Page 138 - ISES SWC50

Steven J Strong
Country: United States
Year joined industry: 1974
Company first worked for: Solar Design Associates
Technology area: Architecture/Buildings/PV
Still active in the industry: Yes

Steven J. Strong founded Solar Design Associates, Inc in 1974 .Drawing on his background in engineering and
architecture, he has earned the firm an international reputation for the pioneering integration of renewable energy
systems with environmentally responsive building design - completing projects in Europe, Asia, the Middle East,
Africa, Latin America, Canada, the Caribbean and across the US from Maine to Hawaii. Over the last four decades,
he has designed dozens of homes and buildings powered by solar electricity. In 1979, he designed the world’s
first all-solar, Zero-Net-Energy residence that exported a surplus of solar electricity to the utility grid via what has
since become known as ‘Net Metering”. In 1984, working with New England Electric, he completed the world’s
first PV-powered neighbourhood in central Massachusetts. In 1996, he worked with Olympic village architects
to power the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta with solar electricity using the world’s largest roof-top PV power
system. He designed and oversaw the installation of three solar energy systems at the White House in Washington,
DC. His firm consults to private and public clients and architects in the design of solar-powered buildings as well
as to utilities on large-scale solar implementation. He represented the US on the International Energy Agency’s
expert working group on Solar Electricity in the Built Environment for 8 years and has served as an advisor on
energy and environmental issues to 3 Governors, 8 US Senators and 4 presidential candidates as well as a number
of US Congressmen, State Senators and Representatives and electric utilities. He is an author of numerous books
including his first -The Solar Electric House in 1994. He has been recognised with numerous awards including The
ASES Charles Greeley Abbot award - for lifetime achievement in advancing solar energy (2001). In 2007, TIME
recognised Steven as “An Innovator Building a Greener World”.

Dr Raye Thomas
Country: Canada
Year joined industry: 1973
Company first worked for: TPK Solar Systems
Technology area: PV
Still active in the industry: No

Raye Thomas started a research project at Carleton University in 1973 to develop an “inversion layer” solar-cell based
on MOS technology. Achieving over 10% efficiency in 1975, with support of Canada’s National Research Council,
reached 18% in 1978.Two partners and Dr Thomas incorporated TPK Solar Systems in 1979 to commercialize the
technology. TPK developed a production-ready diffused silicon solar cell and module manufacturing technology.
In 1984, Dr Thomas left academia to promote PV around the world. TPK supplied the first grid-connected system
in Canada at the Kortright Centre in 1983. The modules had degraded less than 1% when it was dismantled in
2017. In 1984 TPK provided turnkey silicon solar cell and module manufacturing lines to India’s Central Electronics
Limited, and Yunnan Semiconductor Device Factory of Kunming, China. In 1987 and 1988, TPK supplied turn-
key PV module lines to Sri Lanka (Power & Sun Ltd) and Zimbabwe (Solarcomm).TPK closed in 1988. Dr Thomas
continued through new companies to provide equipment, technology, modules and systems to many countries
including multi-crystalline solar cell production lines to Norway and Taiwan (2003-2004). The first 25 kWp of the
75 kWp rooftop grid-connected PV system at the Hugh J. MacMillan Re-Hab Centre in Toronto was the largest in
Canada prior to 1995. Dr Thomas also supported the industry in many ways. He was a part of IEC TC82 working
group to develop the IEC 61215 module performance testing standard and co-founded Canadian Solar Industries
Association (CanSIA President 1994-1995). He co-authored the CanMET Photovoltaics System Design Manual and
wrote the “Photovoltaic Systems: A Buyer’s Guide” in 1989. Raye retired in 2013 after a 232 kWp DC FIT system I
designed for the Riverdale Mill in Inglewood won the Best Solar Project Award at CanSIA’s 2012 Conference.

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