Interview with Renee Solari
Renee Solari: So why did you take this class?
Eric Leyden: My advisor is actually the teacher and she suggested it. It is a general credit—I’m a psych major—so it’s a general credit for me. Six credits. Good grade booster. I’m trying to get into women’s studies; this is a kind of women’s studies kind of course. It’s based in women in the environment this year, I’m Hopefully I might be able to get my credits up and become women’s studies minor or double major but who knows?
RS: Of the people that you know in the major how many of them are male?
EL: Psychology there’s a small amount give or take, its mostly women. Even the clientele at are our school—there’s only one teacher is a guy.
RS: what an amazing learning environment.
EL: it’s neat; especially Elmira is 70% girls, 30% guys.
RS: Alright then, so your uncle Tom is one of my favorite people. (EL: Really?) Yeah. (EL: He’s a really good guy.) Yeah and he also was a psych major right?
EL: Yeah he was a psychology major.
RS: and here, he is in the solar business, that’s pretty funny.
EL: I know as far as I know he’s pretty good at it.
RS: He’s awesome at it. He’s such a great manager and well, anyway, he’s one of my favorite people that I can give a whole slew of things that I admire about. I used to work in the New Jersey office which is how I kind of got to know him more
EL: Oh, is it the same company? Like an outreach?
RS: Yeah, so SunPower has 4,500 people and most of those people are in the Philippines where we have our manufacturing plant, then otherwise we have the main HQ in San Jose and a very large office in Richmond, CA where I am. And then we have such a large office in Richmond because SunPower bought PowerLight and that’s where Tom & I came from. And at PowerLight they had many offices. So now we all work for SunPower and there’s still a NJ office, SoCal [Southern California] office, Hawaii office…and that's it.
EL: Wow you guys are really reaching out, that’s great.
RS: Yeah, oh yeah, there’s a bunch in NY too.
EL: Basically I wanted to get into this and start off with asking you what do you do? What does your job entail, being the projects manager?
RS: Is it worth it to talk about what I have done because I am no longer managing projects but it was what I’ve done for most of my career… I started to work at PowerLight about 9 ½ years ago. I started in the construction group, I installed the solar systems on the roof. Within a year I became a projects manager. I did that building both rooftop and ground systems for a few years. Then I went to the NJ office for 1-½ years. When I came back, I started managing other project managers. Then I had a role of just supervising project managers and we had separated the organizations. There were project managers who managed roof top systems and managers that managed just the ground systems. So I managed the PMs in roof top. Then I decided to go back to school. I am currently doing a Green MBA program. That was about a year and a half ago. So, when that happened I made an arrangement with SunPower to take on different responsibilities and a lighter load. So now, for the past year and a half I have managed a Process Improvement program. And that means that there are about 25 people separated into 3 different teams. And they have chosen to be on a team to take a look at a particular process that they are involved in their everyday work life that is problematic. This could be long and take months and months and months because it getting really deep into what is gong on with the process and is for effective improvements. So, I do that and I also work on other technical training for new hires and for project managers.
EL: Okay, so basically, you work on group work ethic?
RS: No, it is more about process improvement. Increase in quality and how we do things
EL: I have a question about your previous job. When you were the projects manager? Did you go on site or did coordinate in the office?
RS: Both. Early on, I used to manage in the field, we used to do the set up and the planning in the office. As we grew we hired people to be construction managers. Then I worked in the office and there was a field superintendent that I coordinated with. Because at that point, a project manager would work on 6-7 projects at one time so we couldn’t go in the field anymore.
EL: In your job right now, do you only work in the office?
RS: Yup, sitting on my butt all days ten hours… it’s horrible.
EL: Compared to what you did or what youre doing now, what do ask of your employees or who you work with?
RS: That is mostly defined by the job description, but I see my role as a supervisor is to provide the support that my team needs so hat they can do their job. The have responsibilities that I expect from them and they have expectations of me to help them or enable them to do a good job.
EL: To move on the next question, is solar popular in California?
RS: Yes. I would say because Cali has a rebate program, they allocated many years ago, to promote solar they got a head start. They were one of the first states to do it. Previously, there was less than 1% all of the energy of the state was related to renewable energy. Now, in my utility region, it is now 4%.
EL: So I take it the job market is good for solar even though the country is in a recession of sorts.
RS: I know a lot of companies went down, but I don't think that many of them folded, but now it’s growing again.
