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Dan Shugar

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Dan Shugar
EducationRensselaer Polytechnic Institute (BSc)
Golden Gate University (MBA)
Occupation(s)Renewable energy entrepreneur, business executive
Years active1987–present
TitleCo-founder and CEO of Nextracker
Websitenextracker.com

Dan Shugar is an American business executive and renewable energy pioneer. He is the co-founder and CEO of Nextracker.[1][2][3]

Early life and education

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Shugar grew up in New Jersey. He graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. He later received an MBA from Golden Gate University.[3][4]

Career

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Shugar began his career in the late 1980s in the research and development department at Pacific Gas and Electric Company.[2][3][5]

In 1996, Shugar joined Tom Dinwoodie, who invented a lightweight solar roof system, as co-founder of PowerLight Corporation[3][6][7]

Shugar and Dinwoodie worked together on existing intellectual property to commercialize single-axis solar trackers and received certification for their use in the U.S. and Europe.[1][8][9] Other innovations included a "solar inverter in a container" for it's use at solar power plants, an integrated residential solar roof system and carport solutions.[1][8][9]

In 2007, SunPower Corp. purchased PowerLight for $332 million.[6][10] Shugar was later named president of SunPower.[6][11][12] Under Shugar's leadership, PowerLight and SunPower grew from less than $1 million to $830 million in annual revenues, with Shugar overseeing the completion of more than 500 commercial, industrial, and utility solar projects worldwide. [6][11][12]

In 2010, Shugar became CEO of a solar panel startup named Solaria.[10][11]

At Nextracker

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In 2013, Shugar co-founded Nextracker while working at Solaria to develop a new generation of solar-tracking systems for utility-scale solar power plants.[3][13] The following year, Nextracker was spun off from Solaria after which Shugar became the CEO of Nextracker.[8][13]

In 2016, Shugar orchestrated Nextracker’s acquisition of BrightBox Technologies, Inc., which develops predictive modeling software and machine-learning technologies.[14][15]

After Covid, Shugar led efforts to reshore solar tracker manufacturing to the U.S. following disruption of global supply chains.[16][17] In December 2024, Nextracker shipped the first U.S.-manufactured solar trackers with 100% domestic content.[18][19][20]

Under Shugar, Nextracker made its debut on the Nasdaq Global Select Market in 2023.[21][22] As of March 31, 2024, Nextracker had shipped solar tracking systems for more than 100 gigawatts (GW) of capacity to 40 countries across six continents.[23][24]

Awards and recognition

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  • 2023 S&P Platts Global Energy Awards – Shugar received the Chief Trailblazer of the Year award for energy industry leadership and innovation.[25][26]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Come together and seize the moment: Nextracker CEO Dan Shugar has never been more excited about clean energy". Renewable Energy World. 2024-05-30. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
  2. ^ a b "Dan Shugar is just getting started". Renewable Energy World. 2023-03-27. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
  3. ^ a b c d e Hanson, Louis (2016-10-21). "Tracking the sun, from utility planner to entrepreneur". The Mercury News. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
  4. ^ "Dan Shugar, NEXTracker Inc: Profile and Biography". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  5. ^ Matsui, Richard (2019-02-19). "kWh Analytics: #Solar100's Dan Shugar: The Bono of Solar". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  6. ^ a b c d Lacey, Stephen (2006-11-15). "SunPower to Acquire PowerLight". Factor This™. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  7. ^ "Dan Shugar: More Maestro than Midas". pv magazine USA. 2022-04-11. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  8. ^ a b c Weirich, Tom (22 September 2022). We Took the Risk. Potomac, Maryland: New Degree Press. pp. 235–246. ISBN 9798885046398.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  9. ^ a b Williams, Emily (2023-06-07). "Dan Shugar". UNC Institute for the Environment. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  10. ^ a b "Update: Solaria CEO Dan Shugar Responds". www.greentechmedia.com. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  11. ^ a b c Cheyney, Tom (2010-01-11). "Former PowerLight, SunPower Systems head Dan Shugar joins Solaria as CEO". PV Tech. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  12. ^ a b "NEXTracker CEO Dan Shugar Talks Innovation, Solar's Evolution, and More". Aurora Solar. 2019-02-20. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  13. ^ a b Kelly-Detwiler, Peter. "NEXTracker's Dan Shugar: Looking Beyond The First 20 Gigawatts Of Solar". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  14. ^ "039: Dan Shugar, CEO of NEXTracker, on scale, culture, and winning in business and life | SunCast Media". www.suncast.media. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
  15. ^ Bushong, Steven (2016-08-30). "NEXTracker acquires BrightBox Technologies". Solar Power World. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
  16. ^ "The reshoring of American solar trackers". Latitude Media. 2024-07-17. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
  17. ^ Shugar, Dan. "Domestic manufacturing is the key to American energy leadership". The Washington Times. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
  18. ^ "Nextracker ships first US-manufactured solar trackers under IRA". Power Technology. 2024-12-11. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
  19. ^ "Nextracker delivers first 100% U.S. made solar trackers". pv magazine USA. 2024-12-10. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  20. ^ Ludt, Billy (2024-12-10). "Nextracker supplies California solar project with 100% US-made trackers". Solar Power World. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  21. ^ "Solar Tech firm Nextracker raises $638 million min in upsized US IPO". Reuters. 8 February 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  22. ^ monty (2023-02-15). "Nextracker feels the love in its Nasdaq debut, but sweats details in the IRA". Factor This™. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  23. ^ "Nextracker Is the Market Leader in the Growing Solar-Tracking Industry". Morningstar, Inc. 2024-01-24. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  24. ^ "NXT Stock: Solar Firm Nextracker Powers Up Growth After IPO". Investor's Business Daily. 2023-09-29. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  25. ^ "SPC Global". 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  26. ^ ACP. "Dan Shugar". ACP. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  27. ^ "AWARDS AND FELLOWS | American Solar Energy Society". Retrieved 2025-01-14.
  28. ^ "Solar Today Winter 2023 Page 48". solartoday.mydigitalpublication.com. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
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