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Men And Women Of Unborrowed Vision

Howard Roark, the brilliant architect and protagonist in Ayn Rand’s masterwork The Fountainhead, spoke in the novel at his trial and discussed the people of great vision who built (and still build) the world. See if this sounds familiar:

“Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision. Their goals differed, but they all had this in common: that the step was first, the road new, the vision unborrowed, and the response they received — hatred. The great creators — the thinkers, the artists, the scientists, the inventors — stood alone against the men of their time. Every great new thought was opposed. Every great new invention was denounced …. [b]ut the men of unborrowed vision went ahead. They fought, they suffered and they paid. But they won.”

When I recently re-read this quotation for the first time in 30 years, I realized these were the people the Solar Power World team had been writing about for the past few months.

These are the companies that had the initiative to apply to be part of the elite Top 250 Solar Contractors. These companies have the vision to succeed in
an industry dismissed by so many around the world. These companies — these visionaries — are poised to take full advantage of the near-term solar boom that none other than researcher Shayle Kann has predicted for the U.S. industry.

It is these businesses that have fueled the three-year growth of this industry of 227%. The Solar Power World’s Top 250 employ 73,068 people and installed 3 GW in 2012 alone. They have installed 7.8 GW overall. They represent the best across all three segments — utility, commercial and residential — that make this industry so vibrant. In an industry now valued at $11.5 billion, these are the companies that have built it.

We want their success to be your success. That’s why we asked Lou Moore, senior vice president of systems engineering and construction, at two-time No. 1 company First Solar to explain how they continue to succeed and innovate. That’s why we talked to leaders from companies around the country to discuss the hottest issues facing the industry today, including how to develop a succession plan and how to fix the biggest problem they (accidentally) created.

We appreciated the candor of the industry leaders and their willingness to share their wisdom with the industry. It’s our collective and individual strength that will keep this industry moving forward, and it’s our honor to bring you a roadmap — from the experts — for success.