EL: So where would you see solar in 5 years?
RS: I would say that there a many more states that have programs and utilities who will increase the demand of solar energy. So I see it only growing. Especially related to our energy crisis and our fossil fuel dependence and concern for climate change.
EL: What about 10 years?
RS: Well I hope it is even bigger. So that certain states require that larger amounts of their utility portfolio have renewable energy. So I don't really have numbers of where it will be in 5 or 10 years, but it is one of the main ways that we are going to be able to survive.
EL: Other than moving to different states, is the company branching out in any other ways?
RS: Well, SunPower is an international company. So we have expanded in the European union. I think we have offices in at least 5 countries now. We at least working in 6 or 7 countries. As well as expanding in Asia
EL: what type of people you cater to, is it business to business or to personal consumers?
RS: we have a few different channels or how we distribute. We sell our PV to dealers that may have costumers for commercial customers or residential people. S, we sell to dealers. So that is a direct sale of our equipment. We also directly sell for residential costumers so we build their systems. We also sell to businesses and utilities as well as residents.
EL: when you deal with residents what demographics do you sell to?
RS: It’s not my area but I know their target for who they advertise is for middle class or higher. People who usually buy solar systems are usually white and obviously have spare money because solar is not inexpensive even with the rebates. Lastly we look for people who have a concern for the environment so there are ways to find such people.
EL: You mentioned PV earlier, do you sell solar thermal as well?
RS: No.
EL: What are your thoughts about the costs vs the gains for considering solar energy?
RS: The one thing is to note is that fossil fuel is completely subsidized, except that when you buy your fuel at the gas station or when you pay the electric company that it is backed by a coal power plant. You are not paying for the subsidies you don't directly, you pay for them in your taxes. You can say that solar is really expensive, it is just that solar does not have lobbyers or taxes benefits or the military protecting your assets with solar. So that the true cost is not as expensive as people perceive be. But still, you are paying out of pocket. So, PV is a large upfront cost and you can have a system for 25-30 years. So, you talk about payback, how long does it take for pay back, it takes 7-8 years. Some people don't think that's valuable enough. But it is a bigger picture than just out of their pocket. It is something that we need to do if we want a future for our children or our children’s children with a life that is protected and safe.
EL: I did a little research on PV, do you sell just the roof-ground models or portable as well?
RS: Most the distribution is fixed. Basically, They are stationary systems.
EL: What is the male to female ratio in your profession?
RS: Tons of men… our company has a dominance of engineers. If you look at the male/female ratio who graduate as engineers, it is mostly males. But in construction, I think about 1/3 is female which is not typical for construction.
EL: Are there many women in an equal or higher position as yourself?
RS: I’m in middle management. There are about 6-7 executives. There are 2 women. On the director level, out of about 30, there is about 4 or 5. It is not balanced really.
EL: Is there any inequality or are you being treated as well as the men?
RS: I don't think there is inequality, I think based on the type of work, it is just that there are less women in the field. I haven’t felt discriminated against in any way.
EL: Now about you, do you have an solar energy systems for your home?
RS: I have one, but installation is not complete.
EL: In the process or trying to hook it up to the grid?
RS: Just in the process, I’m getting a permit.
EL: I was wondering if you were doing anything else to be energy efficient, in a way bringing your work home?
RS: I have a pretty high value for environmental justice or social justice and that's why I got into the solar field. The solar industry didn't effect but I chose to go there because of my values. I live every day of my life considering my impact o the world. I could list about 30 things to try and mitigate my footprint to do better for the world. Other than the destruction that other people are participating in.
EL: So did you always wanted to be in solar? What prompted you other than the environmental impact?
RS: Well, my last name is Solari. I think that I always needed to promote environmental and social justice. So, I was going back and forth between those. Because of a friend, who I met at a renewable energy course. He happened to work at PowerLight and then invited me to come for an interview. I was thrilled at the opportunity; solar was very interesting to me for awhile. I didn't know that though when I was a kid.
EL: What did you want to be when you were a kid?
RS: It was going to be a biologist, a truck driver, mud wrestler or and oceanographer. Kind of varying.
EL: Has there been any hardships in solar that has affected you or the company?
RS: I don't know if its solar specific but it happened in the economic downturn last year. A lot of people were laid off and that was hard in transition. It was also very hard in the transition of fast growth. Being stressed out for so much work to with out any resources.
EL: Well, I have run out of questions so thank you very much.
