Latest / Clean Power Hour / Navigating the Solar O&M Landscape: Challenges, Opportunities, and Workforce Solutions with Chris Grablutz | EP264

Transcript

Navigating the Solar O&M Landscape: Challenges, Opportunities, and Workforce Solutions with Chris Grablutz | EP264 · Clean Power Hour

• 0:50
  Chris Grablutz: Yeah, I think, I think the experience level is starting to increase. We're seeing the low water marks start coming up. So the folks that are actually managing these sites, from asset management to In the Field activities, are putting and having some tenure in the industry and being able to be more efficient. And that learned knowledge that that they've acquired is starting to get passed down to the next generation of solar technicians and operators.
• 1:18
  intro: Are you speeding the energy transition here at the Clean Power Hour, our host, Tim Montague, bring you the best in solar batteries and clean technologies every week. Want to go deeper into decarbonization.
• 1:28
  intro: We do too. We're here to help you understand and command the commercial, residential and utility, solar, wind and storage industries. So let's get to it together. We can speed the energy transition
• 1:44
  Tim Montague: today on the Clean Power Hour solar O and M. My guest today is Chris grablets, the principal and founder of Triforce energy. Welcome to the show. Chris. Hey. Tim, pleasure to be here. It's great to see you again. Yeah, you too. We met when you were with pure power, correct? A stalwart New Jersey engineering company, solar engineering. But what are you up to with Triforce?
• 2:08
  Chris Grablutz: Yeah. So some of the work that I had learned and done over the past, in my career, brought that to Triforce in 2021 form, form the business, and we're out there really just focused on quality services in the field. So we perform construction, QC commissioning, and a bigger part of our business is operations and maintenance.
• 2:27
  Tim Montague: It's a growing part of the business, right?
• 2:28
  Tim Montague: Because we've got a lot of installed solar now it is that needs maintenance. Yes, yes. And it's not just set it and forget it, as much as we'd like to think it should be. You have to do a regular inspection and cleaning and testing of your solar array, especially larger projects, 500 KW up. But what is your sweet spot? Yeah,
• 2:49
  Chris Grablutz: so we're focused in the mid Atlantic, and we're expanding ourselves. We have worked from Connecticut on down to DC and out to Pennsylvania, but focused on the commercial, industrial and utility market in those areas.
• 3:02
  Tim Montague: Very cool, yeah, commercial, industrial and utility. And I'm just curious, Chris, what do you think of the O and M industry? Where are we?
• 3:08
  Tim Montague: How sophisticated is it? It's a growing segment as we as I said, but yeah, I'm just curious kind of what give us the lay of the land?
• 3:18
  Chris Grablutz: Yeah, I think, I think the experience level is starting to increase. We're seeing the low water marks start coming up. So the folks that are actually managing these sites, from asset management to In the Field activities, are putting and having some tenure in the industry and being able to be more efficient, and that learn knowledge that that they've acquired is starting to get passed down to the next generation of solar technicians and operators.
• 3:46
  Tim Montague: I'm I immediately think of workforce. How are we doing on the workforce front?
• 3:51
  Tim Montague: Because it depends on who you talk to. Some installers are doing okay. But in general, there is a lack of skilled labor in the American workforce when it comes to infrastructure like clean energy. But what's your perspective on workforce? Yeah,
• 4:05
  Chris Grablutz: I agree. I mean, there's a larger number of blue colored folks leaving the workforce, as opposed to the ones coming in. So so we do have a challenge there and then, when we're talking about advanced testing and service in the industry, now we're talking about a higher skill set. So not only are we have a small pool for the the industry as a whole, but now we are smaller subsection of that, so we're doing creative things, like visiting vocational schools, looking at adjacent industries to start bringing folks in here, and then we put a lot of time and effort into internal growth and development plans, as we recognize that there's some great industry affiliations that have training programs, but not everything is directly related to what we do, and so knowing what we have to accomplish and knowing what the trajectory of that professional is, we're applying a lot of time and effort into them so that their careers can take off and they can be successful and have have a great career. I
• 5:09
  Tim Montague: think the internship, for example, is so vital, right? Because it gives both the employer and the the trainee some good hands on experience with each other. But how do you onboard employees? Do you start with an internship? Or what is the path? Yeah, we're, we're
• 5:28
  Chris Grablutz: we have the opportunity to use interns, both from an Office perspective and in the field. So using vocational schools as an example, there are work release programs for usually seniors or juniors once they have their driver's license and they're able to come and work for that for us on certain days of the week while they're still completing their vocational program at the high school level. And so that. Gives them an opportunity to get real world experience, feel us out and feel the industry out, to see if that's exactly what they want to do. On the other side, it allows us to establish if they're, you know, they have the right character, aptitude and ability to be a service technician, because it requires a very unique individual between critical thinking and working outside all the time. It's it's not an easy environment.
• 6:14
  Tim Montague: So we're here at re plus we're in the Chint booth. Chin power systems. What is your experience with CPS, and why are you here? So, yeah,
• 6:24
  Chris Grablutz: yeah, I always stop by. So fun fact, chin and Triforce energy both have offices in Somerset New Jersey.
• 6:31
  Chris Grablutz: I'm sorry, Somerville New Jersey. And so we have that connection. We see CPS out in the field all the time, ranging from brand new projects that are that have been built within the last few months to projects that are closer to 10 years old. And so as a service provider, we're both on the front end of inspecting the quality install on sites, as well as commissioning these, these inverters, and then providing service and maintenance to them in the long term. And one of the reasons I love CPS is, you know, their customer support is fantastic. So with CPS, you can have a inverter that is eight, nine years old and get through to their technical support very quickly. That's not always the case with some of the inverter providers. You get good technical skill set from the folks that are on that support line. And then when there is a case where you have to replace something, whether it be a warranty or an impact from something external to the inverter, they're extremely helpful in expediting that process so we can get those systems back online quickly, and clients stay happy. Well,
• 7:34
  Tim Montague: Said, I couldn't say it better myself. I mean, service is really what differentiates Chint in a huge way. Anything else you'd like our listeners to know about what you're up to,
• 7:44
  Chris Grablutz: yeah. I mean, we're, you know, we're really looking at the opportunity for skilled installers that are looking to maybe work in the technical field services industry see a different trajectory of their career. So if there's an opportunity for folks who would like to learn about operations and maintenance, they can visit our website, Triforce energy.com or email us at info at Triforce energy.com and you know, folks that have assets that are in the mid Atlantic, you know, we'd love to be a valued partner.
• 8:15
  Chris Grablutz: Bring our operational experience into their new construction, making sure things are built high quality, and then have a trusted partner to take care of them for the long term of the operation of those systems.
• 8:26
  Tim Montague: Awesome. Check out all of our content at Clean Power hour.com Give us a rating and a review on Apple or Spotify and reach out to me on LinkedIn.
• 8:33
  Tim Montague: I love hearing from my listeners. I want to say, Thank you, Chris and let's grow solar and storage. You.