Stuart Kriendler - 2009 SLI would like to congratulate Stuart Kriendler on opening his renewable energy enterprise EMPower, back in his homeland of Bermuda. Stuart was our 2009 Renewable Energy Workshop Intern and earned his NABCEP Certificate of Knowledge after taking numerous PV workshops through SLI, and is looking forward to becoming a fully Certified PV Installer possibly by Fall. He has also recently completed a comprehensive online energy auditing course and plans to become a Certified BPI Energy Auditor after field testing in the coming weeks. Stuart's business, EMPower, offers PV and Solar Thermal installation (through SunWize Solar out of Willits, CA) as well as energy conservation and efficiency consultation.
According to Stuart, "The idea is to empower people to reduce their carbon footprint and save money at the same time and I think there is a lot of opportunity here to make an honest living by doing some good. I'm looking for steady growth at this point and not rushing into anything too big; there are just so many opportunities and so much interest, but I'll start small by putting a 2kW system on our traditional Bermuda cottage (to put my money where my mouth is!) and I have a few customers lined up looking for installs soon after. Of course there is also a lot of interest on the energy consulting side and I look forward to helping people in this aspect; as energy conservation and efficiency should go hand-in-hand with PV or Solar Thermal."
Stuart has also been in talks with the Bermuda Government about renewable energy policies that would help Bermuda become less fossil fuel dependent as well as empowering lower and middle income citizens. We will follow Stuart's progress in the coming months and wish him the best with his renewable energy endeavors! You can contact Stuart at +(441) 599-2105 or byemail
Haley Rotter - Fall 2008
Haley was a workshop intern during the fall of 2008 and had a wonderful "sol-ful" experience. After completing the SLI internship program, she returned to New York, and searched for a job. She wanted to let the SLI know, that as of Jan 2010, she has started a new "green" career!!!
Haley is an Energy Smart Community Coordinator, working as a contactor for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). She promotes energy efficiency and renewable energy programs to residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and municipal customers. The program covers a 9 county region and she is one of 20 coordinators in the entire New YorkState. She works out of the office of a small non-profit in downtown Rochester, NY, called the Center for Environmental Information.
"I am very proud of this accomplishment and wanted to let the SLI community know that I am forever thankful for the experience I had as an intern there. Without a doubt, the skills and education I received have contributed to my candidacy for this position. "I look foward to maintaining a relationship with the SLI alumni and staff." Kevin Myers & Barrett Rafrety - 2006 & 2007
Former SLI Interns, Kevin Myers and Barrett Raferty(2007) have teamed up with American African Nehru and Sunpower to participate in bringing solar to the Maasai tribe in Kenya.
The project will install an off grid solar system at the Emprukel Primary school in the Transmara district of Western Kenya. The funding and team support will provide all the materials and cost of the installation, provide education and training of local villagers to work with and maintain the solar electric system, and provide services to benefit the community at large (lighting, refrigeration for medicine and electrical outlets).
Meyer & Raferty hope to bring new prosperity to this African community. Plans include the training of local technicians that will introduce valuable trade skills into the community. It also creates a local support team who will maintain the system while sharpening their skills in the electrical and solar trades. This educational opportunity, combined with an ability to generate income, will create interest in learning about PV and will create employment opportunities for rural residents.
Kevin S. Pile- Spring 2005
Kevin came to the Solar Living Institute in 2005 as an Ecopreneurial Intern, with a focus on the SLI’s annual 2-day sustainability fair, SolFest. After a few months, Kevin became a Solar Living Institute staff member as Workshop Coordinator and Intern Coordinator. Living on site, he had the opportunity to live amongst many interns, meet thousands of visitors to the 12-acre demonstration site, and host 100’s of workshops for various sustainability interests. It is during this tenure that Kevin made great friends, and gained the necessary experience to combine his entrepreneurial drive with his passion for a sustainable future. In 2009, Kevin cofounded Ecotrain Media Group, a green professional services company based in Portland, OR and Boise, ID.
Ecotrain Media Group, LLC is an information bridge connecting and empowering individuals, educators and entrepreneurs to get ahead in the blooming green economy.
His mission is to inspire innovation, and create an unbiased awareness to the growing green industry. Ecotrain Media Group achieves this mission through green publications, seminars, and networking events.
Alexander de Roode - 2005 Alex is currently working in Hawaii where he serves as the Executive Director of the Sustainable Living Institute of Maui. The Institute advocates and educates on a number of sustainability related topics and organizes the Maui ISLExpp.
Robyn Paulekas - Summer 2004
Robyn is currently spending her summer as a sea kayaking guide in Valdez, Alaska. Following her summer as an intern at the Solar Living Institute she returned to the University of Wyoming to finish her degree. During that time she worked to start a Campus Sustainability Committee and a series of student internships devoted to promoting sustainability on campus. She then became the first coordinator of the University of Wyoming Center for Volunteer Service, and then worked for the School and Institute of Environment and Natural Resources, co-instructing a class called "Campus Sustainability". She will be starting a graduate program in Geography at OregonStateUniversity, focusing on water conflicts in the west.
Heather Young
Since leaving the Solar Living Institute, Heather Young worked for a variety of environmental Nonprofits and went on to get a Masters in Culture, Ecology and Sustainable Community. She is now helping to develop an alternative economy in the Bay Area through her work with JASecon (Just.Alternative. Sustainable. economy), which is hosting a Festival of Grassroots Economics. She also founded and helps coordinate an organization called Bay Area Community Exchange, a network of alternative currency projects, and a nascent regional time exchange project.
Scott Allison - Winter 2002
Scott came to SLI to learn more about renewable energy after selling electric vehicle in Seattle.Born in Conn. and then raised in TX Scott realized early on that the environment is nothing to take for granted. He had been working in Seattle doing a variety of eco projects. He was the first in Seattle to request a grid-tie agreement from the city of Seattle. To his amazement they had to create one for him which lead him to the pursuit of renewable Solar energy with in urban settings. Scott interned at the SLI in the winter months of 2002 and gave more tours of the campus than any other intern. Scott has since arrived back in Seattle to become a board member of Solar Washington ( ASES ) and has since assisted with a Wa state renewable energy incentives SB5101 and SB5111 which are a few of the most progressive solar incentives in the country. Scott is now working as a sustainability consultant and solar energy installer for a local solar company in Seattle. He has more than 50 kWh under his belt and is working hard to achieve the 100kWh mark soon. Scott has dream to create eco-based movies that could inspire the planet to live more logically.
Welcome to the Student Internship Program!
According to Stuart, "The idea is to empower people to reduce their carbon footprint and save money at the same time and I think there is a lot of opportunity here to make an honest living by doing some good. I'm looking for steady growth at this point and not rushing into anything too big; there are just so many opportunities and so much interest, but I'll start small by putting a 2kW system on our traditional Bermuda cottage (to put my money where my mouth is!) and I have a few customers lined up looking for installs soon after. Of course there is also a lot of interest on the energy consulting side and I look forward to helping people in this aspect; as energy conservation and efficiency should go hand-in-hand with PV or Solar Thermal."
