ABOUT

Way back in the 1970's in my teens, I went to work for Greenpeace, fought against Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, and became passionate about a holistic vision that our lives could be powered by clean sources of energy that are renewable, cost effective, and safe for everyone. I knew the so called "alternatives" were actually the solutions. I'm still at it, with a detour and an adventure here and there over the years, all the while volunteering for solar work.

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Then I had a fantastic idea in 2008. Everyone should simply add solar to their home mortgage when they buy their house.  Easy!  In doing so, they retain the Federal Tax Credit, can deduct the mortgage interest, and get the lowest monthly payment possible. After a few years, I became a volunteer founder of Solar Sonoma County while my winery business thrived.

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In 2014 I left the wine business and have been selling solar ever since. In 2015, I got my first California State License as a Home Improvement Salesperson. I became certified by the Building Performance Institute as a Building Analyst.  I learned how to dig deep into the bones of buildings to find where energy was lost. I earned a Dept of Energy certification as a Home Energy Score auditor. Along the way, I learned how to analyze how home energy conservation works so homes retain the heat in winter better and stay cool in summer. I started selling new windows, insulation, heat pumps and especially low-cost air sealing to combat draftiness. I began to understand how to asses ROI in efficiency upgrades in a home's mechanical equipment.  I learned about storage batteries as the local utilities started shutting down power on their own customers. You see, comprehensive, money-saving, easy solutions propel this work forward everyday. I will fix your power bill. I will repair your home as much as you let me so that you can expect a clean, renewable, cost effective and safe home for your future.

Every day, I'm helping all homes to operate holistically, cleanly, safely, comfortably, efficiently and ultimately cost free.

I like a warehouse filled with solar power panels.  The rows of pallets of panels, the big wheels of electrical wire and all the boxes of parts lined up end-to-end, wrapped from the factory and ready to go excite me.

In the warehouse one gets the sense of the commitment of so many people to doing things right to fixing that utility bill.

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I know I'm just one guy, working the North Bay Area, trying to do right by my suppliers, my co-workers, and especially my clients.

How many Pot Stickers do you think I can eat at one sitting?  What is the best ice cream producer in Northern California?  How many years was I a breakfast chef and a B&B Innkeeper?  Burning questions, and more, all to be answered in good time.  

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Link to food and restaurant columns.  

Photo above, 2 barrels of Napa Valley Bordeaux blend in transit.  Link to a previous life...

"Win-wins deals?"  With your home's thermal shell upgraded, you win!  With solar, you win!  With your home's equipment upgraded to Energy Star levels, you win.  With storage you win.  I want you to win every time.   That's the deal.

If you like me, my service, products, and prices, you'll sign up.  Mostly though, I'm here to help.  If you need help with that bill, I'm here.  That's about as complex as it gets with me.

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I will fix that bill.

Every once in a while I catch one!

Above, my niece on the beach in Kehei at sunset.

Other photos are sprinkled around this web page (the ones that don't have me in them!).