Champion of Clean
Q&A: Red Hot with Brent Harris
Valuing our industry's trailblazers is vital. Proudly, WADE Canada has seven such mavericks on our board. Get to know the leadership team as we profile our own resident Champions of Clean as part DE News 2.0.
Harnessing heat (light really) and putting it to work is what WADE Canada's Treasurer, Brent Harris does best - which has made him red hot in Canada's solar industry. We discussed Brent's game-changing technology, how he likes to push boundaries and how his company is saving our cities finest - firefighters actually. June's Champion of Clean talks about DE and why he feels the best way to protect the future, is to create it.
So Brent, tell us about Sustainable Energy Technologies; what are you about?
Sustainable Energy Technologies (STG:CN) - founded in 1999 - was formed to design, manufacture and distribute the SUNERGY grid-tie photovoltaic inverter. Our proprietary technology is the industry's first, and only, string inverter to operate at voltages well below the industry standard of 600V through parallel system design. SUNERGY maintains high system efficiencies while removing the risk of electrocution by limiting system voltage to the voltage of the solar panel; typically under 120Vdc.
We believe that our technologies and products hold the potential to make solar electricity in rooftop and building integrated applications cost competitive under real world conditions with electricity from the power grid.
So more specifically, how is this a game-changer?
Its ‘game-changing' technology because it breaks the solar status-quo. SUNERGY inverters push the boundaries of what is ‘known' in the solar industry by removing the barriers created through traditional system design. Resistance to traditional performance barriers means no more costly system designs or system limitations, while increased safety through decreased voltages means systems can be installed in locations otherwise thought to dangerous for PV. Further, the modularity of a parallel system design affords the ability to ‘scale-up' system size as funding becomes available. We serve engineering and architectural firms, as well as construction companies.
We believe that our technologies and products hold the potential to make solar electricity in rooftop and building integrated applications cost competitive under real world conditions with electricity from the power grid.
So more specifically, how is this a game-changer?
Its ‘game-changing' technology because it breaks the solar status-quo. SUNERGY inverters push the boundaries of what is ‘known' in the solar industry by removing the barriers created through traditional system design. Resistance to traditional performance barriers means no more costly system designs or system limitations, while increased safety through decreased voltages means systems can be installed in locations otherwise thought to dangerous for PV. Further, the modularity of a parallel system design affords the ability to ‘scale-up' system size as funding becomes available. We serve engineering and architectural firms, as well as construction companies.
Image Source: PV Safety for Firefighters presentation.
The inverter converts DC (direct current) to AC (alternating current).
Your technology is unique, tell us why.
The parallel wiring advantage provides any SUNERGY system with a greater ability to resist losses due to environmental or technological impedances such as partial shading or module mismatch losses while the inverters ability to produce energy in temperature variations from +40C to -40C means SUNERGY systems can be installed almost anywhere in the world.
The importance of this technology cannot be overstated. SET is positioned to make a significant impact on the future direction of the entire solar industry. The parallel system will help to make solar a reality for many more people and businesses.
Why are you passionate about DE?
Decentralized Energy must play a key role in our electricity supply system if we are to have any chance of succeeding in meeting our future electricity needs. Rising populations, rising expectations on quality of life, and the advent of the electric car are all going to put enormous pressure on our electricity infrastructure.
Spiralling costs, dwindling conventional energy supplies, emissions concerns, and the sheer time involved between planning and commissioning conventional power plants make them less and less attractive as time goes on. It won't happen overnight, but these infrastructure assets have a long service life, and there is lots of work to do before DE can deliver a significant portion of our energy, so if we are going to meet the challenge we need to change the decisions and investments we are making today
Image Source: Sustainable Energy Technologies
What excites you most about the next 10 years for DE?
Currently, half of the world's solar market is in Germany, translating to 7,000MW of capacity installed last year versus 1,000 MW installed in the US and 200 MW installed in Canada in 2010. There is enormous potential in Canada - its growing and incentivizing by the year. Sustainable Energy Technologies has capitalized on the uptake for technology in an uncertain market all the while navigating profits and growth.
Let's talk first responder education - specifically how you help to educate firefighters; what do you teach them and why?
Making decisions based on known risk is a major part of a firefighter's duty and responsibility, but unknown risks have deadly consequences. So as technologies evolve in the construction of buildings, so do the reaction methods of fire departments. The better the PV industry can outline the risks related to these systems, the better able firefighters will be able to respond appropriately to fires where PV systems are present.
As such, Sustainable Energy Technologies presented to the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs. We discuss what solar power is and cover topics like construction and weight-bearing capabilities, electrical hazards, and safety guidelines with PV technology.
How does membership with WADE Canada translate to value for Sustainable Energy Technologies?
