening.

Haresh has more than twenty years of senior management experience driving high revenue growth through sales for electronics technology companies, including Agilent Technology, PMC-Sierra and Texas Instruments. He served as Sr. Vice President of Sales and Marketing at WJ Communications, Inc., Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing for Agilent`s $2B Semiconductor Products Group, and Vice President Sales at PMC Sierra Inc. Haresh has completed Senior Management programs at Harvard Business School and Stanford University Business School and holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame.

Michael Picker is President at the California Public Utilities Commission. Prior to his recent appointment, Mr. Picker was a Senior Advisor for Renewable Energy in the Office of the Governor starting in 2009 and a member of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District Board of Directors since 2012. He was a principal at Lincoln Crow Strategic Communications from 2000 to 2009 and a consultant at Kaufman Campaign Consultants from 2000 to 2002. Mr. Picker was deputy treasurer in the Office of the California State Treasurer from 1998 to 1999 and chief of staff to Sacramento Mayor Joe Serna Jr. from 1992 to 1999. He was deputy assistant for toxic substances control in the Office of the Governor from 1981 to 1982 and an organizer at the Campaign for Economic Democracy from 1978 to 1982.

Richard Rambaldo is responsible for helping grow Sempra’s Renewable Energy business through deal origination, diligence, structuring and execution.

Richard has been an Energy Technology investment professional for over 10 years.  Before joining Sempra, Richard was an Equity Research Analyst at Citigroup covering Alternative Energy.  Prior to that, he was at Stark Investments, a $14 billion hedge fund, where he focused on public and private transactions in the Technology and Energy Technology sectors.  Richard began his investment career at Pacific Growth Equities where he co-founded the Firm’s Alternative Energy practice.

Richard graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology and holds an MBA from the Simon School, University of Rochester.

Matt Roberts serves as the Executive Director of the Energy Storage Association, overseeing operations and strategic initiatives for the industry’s trade association. Matt has over 14 years of experience in energy policy, communications and association management, with a recognized expertise in renewables, distributed generation, and sustainable infrastructure. Prior to joining ESA, he oversaw policy and operations for a global energy trade association focused on reforming transportation infrastructure and expanding the use of renewable fuels. Matt started his career as a House staffer and speech writer, and has consulted in the energy industry with organizations focused on solar, wind and geothermal energy policy and deployment. He has testified as an expert witness for the U.S. Congress and has spoken at conferences around the globe on energy policy and sustainability.

Sandy Roskes joined Astrum Solar in 2009. As Chief Sales Officer he has played a central role in bringing Astrum to #2 on Inc.500’s list of fastest growing companies, with over 23,000% growth over 3 years. Prior to Astrum Solar, Sandy was Vice President of Business Development and Marketing at FiberZone Networks. He was previously General Manager of U.S. Investments for Portview Communication Partners, an international venture capital firm. Sandy earned a B.S. in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University and received a M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University. He is also a NABCEP-Certified PV Installer™.

Ken Schwarz, is the Chief Financial Officer of Sungevity, a leading provider of residential solar in the United States, and in Europe and Australia.  Sungevity’s online IQuote process and the solar lease program make it easy to use and affordable for homeowners to benefit from solar power.  Sungevity is Lowe’s (NYSE LOW) exclusive US partner in residential solar and was recently recognized by B Corp as one of the “Best of the World” companies for using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.

Jigar Shah is the President and Co-Founder of Generate Capital. Jigar was the founder and CEO of SunEdison (NASDAQ: SUNE, TERP), where he pioneered “no money down solar” and unlocked a multi-billion-dollar solar market, creating the largest solar services company worldwide. He is the author of Creating Climate Wealth: Unlocking the Impact Economy. After SunEdison, Jigar served as the founding CEO of the Carbon War Room, a global non-profit founded by Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Unite to help entrepreneurs address climate change. Generate Capital, the Carbon War Room and SunEdison all follow from Jigar’s vision that business model innovation will unlock the largest wealth creation opportunity – resource efficiency. Jigar is committed to helping entrepreneurs and large companies alike implement resource efficiency solutions using “pay as you save” project finance models. Jigar holds an MBA from The University of Maryland and BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. He sits on the boards of sPower and the Rocky Mountain Institute.  Jigar lives in New York City and is trying to find the perfect cocktail.

