Ron Corio, the godfather of solar energy, with his groundbreaking invention helped pioneer large scale solar power plants.
A frontrunner for renewable energy and providing solar tracking solutions today, Corio’s company, Array Technologies Inc., was a pioneer in inventing solar tracking energy in the 80s. With a valuation of billions today, Corio had quite a humble upbringing.
Early life and career:
Corio completed high school in 1979 and followed his elder brother into college, wherein he enrolled in engineering. Corio dropped out of college and joined HDI, a startup company. Corio’s experience in the start-up company fueled his decision to innovate solar trackers.
He was recruited by the Wattsun Corp. Albuquerque in 1985. Wattsun Corp was a small firm in the then-nascent solar energy category. Corio developed, or rather came across, the idea of solar trackers during his experience at Wattsun Corp.
What are solar trackers?
Solar trackers are sophisticated mechanisms created to align an item, like solar panels or space telescopes, at the best possible angle in relation to the sun. Continuous adjustments of the object’s position are made by these trackers to maximize efficiency and energy production by capturing maximum sunlight throughout the day.
Maximizing solar energy absorption and efficiency is their main objective. Trackers help solar panels stay perpendicular to the sun’s rays, enabling them to receive more direct sunlight, reduce reflection, and enhance energy production through improved absorption.
By continuously adjusting the orientation of solar panels to follow the sun’s path across the sky, solar trackers significantly enhance the overall efficiency and output of solar energy systems. The renewable energy sector has widely adopted this technology.
Establishing Array Technologies Inc.
Corio earned the nickname, ‘Godfather of Solar’ since he jumped on this opportunity back when the utility solar energy industry was just taking off. According to Forbes, the only target consumers for solar trackers early on were environmental activists or rich hippies.
Although the Godfather of Solar did not conceptualise the invention of the solar tracker, his perseverance in making it commercially viable equipment made his company a frontrunner in the utility solar sector, as it is today. In 2018, Corio was awarded the lifetime achievement award by S&P Platts Global Energy Awards.
The trajectory is remarkable for a company that went from 10 employees to a billion-dollar valuation. Presently, Corio has stepped down as CEO of Array Technologies Inc. and resigned from the board in 2022.
Array Technologies, established in 1989, with just 16,000 dollars, has today become a monumental manufacturer, controlling over 30% of the US solar tracker market.
Array Technologies recently became the first company in Australia to manufacture solar trackers. This was a commendable move as it created employment opportunities locally. Recent accolades for Array Technologies include nominations for groundbreaking local manufacturing capabilities by Australia 2023 Clean Energy Council Awards.
The Forbes’ annual list of the world’s richest people announced that Ron Corio was New Mexico’s first billionaire with a net worth of 1.1 billion dollars as of 2021. Corio’s rise is credited to his innovation and perseverance in the renewable energy industry spanning three decades.
Ron Corio’s contributions to the solar industry and his role in establishing Array Technologies have earned him the title of “Godfather of Solar.” His work has had a substantial impact on the growth and development of solar energy worldwide.
