Page 201 - ISES SWC50

Urs Walter Muntwyler
Country: Switzerland
Year joined industry: 1982
Company first worked for: Hasler AG
Technology area: PV+EV/ Solar thermal/ Wind/ Solar Architecture/ Policy
Still active in the industry: Yes

Urs Walter Muntwyler started in 1982 as PV engineer with the telecomm company Hasler AG. They had the first
Pilot- and demonstration program for Wind- and PV- for remote power supplies. First applications were radio
transmitter repeater stations with PV and a PV installation for a hospital in Rwanda. In 1985 he worked in a
solar thermal company. Due to the solar car race “Tour de Sol”-first in the world-Urs started his own company
Ingenieurbüro Muntwyler in Bern which developed solar regulators for PV and planned PV off grid installations
around the world. Later he concentrated on the organization of solar car races-Tour de Sol, Alpine Solar Europe
championship and Tour de Sol Alpin (winter race). His company organised congresses and exhibitions and moved
into consulting. From 1982-1998 they were responsible for the Pilot and demonstration program of the Swiss
Federal Office of Energy SFOE for “light weight electric cars”. His company has managed over 100 projects, the
biggest was the “Big fleet test for EVs in Mendrisio” which started 1995. The Ingenieurbüro Muntwyler is still
active in consulting. In 1988 Urs Walter added Muntwyler Energietechnik AG which was focused on projects in
PV and solar thermal. The company was official importer from PV companies Solarex (USA), BP Solar and later
Sharp, and imported first SI 3000 PV inverters in 1988. In the hot water business, they imported Solahart hot
water systems and solar hot air systems from GRAMMER (D). The company was active in the off-grid business,
was official importer of Steca (D), AERL (Au) and had their own battery brand. The first “PV on grid systems” were
installed in 1988. In 2010 they installed over 200 systems a year and had 35 employees. At the end of 2010, Urs
walter got a job as Professor of the PV LAB BUAS so he sold the company. From 2012-2014 he was member of
the parliament of the state of Berne

Les Nelson (1955-2020)
Country: United States
Year joined industry:
Company first worked for: Solvis
Technology area: Solar Thermal
Still active in the industry: No

Les Nelson was one of CALSSA’s longest-serving board members and solar energy leader. He was the former
board president and interim executive director. He was chair of the Solar Heating and Cooling Committee and was
always a guiding hand for the staff and the businesses we support. Les was a walking encyclopaedia of knowledge
of both policy and market data, and he truly supported the growth of all forms of solar energy – thermal, PV, and
batteries alike. He worked tirelessly across several decades to pass the Solar Rights Act as well as the first net
metering law, to name just a few of his many signature contributions. Les was our parliamentarian on the board,
always keeping us in proper working order. More important than his intellect and commitment to CALSSA and the
industry we serve, Les was the commensurate team player, never ruling from ego, always helping in ways many of
us could not see, and never expecting anything in return. In this way, Les was not only a leader in the day-to-day
governances of this Association, but a true leader of the heart and spirit of CALSSA. Les passed away at the age
of 65 and he will be deeply missed.

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