Norwich Technologies
A Vested for Growth Business Champion
JOEL STETTENHEIM, PRESIDENT
When it comes to solar energy companies, those based in Northern New England aren’t usually top of mind. Norwich Technologies wants to change that idea.
“New Hampshire and Vermont are great places for solar,” says Norwich president Joel Stettenheim. “Germany has even less solar resources than we do, yet it powers the whole country on sunny summer days because of its solar infrastructure.”
Stettenheim and Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Troy McBride, started Norwich Tech in 2011 in White River Junction, Vt., hoping to positively impact both the environment and the business community.
“Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time,” says Stettenheim. “Both Troy and I were motivated by that and the business opportunities that are now available.”
Photovoltaic (PV) arrays — also known as “solar panels” — turn sunlight into electricity. An inverter then turns the raw DC power produced by PV cells into AC power, the electricity used in homes and businesses. But Norwich Tech has disrupted this industry by not only what it does, but how.
“Traditional solar installations are a little like having a company come and build an appliance like a refrigerator or washing machine at your house,” says Stettenheim of how those firms typically bring various panels, inverters, rooftop frames, and other equipment to a site with legions of workers. It can take days transporting components, assembling the arrays and installing them and delays often occur due to unpredictable weather.
Norwich Tech has optimized the entire production from its assembly facility in West Lebanon, NH. The company builds arrays of four to nine panels, mounts them on racking systems and then tests the arrays—all before ever leaving the facility. Systems can be expanded to meet the customer’s needs. Even a NH winter is no longer a prohibitive factor as much of the work is completed indoors.
Stettenheim says their growth in just four years is due to its 17 full-time employees. From its first residential systems that produced five kilowatts, the company now designs commercial arrays that produce nearly one megawatt or enough to power more than 160 homes.
“From the very beginning, we’ve been lucky to have such a dynamic team so engaged in not only the technology but in providing the customer with the highest quality installation,” Stettenheim says. “We have a culture committed to bringing clean technology to customers.”
He says the team is collaborative, “with everyone at all levels contributing.”
Case in point, when issues arise during installation, “We have a fantastic field team that can think on their feet and find a solution,” he says.
Company revenue rose from $800,000 in 2014 to $2 million in 2015. Stettenheim says 2016 revenue should grow 2.5 times or more again beyond that of 2015. “And we have a good pipeline of projects scheduled for 2017,” he adds. While rapid growth can be difficult to manage, Stettenheim credits his team, “who have done a great job scaling operations.” (The firm will soon begin selling its EZ-PV MetaModules to third-party installers.)
With a steady stream of projects and new markets, Stettenheim says the company will be hiring more full-time employees as well as part-time crews. He says that growth has brought its own lessons.
“You have to ensure that you deliver the best quality product to the customer; that’s at the core. That’s what we’ve built our reputation on,” he says. “The success we’ve built to date is a direct result of our high quality employees.”
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