How U.S. Innovators Are Reshaping Solar

Innovation in solar business models and technology is front-and-center on this episode of The smarter E Podcast. Featuring two leaders from the U.S. solar industry, it explores how innovation across the solar value chain is taking the global energy transition in new directions. Recorded live at The smarter E Europe 2026 in Munich, host Jonathan Gifford speaks with two executives from companies that represent very different stages of the industry's evolution: one scaling and redefining an established global business, the other pushing a new generation of solar technology toward commercial reality.

First, Howard Wenger, President of Nextpower, discusses the company's rapid transformation from a solar tracker specialist into a provider of integrated utility-scale solar and energy storage platforms. Following a series of strategic acquisitions – most recently the German mounting system manufacturer Zimmermann and battery storage integrator Prevalon – Wenger explains why combining hardware, software, and storage is becoming essential for utility-scale renewable energy. He also shares insights into Europe's growing importance for the company, the role of battery storage in addressing negative electricity prices and data centre demand, and why customer-focused innovation remains central to Nextpower's expansion strategy.

The conversation then turns to the future of photovoltaic cell-and-module technology with Aaron Thurlow, Chief Commercial Officer at Caelux. Thurlow explains how the company's perovskite-on-glass approach could accelerate commercial adoption by augmenting existing silicon module production lines rather than replacing them. He discusses the pathway from pilot production to scale manufacturing, the potential for significant efficiency gains, and why perovskites could unlock new opportunities not only for terrestrial solar but also for space applications. The discussion also tackles one of PV-perovskite technology’s biggest questions: long-term durability and why confidence is growing and commercial-scale deployment drawing closer.

Together, these conversations highlight an industry advancing on multiple fronts and developing the technologies that could define the next generation of highly-productive photovoltaics.

Howard Wenger has served as President of Nextpower since February 2022. He began his solar career in 1984 and has held executive and board leadership roles across the industry, including President of Solaria Corporation (2020–2021) and Board Director (2019–2022), executive leadership positions at SunPower Corporation (2007–2017), including President, Global Business Units, and for eight years President and Chief Executive Officer of SunPower Corporation Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary, and Executive Vice President and Board Director of PowerLight Corporation (2003–2007).

Previously, he held management, engineering, and research roles at AstroPower, Inc., Pacific Energy Group, PG&E, and Intersol Power Corporation. Mr. Wenger holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Aaron Thurlow is a multifaceted global executive leader who has built and scaled businesses in the solar industry over the past two decades. With a focus on commercialization, Thurlow brings deep experience launching new products and technologies, creating customer partnerships, building teams and driving revenue growth. Throughout his career he has helped expand the solar industry, serving on industry boards (SEIA and CALSSA) and in reviewer, mentor and advisor roles. Thurlow has brought lasting success to both notable start-ups and publicly traded companies including SunPower, National Semiconductor (now Texas Instruments), Silevo (now Tesla), Omnidian, and LONGi Solar, among others.