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.
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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.
