Danny Kennedy, managing director of California Clean Energy Fund
By Boris von Bormann, CEO of sonnen
Danny Kennedy’s contributions to the solar industry are extensive, diverse and, to put it mildly, impressive by anyone’s standards. A dedicated activist, company founder, published author and more, Danny seems to have done it all, proving his dedication to the industry.
While the extent of his work stands out, I think what sets Danny apart is his commitment to advocating for others. Twenty years ago, Danny worked as director of Project Underground, where he campaigned to support communities resisting mining and oil operations. After several years, he transitioned to Greenpeace and contributed to passing the California Solar Initiative.
In 2007, he co-founded Sungevity, which has become a leading provider of rooftop solar panels and a developer in 13 states plus Washington, D.C., and parts of Europe. More recently, he joined CalCharge and Powerhouse as president. In each organization, he helps accelerate solar’s progress. Most recently, he became managing director of the California Clean Energy Fund, an organization aiming to ignite investment, support entrepreneurs and remove the barriers to advancing the clean energy economy.
Though Danny has risen to the top of the industry, he maintains his activist spirit in every endeavor. He uses his positions to facilitate positive relationships and the upward mobility of all working toward cleaner energy and a cleaner environment for all.
sonnen arose out of the viewpoint that clean and affordable energy for everyone is the biggest challenge of our time, and I think this is also why Danny’s work has really resonated with me. The partnership between sonnen and Sungevity is designed to provide clean, reliable and affordable energy to residential customers in a way that is successful and sustainable.
To enact true change in our energy future, we as an industry must work together to ensure the greatest success. Danny is inspiring our industry and me to do exactly that.