Rising Star: Gwendoly Espe, Yaskawa Solectria Solar

Solar Power World is proud to present the inaugural SPW Rising Stars. These solar industry workers are improving the industry and inspiring others to join the green workforce. Read all of our Rising Star profiles here.

Gwendoly Espe, product manager at Yaskawa Solectria Solar.

Gwendoly Espe is an electromechanical engineer and product manager at Yaskawa Solectria Solar. She found her way into renewables through volunteer work designing solar projects for underserved international communities. Espe has also created her own website called UpTop Solar to provide technical resources for installers that were lacking in the market.

What accomplishments are you most proud of so far in your career?

My volunteer work with eMi in several developing countries is where I really started to take a deeper dive into how to design PV systems.

We would create initial system designs for projects such as a hospital and a vocational school and the local project owners would use those designs to raise funds so that local engineers and construction personnel could be hired to complete the projects, creating local jobs and improving quality of life. I’m proud of the work I have done on four major projects located in Haiti, Guatemala and India and the resulting improvements.

Since starting in the solar industry, I have also taken web development and machine learning courses. I found there were major gaps on tools available to installers or people interested in solar. From this realization, I have developed multiple online tools including string sizing tools and other solar design tools. I find designing tools that can help others work more efficiently very rewarding and I greatly enjoy the challenge.

Developing and teaching a three-day course on inverter safety, servicing and troubleshooting at Yaskawa Solectria Solar was incredibly rewarding. It was both practical and hands-on, helping technical staff understand the equipment and approaching the equipment safely for servicing. Troubleshooting can be frustrating, but it’s deeply gratifying when you understand the equipment well enough to diagnose and fix issues effectively and safely.

What’s a lesson you learned the hard way in this industry?

Safety is crucial. Always take training seriously and follow safety procedures! I had a close call while testing equipment at a previous job, which was a difficult, but important, lesson. This experience really demonstrated how crucial it is to stay vigilant and stick to safety protocols.

Espe walks through a Yaskawa Solectria site in Massachusetts with site controller Heila and a customer.

Sometimes it’s challenging to find precise answers, the right tools or explanations for why things work the way they do, especially with niche topics or questions. That’s why I started UpTop Solar — to share the hard-earned knowledge I’ve gathered through my experience. I also created online tools to help with solar designs. If I learn something new that is usually tough to find, whether through research or by consulting with my industry network, I make it a point to share it or create a tool to help!

This is a rapidly changing industry which makes it exciting to work in! Whether it’s updates to the NEC, the introduction or revision of UL standards, or evolving utility requirements, it is essential to stay informed and adapt to these changes. Continuous learning and staying up-to-date in an ever-evolving field are crucial for maintaining your expertise, credibility and passion in the field.

Who or what has had a major influence on your work in the renewable energy field?

Hannah Peterson was the first person to teach me and fuel my passion for solar energy. This was through a volunteer organization called eMi. She gifted me her personal resources and her time helping me navigate solar designs.

Mark Mays, a mentor of mine when I was an applications engineer at OutBack Power, served as a mentor when I first entered the solar industry, imparting all the essential knowledge I needed during the beginning of my solar career.

Years before I joined Yaskawa Solectria Solar, I attended a conference where Emily Hwang was a panelist discussing cybersecurity. Her insights inspired me to deepen my technical expertise and become a representative for women at similar conferences and events.

And co-founder of Remote Energy, Carol Weis’s volunteer efforts, international work, education and technical expertise are truly inspiring. She mentored me while I was at OutBack Power. Her dedication to underserved communities resonates deeply with my own passions.

What’s a Big Idea you have about the renewable energy transition?

Espe performs a solar inspection with Engineering Ministries International (eMi) in Haiti.

Over the last 10 years “marketplace businesses” or “platform businesses” such as Airbnb, Rover, Fiverr and others have given more access to the everyday person to provide services direct to customers. I believe this could be the future when it comes to individuals taking ownership of their own produced energy and providing services locally to their neighbors. This would likely require some infrastructure changes and batteries to store during peak production times and exporting during peak demand times (typically not at the same time).

Why should young people consider careers in the solar space?

I’ve never been in an industry as driven and passionate as the solar and storage sector. The genuine passion to improve the technology and promote renewable, clean energy is truly inspiring. The people in the solar + storage industry are incredibly nice, approachable and just as enthusiastic about being in the industry. Without sounding too corny, there is a lot of positive energy in this space. With so many advancements occurring so rapidly there’s are huge opportunities for an individual to influence the future direction of the industry. It’s a pretty cool position to be in.

Are there any companies or organizations that have especially helped to foster your career in solar? 

While I was still in the construction industry, my volunteer work at eMi really kicked off my career in solar, working in developing countries designing PV systems. My experience at OutBack Power gave me a unique opportunity to really understand more advanced DC-coupled PV + storage systems and ‘boots on the ground’ testing and troubleshooting equipment. I thought 80 kW was a huge project until I joined Yaskawa Solectria Solar where I learned about the challenging interconnection process of special requirements, documents, models and letters that customers needed approval. Working on 5 to 10 MW projects is fascinating.

Working with an inverter company is so interesting because it is the heart and the brain of PV systems, you have the opportunity to get involved in a multitude of aspects of a PV + storage site (PV array, batteries, grid interconnection, controller, etc). They are sophisticated pieces of equipment that control the most critical functions. They have to respond to certain conditions and can be programmed to perform a certain way in order to meet the application, whether it is connecting with batteries, non-exporting or other interesting use scenarios. It is a phenomenal experience!