Austin Pfannenstiel Founder, Engineering and Design Lead; MHK Solar - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Thirteenth Annual Dialog on Sustainability

Saturday, July 21, 2018

Austin Pfannenstiel

Founder, Engineering and Design Lead; MHK Solar

• MHK Solar was founded in October, 2016
• Fourth place award in KSU’s Launch business pitch competition in November

2016

• 2017 award recipient of a $10,000 JumpStart Kansas grant through the

Kansas department of Commerce and Washburn University Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

• Installations have generated 26.2 MWh of clean energy to date
• Offset 19.5 metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions

Background

Adoption of renewable energy, and specifically solar, is approaching a critical mass

• Renewable energy accounted for almost 2/3 of all capacity additions in 2016
• https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/04/new‐era‐of‐solar‐power‐is‐now‐upon‐us‐iea‐says.html
• 89% of U.S. adults favor expanding use of solar; 42% of homeowners in the

Midwest have seriously considered solar in the last year

• http://www.pewresearch.org/fact‐tank/2016/10/05/americans‐strongly‐favor‐expanding‐solar‐power‐

to‐help‐address‐costs‐and‐environmental‐concerns/

Background

Of over 9,600 solar‐viable roofs just in Manhattan There are only 17 existing solar installations…

https://www.google.com/get/sunroof /data‐explorer/place/ChIJLWPDRO‐ 3vYcR78cSc0hdGKk/

Background

Background

• Module level power electronics

→ Microinverters, DC optimizers

• Panels

→ Commodity, race to the bottom, theoretical maximum efficiency → “AC” panels

• Batteries

→ Getting there… → Large scale international installations (Australia, Netherlands) – grid support

Technology status

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/07/netherlands‐ football‐johan‐cruijff‐stadium‐electric‐car‐batteries/

• Politics, Macroeconomic environment

→ Chinese subsidies on domestic solar installations → Tariffs → Federal tax credits → California solar mandate

• Utility policy uncertainty

→ Net metering credits, tariffs, surcharges

Policy Status

• Help customers find ways to live in

accordance with their principles

→ Most customers find protecting the environment, supporting their community, and living sustainably very important – need access and right message

• Develop a local community of informed

solar energy advocates

→ Begin to replace outdated information and misconceptions with the new realities of solar energy → Informed, happy customers are the best solar advocates

MHK Solar’s vision and goals

• Look to enabling and hybrid solutions

→ Power for remote/off‐grid locations – enable new activities by using solar power

• Solar powered trailers, detached shops, cabins
• Camping and tailgating, construction/farming,

disaster response → Off grid covered patios/decks → Basements wired separately to solar/battery backup

• Push solar into new construction
• Rural solar installations

MHK Solar’s path forward

Questions?

www.MHKsolar.com www.facebook.com/MHKsolar