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

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

July 22, 2026
A South Carolina circuit court has upheld a decision by the York County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) that solar panel manufacturing is not a permitted activity in the county’s Light Industrial zoning district, a setback for Silfab Solar.
July 22, 2026
Perovskite innovators Oxford PV and Caelux are part of a new AI-enabled research network set up to accelerate breakthroughs in materials science.
July 22, 2026
US renewables developer rPlus Energies has started commercial operations at its 125MW Pleasant Valley Solar 2 project in Ada County, Idaho.
July 22, 2026
Recycling solution firm Comstock Metals and module manufacturer Illuminate USA have signed a solar material recycling services agreement.
July 22, 2026
After over a decade, China is revising its long-running consumption tax exemption policy for PV cells and a range of battery products.
July 22, 2026
MNRE's eighth ALMM List-II revision expands Fujiyama Power's PV cell capacity and adds Avaada Electro as a new entrant.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
November 24, 2026
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
April 20, 2027
Istanbul, Türkiye