SOLAR CIRCLE UPDATE
Launched in 2002 and still operating today, Solar Circle has helped to catalyze the U.S. solar industry from a small, highly fragmented market producing less than 1,000 MW to a powerful industry that’s now forecasted to account for 50% of U.S. production by 2030, 20 years ahead of schedule. Over twenty different constituencies in the solar value chain have come together including manufacturers, installers, designers, consumer advocates, technical experts, and policy leaders.
Meet Solar Circle members Julie Blunden, Titus Brenninkmeijer, and Richard Hansen to learn about their ongoing progress and current initiatives.
JULIE BLUNDEN
For 35 years, Julie Blunden has rapidly grown small energy companies to leaders in their sectors from power plants to retail power, solar and EV charging. Julie is now focused on Board work related to batteries for both mobile and stationary storage as well as their supply chains.
Julie currently serves as Board Chair New Energy Nexus, as well as on the Boards of Directors of American Battery Technology Company, ZincFive and as an Advisory Board Member at Plus Power. Previously, Julie held executive roles at EVgo, SunPower, Green Mountain Energy, ClimateWorks Foundation, KEMA Xenergy, and SunEdison and began her career with a decade at AES. She has served ten NGOs in Board roles including the Solar Energy Industries Association and the National Energy Storage Association.
A native Ohioan, Julie earned her MBA at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and majored in Engineering modified with Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College.
TITUS BRENNINKMEIJER
Titus is the Founder and President, Solgenix LLC, an investment company with a primary focus on privately-held companies that install or sell solar energy systems. In particular, these systems generate electricity (photovoltaic) or hot water (thermal) from sunlight in order to serve residential or small commercial customers. The geographic focus of Solgenix is North America and Emerging Markets where Solgenix works with companies that apply only proven technologies. Through its program of active investment management, Solgenix supports the strategic, focused growth of such companies.
Solgenix sees the power of solar energy as a catalyst for favorable social, economic and political change. By helping others help themselves, Solgenix hopes to promote a sense of community through advocacy and enabling environments to create a single voice for local entrepreneurs. Through its support of entrepreneurs, Solgenix provides the means for increased creativity and innovations that will drive the future of renewable energy where it is most needed.
Titus also serves as the Chairman of the Energy Access Foundation.
RICHARD HANSEN
Richard is the Founder and President of Soluz Inc., a company based in Massachusetts with a division in Honduras. Soluz is committed to advancing sustainable energy in developing or emerging market countries. Richard is a pioneer in the application of photovoltaic (PV) technology combined with micro-finance to increase energy access in rural areas of Honduras, having introduced PV technology in the country starting in 1989 under a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy.
Richard has provided advisory services for major institutions including USAID, the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank in Bangladesh, Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Haiti, India, Nepal, Nicaragua, the Philippines, and elsewhere. He has also been an invited speaker in countries ranging from Argentina and Honduras to Senegal and the Philippines. He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts and a master's degree in business administration from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts.