By Steven Ùgalde Membership & Marketing Outreach Coordinator
As a benefit of being a TXSES Platinum Business Member, we highlight the member’s company in our newsletter. This month, we sat down with Nicholas Manto, founder/CEO of The Solar Scouts, an electrical contracting firm specializing in installing photovoltaic solar arrays serving the North Texas, Dallas and Fort Worth communities.
TXSES: Hi Nicholas! Welcome to the TXSES family. Thanks for becoming a TXSES Platinum Business Member. Tell us a little bit about The Solar Scouts.
The Solar Scouts Manto family
Nicholas: The story of The Solar Scouts traces back to my days in scouting. I’m an Eagle Scout, and while attaining my degrees from Rawl’s College of Business at Texas Tech University, I was Vice President of The Goin’ Band and Trumpet section leader! My experience in the band allowed me to collaborate with students in every college, learning beyond my studies, especially about architecture and engineering. Drawing from my scouting experience, we would leave our campsite better than we arrived. We would pick up trash at the end of our excursion to make sure we left no trace, and most of the time we were picking up from previous campers. The idea of my “campsite” is expanded to the entire planet, and I believe we must leave the planet better than we inherited it. Driven by a desire to contribute positively to the well-being of our planet, I founded the company in North Texas. The Solar Scouts operates as a boutique firm with a team that works collaboratively, fostering teamwork, marketing, business development, sales, installation, support, and operations, while developing relationships with our distribution and manufacturing partners.
TXSES: What’s your approach to projects?
Nicholas: The primary goal when approaching projects, especially in the residential sector, extends beyond a reduction in energy bills. We focus on understanding the consumers’ end goals and emphasizing the broader impact on their economic benefit. Each residential project is tailored not only for economic efficiency but also for ecological sustainability. We aim to forge connections within the solar community, emphasizing solar education, exposing fraudulent practices, aligning financial goals with strategic planning and ensuring optimal utilization of solar panels each year. Education remains a core element for us, with a commitment to enlighten the public about the solar industry’s potential. We have several educational videos to help consumers with information before they make the decision to go solar.
TXSES: What would you describe as your biggest challenges in this work?
Nicholas: Our biggest challenge is overcoming misconceptions about solar, and general skepticism in the market. The attribution we see is less than qualified people in the industry doing business poorly and negative word of mouth influencing others. In addition to that, lead generation is difficult and expensive. If homeowners or business owners were seeking solar as a necessity and approaching our business, we could greatly reduce the price of these systems with less marketing and sales dollars required, then that would compound into even cheaper projects as volume increases.
TXSES: There are also issues with ERCOT, the PUCT and decision-makers who advance anti-solar policies while promoting oil and gas. This is an ongoing story. What would you say has surprised you the most with this work?
Nicholas: As a business owner who started on the sales end of the business and bridged that into the operations and installation side, I’m surprised by how collaborative our community is. Most business owners in the industry share an abundance mentality and are open to learning, sharing, and helping each other grow. We know there’s a huge impact to make on our local communities and the State of Texas while leaving the planet a better place than we inherited it!
TXSES: We couldn’t agree more! Thanks for making time to visit with us about The Solar Scouts work, Nicholas. How can people find out more about you?
Nicholas: Click https://thesolarscouts.com or call 972.433.5979. Thanks for the opportunity to talk about our work.
Yes, it is January but with the kind of temperatures we’ve been experiencing, you’d think it was October or November. But according to weather reports, sub-freezing temperatures are headed our way. And while those reports allege this episode will be nothing like Winter Storm Uri in 2021, it’s not surprising that folks are a bit wary. As University of Texas research scientist and former TXSES board member Joshua Rhodes says, “It’s deep in the Texas psyche now, and anytime it gets really hot or really cold, the grid is front of mind.”
As energy demand continues to grow, so does the potential for greater energy risk. Despite statewide political efforts to subvert renewables, their growing numbers are enviable. Through 2022, Texas was second in solar production nationally, just behind California. A recent Clean Energy States Alliance report ranks Texas first with the highest capacity for electricity generation: 38% of Texas’ electricity capacity comes from clean electricity. And lest we forget, on August 10, wind and solar energy generated enough power to meet 25% of demand during the peak hour of usage, according to ERCOT.
And there’s no sign of a slowdown, for renewables or for us. Here’s what kept us busy in 2023:
Convened a coalition of stakeholders to advocate for fair compensation for solar from utilities. This includes working with the PUC. Goal for 2024: establish a rule at the PUC to stop utilities from decreasing or eliminating fair compensation for solar customers.
Created a steering committee of solar installers to determine the next steps in stopping unethical business practices from solar installers and solar sales companies. This includes possible additional licensing and/or legislation. Goal for 2024: develop a path forward and take action.
Hired an Outreach and Marketing Coordinator to approach cities about adopting a software that drastically reduces the amount of time to get a permit to install solar which saves time and money for consumers. Goal for 2024: Increase the number of Texas cities to adopt the software.
Convened 34 Texas electric coops to discuss software that could integrate batteries and community solar projects and the value of distributed solar in their service territories. Goal for 2024: assist electric cooperatives to include pertinent software in their business practices coops and determine the true value of distributed solar in their service territories.
Helped with solar training and education of: 43 low-income Dallas and Houston individuals in rooftop and ground mount solar PV installations; seven Houston individuals and two trainers in solar technical sales training based on the NABCEP Job Task Analysis; and 30 Dallas ISD students across three Career and Technical Education (CTE) campuses. Goal for 2024: establish training programs in Houston and Austin and train an additional 150 individuals.
Launched an innovative financing model for low-income LIHEAP and WAP participants to benefit from free rooftop solar. Goal for 2024: take the model statewide.
Helped implement free rooftop solar in an LMI multifamily pilot in Carrizo Springs, Texas. Goal for 2024: take this model statewide.
Began conversations with developers to implement net zero subdivisions across the state. Goal for 2024: get subdivisions in Dallas and Houston.
We’ve never been busier doing what TXSES does best: advocating, educating and raising awareness of the value and benefits of Texas’ unlimited solar resource, ensuring decision-makers and communities have access to objective, fact-based data that dispels misinformation and false narratives. Our mission-aligned chapters in Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Houston and San Antonio advocate for equitable access to solar energy for every Texan with initiatives that address regional needs.
We’re supported by an esteemed board of directors, whose expert insight keeps us on a visionary path. Our talented staff is tireless in their work ethic and committed to keeping TXSES as the indisputable source for factual, unbiased solar information. And, of course, to all TXSES members who inspire and embolden us to do what we do best: advocating for Texas’s unlimited solar resource to make a transformative impact on our lives. Thanks for your support.
Stay updated with our work. Subscribe to our newsletter. Happy new year, y’all.
Ethan Miller, TXSES Research Associate – Policy and Government Affairs
One might think that after several years of recurrent issues with the stability of the electric grid, Texas would have established a standard system for valuing the cost of grid failures. Unfortunately, that is not the case. However, the Texas Solar Energy Society is proud to announce that it has begun the daunting task of estimating the cost of grid service interruptions to the Texas economy. Based on preliminary information from some municipal utilities, electric cooperatives, a handful of investor-owned utilities and generating retail electric providers, TXSES estimates service interruptions cost Texas at least $2B in losses in 2023. When complete, this data can be used to budget for grid reforms, save ratepayers money and increase grid reliability. To get an idea of what the final project will resemble, check out Local Solar for All’s The Economic Impact of Michigan’s Unreliable Power Grid.
TXSES calculates these costs using the Interruption Cost Estimate (ICE) calculator from Lawrence Berkeley Labs, Nexant, and the US Department of Energy. The ICE Calculator accounts for the direct costs of interruption (electricity that is generated that doesn’t hit the grid, etc.), as well as indirect costs based on FEMA formulas (cost of expired food, forgone work hours/business meetings, etc.). For the calculator to work properly, it needs measures of reliability like SAIDI (System Average Interruption Frequency Index); SAIFI (System Average Interruption Duration Index), and CAIDI (Customer Average Interruption Duration Index) scores, as well as customer counts, both residential and nonresidential. There is a maximum limit to the number of customers that can be run at one time using the calculator, so analysis has to be at a smaller scale. TXSES is using the scale of utilities (municipal utilities, co-ops, investor-owned utilities, and generating retail electric providers).
Currently, TXSES has acquired and compiled available data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), and Public Citizen. The EIA-861 forms report data from some municipal utilities and co-ops but the forms are limited in reporting on competitive markets. PUCT Dockets #54467 and #46735 provide SAIFI and SAIDI for some investor-owned utilities, but do not break down residential/nonresidential customer counts and are currently unusable. Public Citizen provides a list of all municipal utilities and co-ops in the state. While TXSES has neither complete data for the regulated nor unregulated markets, TXSES has a fuller view of data gaps within the regulated market. This is to say that while the current cost estimate is usable, it is far from complete and very likely a massive undervalue of full costs.