As Founder & CEO, Dan Shugar helped build NEXTracker into one of the fastest growing cleantech companies in the U.S. Before he started NEXTracker, he served as CEO for the innovative cell manufacturer Solaria Corp. Decades ago, Shugar played a leading role in commercializing the first utility-scale solar trackers while working at APS & NWP Corp. He later served as president of PowerLight Corp., which was acquired by SunPower in 2006. Shugar oversaw revenue growth at PowerLight and SunPower from less than $1 million to more than $830 million and was responsible for the completion of more than 500 projects serving commercial, industrial, and utility clients worldwide. He has invented various PV system applications, holds multiple U.S. patents and ha

For over 30 years, Dan Shugar has helped advance renewable energy and climate technology solutions in the U.S. and around the globe. As Founder and CEO of NEXTracker, Dan brings together solar expertise and technology innovation in a way few technology leaders can.

In six short years, he created a solar start-up in the Balance of Systems (BOS) manufacturing segment and drove a successful acquisition with investment grade component manufacturer, Flex. Since founding NEXTracker, the Company has held global market share leadership for four consecutive years and has delivered close to 30 gigawatts of smart solar trackers on five continents. The company has now expanded its portfolio to include yield and performance software, global services and storage. Prior to NEXTracker, he grew Solaria Corporation’s annual revenue five times over a three-year period. Well-known for his leadership as president of SunPower Corporation and president of Powerlight, he surrounds himself with passionate, tech-savvy, clean energy-driven executive teams who share his mission to make solar a mainstream energy source. From Central California to the Atacama Desert of Chile, there isn’t a solar power plant Dan doesn’t know about or has worked to develop. He holds multiple U.S. patents and has published over 50 technical papers.

Dan Shugar has delighted and inspired audiences at over 100s of events, keynotes and technical panels. Some notable venues include: Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s “Future of Energy” Summit, FORTUNE Brainstorm E, the MIT Energy Conference, Solar Power International, Intersolar, Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI) Solar Week Conference, Greentech Media Solar Market Insight, Solar Power Finance and Investment Summit, Photovoltaics Summit, PV USA, Cleantech Open West, and Commonwealth Club’s Climate One, among numerous other notable events and conferences.
 

Mr. Shugar holds a BS in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Golden Gate University. If asked of his most coveted achievement, he would most likely mention the six years he served as a Board Member of the Sierra Club where we worked on the Beyond Coal Campaign. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA), Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), and The Solar Foundation (TSF).s published more than 50 technical papers. Shugar earned a BS in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Golden Gate University.

Stephen Smith is a 15 year veteran of the solar industry. He founded Solvida Energy Group in January 2009 to answer a growing need in the dynamic solar market- efficient and predictable project execution. Solvida is a professional services firm providing value to all phases of project execution: entitlement, financial modeling, planning, deployment and sustained operation. In early 2014, Solvida Design+ Engineering Inc. was spun out of Solvida Energy Group.  SD+E’s veteran engineering team offers turnkey design services for domestic and international solar energy and energy storage projects. SD+E is currently engineering utility scale projects in multiple US states including Georgia, New Mexico, Tennessee, California and Massachusetts. Total design portfolio for SD+E engineers exceeds 100MW.

Stephen has personally participated in the development of more than 100 solar projects for a broad range of clients - from Fortune 500 companies to state and federal agencies; universities to utilities. Early in his career, Stephen's relationships with specialty contractors provided him with a unique ‘bottoms up’ training and hands on installation experience. He later developed core technical project skills as a Project Manager with PowerLight/SunPower - the largest US commercial solar systems integrator. During his six years with Powerlight he amassed a diverse project portfolio: parking, ground and roof mounts, tracking and fixed arrays; project department revenues grew 400%, and the company’s average project size increased exponentially.

Tom Starrs serves as SunPower Corporation’s vice president, market strategy and policy, where he is responsible for the company’s global market assessment, market strategy and public policy initiatives.  He has more than 20 years of experience in and around the solar power industry, including senior management positions with Iberdrola Renewables, PPM Energy, and Schott Solar. Starrs is widely recognized as a leading strategist on solar energy market development, business strategy and policy.  He serves on the boards of the California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy, the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies, the Solar Electric Power Association, and the Solar Energy Industries Association.  Tom holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley's Energy and Resources Program, and a J.D. from the University of California Berkeley’s School of Law.

