Company will lead record Constellation solar panel installation
[caption id="attachment_28411" align="alignright" width="360" caption="Genesis Renewable Energy has opened an operation in Sebastopol. The company is the contractor for the ground-breaking Constellation Brands solar project."][/caption]
SEBASTOPOL – Two years after establishing a corporate headquarters in Laguna Beach in 2008, Genesis Renewable Energy selected Sebastopol as home for its Northern California operations division. The firm opened an office at 101 Morris St. in August staffed with 12 employees.
The company was recently named as general contractor by Constellation Wines U.S. for the installation of the world’s largest combined solar project in the wine industry. These four projects, initially involving Clos Du Bois and Ravenswood wineries in Sonoma County, created more than 100 local jobs through the December 2010 completion date.
The company also is involved in another key project at the Northpoint Business Center to install solar for Northrop Grumman Corp., a firm purchasing clean energy through the Genesis proprietary landlord-tenant program.
Genesis specializes in turn-key, clean-energy solutions and serves as an energy consultant for its clients.
“It’s not just about solar but more about finding the best combination of energy-saving solutions for our customers,” said Takia Roberts, COO and director of special projects for Genesis, working out of the North Bay.
Mr. Roberts; Paul Gonzalez, principal and CEO; and Michael Gault, CSO, formed a partnership that evolved into a fast-track company offering an array of complete energy solutions for businesses and commercial buildings, investor and financial groups and public entities.
A Sebastopol resident, Mr. Roberts has been involved in installing more than 100 megawatts of solar systems.
“A large percentage of savings results from lighting and other more energy-efficient retrofits.”
He came to Genesis after a 12-year renewable-energy career as an independent energy consultant and after serving as commercial project director with Solaris Inc.
“I was really impressed with the strength of top management, the ability to translate energy savings into a sophisticated ROI program, and the all-star dream team of project managers, site supervisors, system design PE’s and support staff they were putting together. Most of our employees live in Sonoma County.”
Steve Shoptaugh, another industry veteran, is the director of construction operations in Sebastopol. He is a graduate of Sonoma State University’s Energy Management & Design B.S. program and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s Electronics Engineering M.S. program. He has more than 18 years of multiple renewable energy experience.
Beyond traditional approaches, Genesis looks at savings that can result
from the use of emerging technologies such as fuel cells and micro-turbines, as well as wind, solar thermal, ground source heating pumps, bio/natural gas and geothermal options. These solutions complement existing remedies such as smart meters, building envelope upgrades and HVAC alternatives.
“Being a full-service clean-energy consulting company means we provide energy and building sustainability consulting, energy audits, retrofits and corporate social responsibility integration, in addition to working with tenants, landlords and brokers on new energy systems negotiations that lead to lower carbon emissions,” said Mr. Gonzalez.
According to Mr. Gonzalez, who spent 20 years in Sonoma County working in the commercial real estate field, these core services go hand in hand with sourcing new energy financing and funding along with government and utility grants, rebates and incentives, such as carbon trading (Cap & Trade), Feed-in-Tariff and RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates).
“We are business people who have solved the Rubik’s Cube of clean-energy solutions combined with a more sophisticated financial program that meets our clients' rate of return expectations for their capital outlay.”
Genesis also provides construction and project management services.
Prior to the current four Genesis projects in Northern California, the key members of the project and site management teams -- who have worked together in the industry for six years -- have also been involved in more than 25 major projects completed in the North Bay.
Local examples include energy solutions for Agilent Technologies, the Sonoma County Water Agency, Sonoma Mountain Village, Analy High School, the Tower Road wine storage facility in Napa, city of Willits water treatment plant, the Marin County Sanitary District and the city of Sebastopol’s police station and wastewater lift station.
Genesis has 30 more projects currently in various stages of the bidding process.
For additional information about Genesis Renewable Energy, visit www.genesisre.com.