As TXSES continues working on this effort, be sure to follow along. Please reach out to Ethan Miller, at ethan@txses.org if you have any questions or are looking to get involved.
Term: January 31, 2024-January 30, 2025 Part time: 20 hours/week Salary: $20/hour
Reports to Executive Director
TXSES is seeking a highly-organized and responsible CRM and Research Assistant intern to support our grant writing team, perform clerical and website tasks and assist with various research projects to spread awareness about our work as the single statewide non-profit organization that advocates for the distributed solar industry. Applicants should be prepared to work in a fast-paced team environment with unique opportunities to gain broad experience in Texas’ booming solar energy industry. Selected applicant will be on-boarded by our current intern and staff.
The Texas Solar Energy Society (TXSES) is the pre-eminent statewide organization developing free, fact-based educational materials that advocate, share best practices and inform decision-makers regarding distributed-scale solar. TXSES promotes favorable solar policies that grow the industry; protect clean air; build healthy, resilient communities; support local, well-paying jobs; and lay the foundation for building a strong foundation for Texas’ 100% clean energy future. A membership-based organization, TXSES’s unique niche is exemplified in our well-established local chapters in Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Houston and San Antonio. Having boots on the ground in these major metropolitan cities, which represent nearly a quarter of Texas’s 30 million+ citizens, enables our gifted, dedicated experts to disseminate fact-based, relevant solar information.
Research Assistant Duties and Responsibilities
General research as needed.
Respond to business members and individual member requests.
Prepare documents, reports, presentations and other clerical and administrative tasks.
Occasionally prepare articles for newsletter.
Help update content on www.txses.org website.
Help update content on Little Green Light (CRM software).
Create data analytics reports on social platforms and txses.org using Google Analytics.
Research Assistant Requirements and Qualifications
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree preferred.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Highly organized multitasker who works well in a fast-paced environment.
Prior experience handling office responsibilities, experience in customer service, or related field.
Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel); scheduling appointments/updating calendars.
Comfortable making phone calls.
Willingness to learn and to grow with TXSES.
Benefits
Practical experience with current marketing and advertising techniques.
Shadowing, mentoring, and training opportunities with successful solar energy educational experts.
Opportunity to participate in networking events and organization meetings.
Flexible schedule for students.
Time off during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
To apply: send a cover letter and résumé to Patrice Parsons pparsons@txses.org with the subject line Internship for TXSES. Position open until filled.
TXSES is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and embracing a workplace with diverse voices and perspectives. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, and people of color, including bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities.
Sunnova’s goal is to be the source of clean, affordable, and reliable energy with a simple mission: To power energy independence so that homeowners and businesses have the freedom to live life uninterrupted®.
Founded in Houston, Texas in 2012, Sunnova started its journey to create a better energy service at a better price. Driven by the changing energy landscape, technology advancements, and demand for a cleaner, more sustainable future, we are proud to help pioneer the energy transition.
As a leading energy service provider, we help make clean, renewable energy more accessible, reliable, and affordable.
We are looking for talented and motivated individuals who thrive in a fast-paced, continuous improvement environment and want to change the world of energy. We believe in excellence in customer service and strive to ensure every customer has a reliable and optimized solar system.
For 30 years, under the skilled leadership of Dr. Lehman Marks, the Solar Car Challenge has motivated students in science, engineering and alternative energy awareness. The Challenge teaches high school students around the world how to build and race roadworthy solar cars.
Of this year’s 20 teams, 10 are from Texas. Teams are also from Arkansas, California, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Oregon and Wisconsin. Teams check in on July 12, followed by three days of scrutineering to ensure all cars are eligible to race.
Teams begin preparation for the race during education workshops in fall of the previous year. Additional workshops, on-site visits, mentor opportunities and summer camps help propel the projects to success. After qualifying for this year’s event, teams will drive their solar cars cross-country from Texas to California displaying their vehicles to thousands along the race course.
The 2023 Race will feature the Cruiser, a new racing division featuring a four-door vehicle with the solar array embedded in the body of the car, bringing “realism” to solar car racing.
Qualifying: Thursday-Saturday, July 13-15, 2023 at the Texas Motor Speedway. Purpose?
This year, the 925-mile race event, hosted by Oncor and Lockheed Martin, starts on July 16 in Fort Worth and ends a week later on July 23 in Palmdale, California.
Thursday-Saturday, July 13-15, 2023 at the Texas Motor Speedway
