Page 195 - ISES SWC50

Richard Hansen
Country: United States
Year joined industry: 1984
Company first worked for: Enersol Associates, Inc.
Technology area: PV
Still active in the industry: Yes

In 1983, Richard Hansen, a pioneer in PV for rural electrification in developing countries, visited the Dominican
Republic, where he learned that over 500,000 rural families still relied on kerosene lamps and dry cells. In November
1983, he purchased a 36W, ARCO 16-2000 PV module. On January 21, 1984, Hansen returned to the DR with
the PV module and designed a system to power lights, radio and TV, which he demonstrated to rural families. In
April 1984, he sold the system under a 48-month micro-credit payment plan, to Felipe & Altagracia Martinez for
their home/store in Bella Vista, Sosua. On September 27, 1984 Hansen founded Enersol Associates, Inc., a Boston-
based non-profit organization, to introduce PV for rural electrification Other families took interest in Martinez’s
PV system hoping to purchase one on credit. In 1985 Hansen arranged for Enersol to train the US Peace Corps,
combined with a $2,000 grant from USAID to establish a micro-credit fund to finance PV for the interested families.
In 1986 Hansen formed a local PV supply enterprise that served as a model from which others learned. In 1987
Enersol was contracted by the USDOE through the University of Massachusetts to document the work which had
led to the electrification of 100 households. By 1990 about 1000 Dominican households had PV, installed by local
enterprises trained by Enersol. Starting in 1989 Enersol was contracted by the USDOE to replicate Hansen’s model
in Honduras. In 1993 a World Bank team visited Hansen’s work in the DR to draw lessons learned for the initial
integration of PV into World Bank rural electrification projects. Hansen’s early work inspired many. In 1993 Hansen
founded Soluz, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation, to raise impact capital to commercialize PV for rural electrification.
In January 1994 Soluz, Inc. established Soluz Honduras, an impact enterprise that has provided over 25,000 PV
systems for rural households, enterprises and schools. To assist the global transition Hansen has consulted for the
World Bank in Asia, Africa & Latin America.

Lindsay Hart
Country: Australia
Year joined industry: 1981
Company first worked for: Selectronic Australia
Technology area: PV
Still active in the industry: Yes

Lindsay has spent all of his career except 3 years in the Renewable Energy sector. Specializing in the
manufacturing of battery storage inverters for both On Grid and Off Grid. In 1994 Lindsay put his money where
his mouth is and decided to build a new home in Victoria, Australia which was totally Off the Grid, he lives with
his family in this home still today. Lindsay has been heavily responsible for the success of some of the most
well respected battery inverters in the world from Selectronic Australia. Driving market success by ensuring
new products are suitable for the purpose as well as innovative has always been a passion, preferring to look
at the long-term viability of products and companies vs short term gains. Over the years Lindsay has provided
the industry with many technical presentations often delivered in a more entertaining fashion than normally
associated with technical presentations.

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