They make the solar better

Submitted by Michael on Thu, 12/04/2008 - 18:35

At Mass. Energy's annual meeting Wednesday night, solar vet Henry Vandermark told me about of SolarWave Energy, a venture he has in start-up that provides a real-time, remote monitor for solar systems. 

As I understand it, Vandermark will sell his service to installers, as a constituent of their warranty services, allowing them to make service calls before a crisis, and avoid making business calls when they may not be necessary. 

Vandermark is the president of BASEA, the Boston Area Solar Energy Association, and has been active in the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, which is how I became familiar with him. Previously, he has worked installing solar systems, but said he came to conclude that perhaps it was past time for him to be wrangling panels on rooftops.

What surprised me was to learn that, in the opinion of a solar-energy veteran <em>and<em/> in the opinion of an entrepreneur/investor, enough solar has been installed to justify this second level of industry.

Developments like that signal that we're seeing the end of the beginning of the solar age.

 

Speaking at Commonwealth Club

I will be speaking on the topic of food addiction at the Commonwealth Club of California, the oldest public affairs forum in the country, on Feb. 28. I'll be joining a fabulous panel of researchers and clinicians: Nicole Avena of Princeton and the University of Florida, Eric Stice of the Oregon Research Institute, Vera Tarman of Renascent Center of Toronto, abd Elissa Epel and Andrea Garber, both of the University of California at San Francisco. I am very excited to be part of the roster, not to mention to be appearing at such a great institution. Ticket information here; if you come, please stay afterward to say hello.

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