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The Solar Salesman
Basic-research and applied-research scientists invented and pioneered solar energy collection and distribution, not Jigar Shah. So I understand the resentment that Michael Behar's focus on Shah, in "Selling the Sun" (Spring 2009), might generate. Still, the product has to attract enough venture capital to get it bought by larger commercial users, such as Kohl's. Shah removed the cost barrier at the front end for prospective customers, then provided an incentive to venture capitalists to give him more money to make more product. If not this plan, then something like it would have been necessary to get private investors to funnel huge amounts of capital to this nascent industry. Had the political will been present in the United States during the past 30 years, this infusion of capital could have been provided by the federal government, but there was no such political will until very recently. Shah saw a niche and filled it rather nicely. Now Kohl's is committed to deriving 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources. Who can argue with that?
posted online by LuAnn Kowar
Jigar Shah's contributions to solar energy in no way diminish the work of the pioneers who came before him. He took what those pioneers began and added some new ideas to increase their marketability. He was by no means the beginning and will by no means be the end of building this energy resource. All this should be lauded, rather than quibbling over who did more, who did what first, or whose contributions were more important. Does any of that really matter as long as we're going in the right direction?
posted online by Sun Lover
Jigar Shah is a Johnny-come-lately, just looking to cash in on others' work. The unsung heroes are the ones who spent the past 25 years trying to make renewable energy a reality, slowly building up demand to create more photovoltaic manufacturing capacity. Then, when the whole system is ready for prime time, a handful of newbies get the credit!
posted online by Solar Bozo
There is widespread disdain for the middleman in economic transactions, regardless of how much expertise such a person brings to the exchange. SunEdison appears to be constantly renewing its knowledge with respect to the technology, the economics, and the installation of solar power. There's a lot of "new" in their renewable energy business.
posted online by Warren Stephens
Jigar Shah is not only a capitalist, but a conservation-capitalist. Maybe America will be green after all.
posted online by Bob Whitney
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