Mark Durrenberger of New England Clean Energy Appointed to SEBANE Board

Jan. 18, 2013 - PRLog -- Mark Durrenberger, president of solar installation company New England Clean Energy, has been appointed to the Board of the Solar Energy Business Association of New England (SEBANE).

Durrenberger said:

“New England’s solar industry has exploded in recent years, mainly due to incredibly successful incentives and creative financing options. This growth brings with it a number of challenges that the industry as a whole must address in order to continue growing and succeeding. As the owner of one of the region’s older solar installation companies, I understand these challenges firsthand.

“The good news is that our industry’s growth creates good jobs, puts solar on roofs, reduces the amount of planet-warming fossil fuels being burned, and decreases our nation’s dependence on foreign energy. The bad news is that industry growth attracts installers who display less than ethical behavior and offer poor quality products and workmanship. I have personally witnessed these behaviors, which damage the entire industry’s reputation and ultimately make it harder for all of us to run successful solar businesses.

“SEBANE, as the leading, regional solar trade organization, must protect and improve the industry’s reputation so we can continue to be successful. We can do this by insisting on well-made products, ensuring they are installed properly and safely by appropriately skilled individuals, advocating for rational regulation and enforcement, and educating the consumer. As a member of SEBANE’s board, I will work hard to keep our industry healthy by working with the other board members and business community to identify the high-leverage issues that concern our industry, and to advocate for appropriate solutions to those issues.“

Before founding New England Clean Energy in 2006, Durrenberger co-founded and ran a project management consulting and training firm, Oak Associates, Inc. Durrenberger has delivered Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” climate change presentation 30 times to more than 1,400 people total. He regularly teaches about renewable energy at continuing education programs and community events.

Durrenberger was named Worcester Business Journal’s Small Business Leader of the Year in 2012. He is certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) as a Photovoltaic Technical Sales Professional. He has a masters in energy engineering and a bachelors in nuclear engineering from the University of Lowell (now UMass Lowell). Durrenberger lives and works in Hudson, where he is very active in the community.

SEBANE is a business association of solar energy companies based, or doing business, in New England. Membership includes photovoltaic ("PV") cell and module manufacturers, component part manufacturers, project developers, system designers, and installers. SEBANE’s mission is to promote the use of solar energy and the development of the solar energy industry in New England.

Hudson-based New England Clean Energy designs, engineers and installs solar electric and solar hot water systems, as well as solar attic fans and solar parking lot lighting systems, for homes and businesses. The company has put more solar on Massachusetts homes than any other local company, installing more than 200 solar systems throughout Central Massachusetts. Mass Solar Info recently awarded the company five honors, including Highest Customer Satisfaction among Massachusetts solar installers.