Celebrating Solar Superstars this Galentine’s Day

At Neighborhood Sun, we’re proud to be a solar company made up of 50% women – far exceeding the 2017 solar industry average of 27% according to The Solar Foundation. This means that half of us will be celebrating the women friends in our lives. Why? Because it’s Galentine’s Day, of course!

At Neighborhood Sun, Galentine’s Day is also an opportunity for all of us – women and men alike – to celebrate the pioneering women who have made a difference in the solar industry. Below are just a few examples of solar superstars.

• Mária Telkes: An avid inventor, Maria designing the first ever solar heating system in 1953 and is considered one of the founders of solar thermal storage systems. She more than earned her nickname “the Sun Queen.” More info.
• Paige Kassalen: Paige is an electrical engineer working on the world’s first solar powered plane. She’s a standout for a bunch of reasons: she’s one of three women on the 16-person ground crew; the only American woman on the international team; and at 22 years old, the youngest person responsible for safe takeoff and landing of the plane. More info.
• Dr. Laura E. Stachel: Dr. Stachel’s journey started as an OB/GYN exploring ways to lower maternal mortality in Nigerian state hospitals. She found that the all-too-common lack of electricity led to tragedies that could be avoided. She devised her own solution when she co-founded WE CARE Solar with her husband. The company designs and develops off-grid solar electric systems, called Solar Suitcases, for African hospitals. More info.

These three women did/are doing amazing things for solar – and for the world in general. But you don’t have to make history – I mean, herstory – to deserve recognition this Galantine’s Day. Today, let’s celebrate every woman in the solar industry, no matter her achievement. We might not all be as accomplished as Mária, Paige, or Dr. Laura, but I’ll guess that we’re all committed to moving solar forward and helping change our little corners of the world. At least that’s true for me and Emily here at Neighborhood Sun.