Arno Harris

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About Arno

<p>I'm CEO of Recurrent Energy, a leading developer of solar projects for utilities and large energy customers. Recurrent Energy develops, builds, finances, and operates solar power projects--marketing clean electricity at competitive rates via Power Purchase Agreements or feed-in tariffs in North America and emerging markets worldwide. Recurrent Energy is a US subsidiary of Sharp Corporation, following the sale of the company in 2010. With a 2-Gigawatt pipeline and almost 500MW of signed projects, we're well on our way to building a fleet of clean power plants sited right where they're needed most.</p> <br> <p>Prior to Recurrent Energy, I ran EI Solutions (now SunTech Energy Solutions), the solar power systems division of Energy Innovations. While at EIS, I delivered record growth and industry milestones that included the sale of the largest US corporate solar power system to Google. EIS was formed following the sale of Prevalent Power, a solar power system integration business I founded in 2001, to Energy Innovations.</p> <br> <p>Before solar my background was in technology startups. I've raised (or helped to raise) over $200MM in equity financing for startups over the past decade or so. One company I co-founded, RedEnvelope.com, had an IPO in 2003. The other, Novo Media Group, was sold several years ago to Publicis, one of the world's premier marketing and media companies. I've also had my share of challenges along the way--my firsthand experience of a failed IPO registration for Novo and the collapse of a well-funded dot-com called WineShopper.com have helped to season me as an entrepreneur and a leader.</p> <br> <p>Functionally, the bulk of my experience is in marketing, business development, and sales with a good dose of general management and finance gleaned from my startup adventures. During that time I've had the opportunity to work with clients like Toyota Motor Sales USA, GlaxoWellcome, MCI, Apple Computer, Hewlett-Packard, Nikon Precision, IKEA International, HGTV (Scripps) and NBC Digital Publishing. My background has been particuarly useful to me in the emerging clean energy industry where many of the business challenges are centered around market entry and initial sales traction.</p> <br> <p>As an entrepreneur, I am passionate about startups and passionate about clean technology, but I have zero patience for dreamy ideas or unfocused execution. I'm a regular speaker at energy industry events and I'm now sharing more of my thinking via my weblog Clean Energy Future. I'm a graduate of UC Berkeley, a published author, private pilot and proud father of twin boys.</p>