WADE Canada has helped to lobby for needed recognition for decentralized energy in this country. Though our business is limited in Canada, our networks have grown domestically due to association with WADE Canada.
And finally, who do you deem a top DE trailblazer in Canada and why?
Russ Smith, Medicine Hat - It takes a lot of courage and determination to push through policies and programs related to Decentralized Energy - especially at the municipal level. However, outside of Ontario, most of the policy activity in Canada involving DE is at the municipal or regional level, as opposed to National or State level programs elsewhere in the world. Medicine Hat is a leading municipality in this regard. Russ Smith is a great example of a municipal leader who fought to bring solar power to the City of Medicine Hat as part of their HatSMART program that also includes energy efficiency initiatives. His hard work has provided us with a local showcase for our technologies and they serve as an example for other governments (at all levels) for how easy solar is to deploy -- and how much interest there is in these new generation technologies.
Brent is an active proponent of changes to the management and regulation of our electric system that will enable greater adoption of decentralized and renewable energy technologies.
He is a Member of the Board and Treasurer of WADE Canada, and was a Member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Solar Industries Association from 2005-2008.
Brent is a graduate of Queen's University in Applied Science, Electrical Engineering, and was selected as one of Calgary's Top 40 Under 40 by Avenue Magazine in 2009.
Contact Brent at Brent.Harris@SustainableEnergy.com
The parallel wiring advantage provides any SUNERGY system with a greater ability to resist losses due to environmental or technological impedances such as partial shading or module mismatch losses while the inverters ability to produce energy in temperature variations from +40C to -40C means SUNERGY systems can be installed almost anywhere in the world.
The importance of this technology cannot be overstated. SET is positioned to make a significant impact on the future direction of the entire solar industry. The parallel system will help to make solar a reality for many more people and businesses.
Why are you passionate about DE?
Decentralized Energy must play a key role in our electricity supply system if we are to have any chance of succeeding in meeting our future electricity needs. Rising populations, rising expectations on quality of life, and the advent of the electric car are all going to put enormous pressure on our electricity infrastructure.
Spiralling costs, dwindling conventional energy supplies, emissions concerns, and the sheer time involved between planning and commissioning conventional power plants make them less and less attractive as time goes on. It won't happen overnight, but these infrastructure assets have a long service life, and there is lots of work to do before DE can deliver a significant portion of our energy, so if we are going to meet the challenge we need to change the decisions and investments we are making today
Image Source: Sustainable Energy Technologies
Currently, half of the world's solar market is in Germany, translating to 7,000MW of capacity installed last year versus 1,000 MW installed in the US and 200 MW installed in Canada in 2010. There is enormous potential in Canada - its growing and incentivizing by the year. Sustainable Energy Technologies has capitalized on the uptake for technology in an uncertain market all the while navigating profits and growth.
Let's talk first responder education - specifically how you help to educate firefighters; what do you teach them and why?
Making decisions based on known risk is a major part of a firefighter's duty and responsibility, but unknown risks have deadly consequences. So as technologies evolve in the construction of buildings, so do the reaction methods of fire departments. The better the PV industry can outline the risks related to these systems, the better able firefighters will be able to respond appropriately to fires where PV systems are present.
As such, Sustainable Energy Technologies presented to the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs. We discuss what solar power is and cover topics like construction and weight-bearing capabilities, electrical hazards, and safety guidelines with PV technology.
How does membership with WADE Canada translate to value for Sustainable Energy Technologies?
WADE Canada has helped to lobby for needed recognition for decentralized energy in this country. Though our business is limited in Canada, our networks have grown domestically due to association with WADE Canada.
And finally, who do you deem a top DE trailblazer in Canada and why?
Russ Smith, Medicine Hat - It takes a lot of courage and determination to push through policies and programs related to Decentralized Energy - especially at the municipal level. However, outside of Ontario, most of the policy activity in Canada involving DE is at the municipal or regional level, as opposed to National or State level programs elsewhere in the world. Medicine Hat is a leading municipality in this regard. Russ Smith is a great example of a municipal leader who fought to bring solar power to the City of Medicine Hat as part of their HatSMART program that also includes energy efficiency initiatives. His hard work has provided us with a local showcase for our technologies and they serve as an example for other governments (at all levels) for how easy solar is to deploy -- and how much interest there is in these new generation technologies.
Brent is an active proponent of changes to the management and regulation of our electric system that will enable greater adoption of decentralized and renewable energy technologies.
He is a Member of the Board and Treasurer of WADE Canada, and was a Member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Solar Industries Association from 2005-2008.
Brent is a graduate of Queen's University in Applied Science, Electrical Engineering, and was selected as one of Calgary's Top 40 Under 40 by Avenue Magazine in 2009.
Contact Brent at Brent.Harris@SustainableEnergy.com
