Member Spotlight: InWave Renewables

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Based in Illinois, InWave Renewables is dedicated to making sustainable energy accessible to all. Its co-founders, Asfandyar “AK” Khan and Mohammad Najjar, have a diverse history in power and construction prior to starting InWave. This is an interview with Mohammad Najjar.

Tell us a little about your company and how it began. What were the motivations to start your company?

Growing up in places where energy was often unreliable — or entirely inaccessible — sustainable power was more than a challenge; it felt like a distant dream. […] Over the years, as we’ve worked in the renewable energy and construction sectors, one truth became undeniable: Energy is far more than just a resource, it is the foundation for resilience, opportunity, and growth. InWave was born out of this realization with a vision to make sustainable energy accessible to all.

What do you customers appreciate most about your current and past work?

One of our core values is to stay objective and prioritize the client’s vision. We approach every project through this lens, carefully considering each aspect to help our clients achieve their goals. This commitment is reflected in our work and is often what our clients appreciate most.

What has been your experience with supply chain issues over the past year or few years? 

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Member Spotlight: All Sky Energy

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Based in Baraboo, WI, All Sky Energy has over 20 years of experience in residential and commercial solar sectors, offering the grid-connected, off-grid and battery back-up systems. They joined the co-op in 2019.

We interviewed Lisa Kahlow, who, together with her husband, Keith Kahlow, owns All Sky Energy, to get an in-depth look at their dedication to renewable energy and their customers in the communities they serve.

Tell us a little about your company and how it began. What were the motivations to start your company? 

Keith has worked in the electrical field, both in residential and commercial settings, since high school for small shops and also for the union for many years. Keith has over 30 years of experience, has been a Master Electrician for 15 years and continues to stay up to date on the ever-changing codes and industry. In 2010 he made the decision to go out on his own and we started All Sky Energy together. He saw an emerging industry and wanted to have firsthand experience with his clients and seeing projects from start to finish. I worked for my parents and decided in 2013 that I needed to go full time with our solar business. Read more

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The Easy Button for Funding Your Solar Project

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Kurt Reinhold and Peter Fiala of Legacy Solar Co-op teamed up with Uplevel University for a podcast outlining how to easily add solar solutions to your home or business with our support. The podcast covers a history of Legacy Solar Co-op, outlines the benefits of going solar, shares options of how to fund your project and highlights some of our solar projects. Finally, as folks are thinking of moving forward, we share steps to get started.

Listen to the podcast

Community Power Accelerator Prize

Legacy Solar Cooperative Wins one of 25 prizes in U.S. energy competition

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(Distributed through the Tech Council News Service, a project of the Wisconsin Technology Council.)

MADISON, Wis. – Legacy Solar Cooperative, which has more than 280 members across Wisconsin, is one of 25 similar organizations in the United States to win a Phase 1 “Community Power Accelerator Prize” through the federal Department of Energy.

Part of a three-stage competition, Phase 1 winners such as Legacy Solar Co-op are enrolled in a 10-week accelerator program that trains, develops and supports new and continuing solar developers focused on community solar.

Community solar is a form of solar energy generation that allows all community members to access the meaningful benefits of renewable energy, particularly those with low-to-moderate incomes, renters and those for whom traditional rooftop solar is unavailable. Read more

Dodge County Housing Authority

Installer Member Feature: Midwest Solar Power

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Interview with Adam Schmidt, Project Resource Officer at Midwest Solar Power

Tell us more about Midwest Solar Power’s ‘origin story’…

Founded in 2009 by Rik Rosenlund and Tom Schlaefer who previously worked together in residential construction, the goal of MSP was to engage in more impactful prospects.  They wanted to bring together their expertise in construction, project management and customer service and soon realized that solar was a field they believed in and were confident they could improve. Over the years, they became experts and built a happy customer base. MSP was also strengthened by the additions of Michael Reuter and Adam Schmidt. Michael Reuter brought his renewable energy and architectural technology training from Madison College along with a passion for green building and renewable energy to MSP to help grow the business and has grown into an ownership role over the last 5 years. Adam Schmidt joined in Feb 2021 with an engineering background and an eagerness to address climate change. Read more

Dane County Climate Champion

Legacy Solar Co-op Achieves 2022 Climate Champion (Catalyst) Status

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Legacy Solar Co-op achieved 2022 Climate Champion (Catalyst) status for increasing solar education and adoption of solar in Dane County. In 2020 and 2021, they educated hundreds of residents and supported 32 installations for a total of 245 kW of solar. Legacy Solar Co-op (LSC) is a statewide member owned cooperative that provides expert consulting and financing services to facilitate solar projects for communities and nonprofits in Wisconsin.

Find the full article here: Press Releases | Office of the County Executive (countyofdane.com)

Meet Peter Fiala, Co-op Vice President

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Peter Fiala started with the co-op in 2017, primarily as its Media Director, but soon after as board member and in 2020 as the co-op vice president. In 2021, he took to opportunity to work full time expanding and coordinating our solar group buy program in multiple areas of the state. This role allowed him to work one-on-one with homeowners to educate them on the basics of solar, including cost and placement of their system, and quote analysis if needed.  Read more

Willy Street Co-op Solar Array

Project Comes Full Circle: Willy Street Co-op

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In 2016, the Willy Street Co-op partnered with Legacy to install 212 LED lamps and 90 solar panels at their east location. They provided the roof-top; Legacy provided the technical assistance and tax financing; Full Spectrum Solar installed the panels. This energy efficiency and renewable energy project has saved over 200,000 kilowatt-hours and over 120 metric tons of carbon emissions so far. And, this month the Willy Street Co-op purchased the array outright from the tax sponsor and bondholders. Not one LED lamp has needed replacing yet, and there are still 19 years of warranty on the solar panels. It has already been a good investment and proves to get even better as time goes on.

Watch for a case study on Legacy’s first project involving tax equity financing, coming full circle. As more projects are purchased by their hosts, we can really amplifying celebrate the benefits of tax equity financing.

Congratulations to Willy Street Co-op on taking full ownership of their solar array!

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Annual Meeting 2022

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Date/Time: Thursday, May 26th

  • 6:00-7:00pm: Gather, socialize, and enjoy food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
  • 7:00-8:00pm: Annual Meeting presentation w/ drawing of prizes
  • 8:00-8:30pm: Socialize/network

Location: Couillard Solar Foundation, 10 Liberty Street, Deerfield, WI 53531 (we will meet behind the building near CSF’s solar pergola weather permitting)

Couillard Solar Foundation Solar Pergola

Regardless of your status as an Annual Member, a Lifetime Member, as a representative of an Institution Member, or even just curious about becoming a Member of our cooperative, you are invited to attend and participate in the review of our work in solar since December and what lies ahead for us in 2022. Only one vote per member is allowed on any actionable motions that come up during the business meeting portion of the evening. This meeting will be broadcasted and recorded for anyone who cannot make it in person.* Only members who receive a ballot before the meeting or who are in-person on the day of the meeting can cast votes. Read more