Rex Stepp has worked for APS since 2007 and currently leads the team responsible for supporting strategy, compliance and reporting for the APS Renewable Energy Program.  Rex has worked with customers, developers, installers and finance companies as they navigate through the many issues associated with installing renewable energy systems. 

Rex is also part of the adjunct faculty at Scottsdale Community College and has served on the board of the AZ Solar Center, a non-profit educational organization building awareness of renewable energy in Arizona.  He received his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Biola University and his MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management.  He and his wife have lived in Phoenix for 20 years and have 3 sons.

Bob Stojanovic, Director of Solar Power for ABB North America, is responsible for driving the company's North American solar market. In this role, Stojanovic offers a turnkey approach to directing wind solutions for customers. He has been with ABB since 1999 and previously served as a regional manager for low voltage drive sales as well as a district drives manager in wind, then solar. As solar transmission continues improve, Stojanovic and his team focus on future storage and smart solutions for the growing North American solar market. He holds an MBA from Loyola Marymount University and a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from The University of Western Ontario.

Bill Walton is a 2-time NBA Champion, 2-time NBA All Star, and NBA Hall of Fame inductee. He has been named as one of the 50 Greatest NBA players of all time. More recently, Walton has worked as a successful NBA commentator for ABC, NBC and ESPN. He has been named one of the top 50 sports broadcasters of all time by the American Sportscasters Association. Today, Walton is also the voice for NRG Home Solar, one of the country’s leading residential solar providers. Walton currently resides in his hometown of San Diego with his wife Lori. @NRGHomeSolar  [url=http://www.nrghomesolar.com]http://www.nrghomesolar.com[/url].

Mizhi Zhang, CEO of Sungrow North America, joined Sungrow in 2012 with a background in leadership in areas including R&D, product development, and project management. Before joining Sungrow, Mizhi was the engineering manager at Satcon Technologies Corporation where he successfully helped to launch PowerGate and Equinox series products that once had the largest market share in the utility market in the US. Mizhi is a Professional Engineer and holds a M.A.Sc degree in Electrical Engineering from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada.

Eric Wesoff is Editor-at-Large at Greentech Media. Prior to joining GTM, Eric Wesoff founded Sage Marketing Partners in 2000 to provide sales and marketing-consulting services to venture-capital firms and their portfolio companies in the alternative energy and telecommunications sectors. Mr. Wesoff has become a well-known, respected authority and speaker in these fields.

His expertise covers solar power, fuel cells, biofuels and advanced batteries. His strengths are in market research and analysis, business development and due diligence for investors. He frequently consults for energy startups and Silicon Valley's premier venture capitalists.

Ben is the Director of Grid Research for Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables (Formerly GTM Research), specializing in Distribution Automation, Network Management and Renewables Integration markets. He previously worked as a research analyst for Knwldg Houston, formerly a green energy and healthcare consulting firm, where his research focused on AMI deployment and smart grid regulatory policy. Prior to Knwldg Houston, Ben was a policy intern with Wexler and Walker Public Policy Associates where he performed research for energy, transportation, and defense clients.

He has authored multiple studies on the smart grid market, concentrating on policy evolution, technology innovation, the market's competitive landscape and project economics. Ben has delivered keynote presentations for multiple industry conferences, moderated and participated in panels covering a variety of topics, and regularly hosts industry webinars with GTM Research / Greentech Media. Ben has been a smart grid contributor on CNN Money, NPR, and the Texas Tribune. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science.

Shyam Mehta is Executive Director at NYSEIA, the New York Solar Energy Industries Assocation, the only industry association devoted solely to advancing solar energy use and deployment in New York State. As Executive Director, Shyam leads NYSEIA's solar policy initiatives and represents the voice of the New York solar industry in interfacing with stakeholders including legislators, regulators, state agencies and utilities. Prior to NYSEIA, Shyam spent almost a decade at Greentech Media (GTM), an integrated research, media and events firm covering the global renewable energy industry, where he covered the global PV supply chain.

Jade Jones is a Solar Analyst with GTM Research covering the global solar supply market. Jade aggregates and analyzes technology and pricing data within the solar manufacturing sector which informs both research and consulting. Prior to GTM, she has held several positions providing insight into the key relationships, business models and technology trends that are shaping the cleantech sector. Jade has a BS in electrical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara.