Former PowerLight, SunPower Systems head Dan Shugar joins Solaria as CEO

January 11, 2010
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Former SunPower Systems and PowerLight president Daniel Shugar has joined Solaria as its new CEO. The veteran solar industry executive replaces former CEO Suvi Sharma, who will focus on business development and strategy in his new role as president of the Fremont, CA-based solar photovoltaic module company.

During his tenure at PowerLight and then SunPower after it bought the company, Shugar oversaw revenue growth from less than $1 million to more than $800 million. He was responsible for the completion of more than 500 PV projects serving commercial, industrial, and utility clients worldwide.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Before his stint at PowerLight, Shugar managed the Solar Projects Research Group at Pacific Gas & Electric. He holds multiple U.S. patents for his inventions of various PV system applications and has  published more than 50 technical papers.

Shugar has a BS in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an MBA in finance from Golden Gate University.

Sharma said he had “only one person… in mind to take over the CEO role at Solaria, and that was Dan Shugar. He is the right person to lead Solaria as it changes from an R&D and product development company to a full-fledged manufacturer and module supplier.” 

The new CEO believes the company “has a great team and terrific technology. Our module will transform the economics of solar installations. Solaria’s patented technology gives us the opportunity to double the existing silicon PV capacity in the marketplace.

“I’m excited to launch this module into widespread deployment at such a vital and dynamic time for the solar industry,” he added.

Read Next

February 18, 2026
Meralco PowerGen Corporation has completed initial grid synchronisation and energisation of the 3.5GW MTerra solar project, which includes a 4.5GWh battery energy storage system (BESS). 
February 18, 2026
Octopus Energy has announced an investment of 'nearly' US$1 billion into Californian clean energy, including a solar-plus-storage project.
Premium
February 18, 2026
Data collection and analysis in solar PV installations is increasingly sophisticated, particularly relating to grid interaction and weather forecasting.
February 18, 2026
Utility-scale solar and wind curtailment in Australia’s NEM reached a record high of over 7TWh in 2025, according to analyst Rystad Energy.
February 18, 2026
Testing and Certification company UL Solutions has launched a new cybersecurity certification programme for distributed energy resources (DER) and inverters.
February 18, 2026
'Advanced forecasting tools are already improving solar and demand predictions by over 30%,' writes Schneider Electric's Frédéric Godemel.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Dallas, Texas
Solar Media Events
April 15, 2026
Milan, Italy
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain