About Cotuit Solar’s Philosophy, Founder, Team and Experience.
Our Philosophy
We are passionate about bringing solar energy to as many people as possible in order to conserve local resources and reduce our carbon footprint. We are proud of our work installing solar on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket households and businesses. The Cotuit Solar Team is a group of conscientious individuals who try to live in concert with the philosophy – believing that small actions by many are the means to a sustainable future.
Our Founder
Conrad is the principal of Cotuit Solar and is NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners) certified in both PV and Solar Thermal. He has directed over five hundred system installations to date ranging from small off-grid to 1.14 MW.
Our founder has been an instructor for Cape Cod Community College, Cape & Islands Self Reliance solar workshops and Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. In the past, he served on the Board of Directors of SEBANE (Solar Energy Business Association of New England) and the Board of Advisers for the Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School. Conrad monitors a number of technical journals around the Renewable Energy and sustainability fields.
Additional sustainability projects include:
- Designing and producing the Cotuit Dry Toilet
- Nutrient recycling gardening
- Local sustainability indicator projects
- Quahog sub-tidal aquaculture
- Various window thermal insulation methods
- Quick response Radiant floor systems
When he’s not working (kind of rare) you can find him gardening, sailing, kite boarding, flying airplanes, boat building, chopping wood, daydreaming up some strange design or keeping one of his ancient vehicles on the road.
Meet Our Team
Katie
Katie steers Cotuit Solar through the ever changing solar tides helping to navigate and adopt new procedures. She looks at the bigger picture so that the team meets its goals in timeliness, efficiency, innovation and customer support. Katie has managed hundreds of residential and commercial solar installations funded in part by tax & rebate incentives. She has secured nearly 50 US Department of Agriculture, US Treasury and Massachusetts Department of Agriculture grants for solar installations at local farms and businesses including a highly competitive $113,000 USDA REAP Grant for a large scale commercial solar project. Katie has a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a major in fine art, from Colorado College. She has been with Cotuit Solar since 2006 after a short career in furniture conservation and a few years of running her own business designing and reworking clothing. Katie is passionate about reducing her family’s imprint by living a low-impact lifestyle. She lives with her husband and four young children in a passive solar home powered by solar thermal.
Nikki
Nikki is our Scheduling Coordinator and likely the first voice you will hear when you call. She graduated in 2002 from Simmons College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Art. She brings career experience from the fields of Social Work and Corporate Operations and Marketing. Nikki is passionate about helping others and strives to make sure Cotuit Solar customers are happy and confident in their Solar experience.
Diane
Diane keeps our Accounting books and Human Resource needs in order and comes to us with a Bachelor’s in Accounting from Bridgewater State College. Working previously with various types of businesses including construction, property management and insurance, Diane is in her element working at Cotuit Solar. She is a Falmouth resident who enjoys driving the backroads of beautiful Cape Cod in her Jeep.
Barbara
Barbara is the former Executive Director of Clean Power Now. Over the course of the past 30 years she has held a variety of management positions focused on renewable energy, land preservation and affordable housing. She is a certified Kind Yoga Teacher.
Matt
Matt comes to Cotuit solar with a background in sustainability and business studies and a passion for positive systems change. Born and raised in Falmouth, Matt has worked in permaculture, chili farming, and composting, and he now spends his days in the Cotuit Solar office. In his free time Matt is a musician, a tinkerer, and an outdoor enthusiast.
Nina
Nina Landau joined us last fall. Nina has broad experience in many community-based endeavors including solar design and integration. She works magic helping customers through the labyrinth of adopting solar. She also is known for her unique vessel the Sunseeker – a three-masted Sampan built by Rusty Strange and a fixture in Quissett Harbor for decades.
Graham
Graham Piercey joined us in March. Graham has a broad background in sustainability, renewable energy, and related public policy. His expertise, experience, and positive energy are very welcome. When he’s not nerding out on all things clean energy, Graham enjoys working in his woodshop and walking in the woods with his wife, Eve, and their dog, Frankie.
Jeny
We welcomed Jeny Christian to Cotuit Solar in November of 2021. She is working toward being a full-time farmer and educator. In addition to helping Cotuit Solar, Jeny is involved in many facets of local food production and sustainability efforts. These include running the Falmouth Farmers Market and being a founding member and chair of Farming Falmouth an educational non-profit. Jeny has been a great help at Cotuit Solar in many roles. Along with her community spirit, we especially appreciate her ability to absorb the thousands of square feet of cardboard from PV module cartons – for mulch/weed suppression at town owned Andrews Farm.
Steve
Cotuit Solar is grateful for the wide variety of knowledge that Steve brings to the Cotuit Solar Team! Steve not only oversees the general accounting at Cotuit Solar but also helps in managing our larger-scale projects. He is our company expert on tax incentives and laws and how they affect the Solar Energy Industry. Steve’s extensive experience includes a Master’s in Aerospace Engineering, a Master’s in National Resource Management, and an Associate’s Degree in Business with an emphasis in Accounting.
John
Master Electrician’s License, Construction Supervisors License (CSL), Weatherization Certified. A Cape Cod Native, John not only has experience with solar but has attended a boat building school. He has years of construction experience and has been with Cotuit Solar since 2009. John lives in Mashpee with his beautiful wife and two daughters.
Jeff
Jeff is a licensed Master Electrician with an interest in alternative energy, energy efficiency, & reducing one’s carbon foot. Jeff has 30+ years of experience in the computer industry designing power, cooling, and physical infrastructure systems for large data centers. In his off time he enjoys spending time with his 2 grandchildren, family & friends. On the weekend you’ll find him four-wheeling on Sand Neck Beach, snorkeling, mountain biking, fishing and visiting some of the hidden gems Cape Cod has to offer.
Dylan
Solar PV Technician. Dylan has been with Cotuit Solar since 2015. He has a background in carpentry and construction. He enjoys the blending of trade skills required to successfully install PV systems. When not on a roof, Dylan is an aspiring musician/audio engineer with a degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. He is now in school to become a licensed electrician.
Jesse
Solar PV Technician. Jesse has been with Cotuit Solar since 2015. He grew up working with his dad’s company, Vaughn Homebuilders, in all phases of home building. Jesse has a passion for skateboarding and ramp building that has led to the design and builds of multiple skate parks with his brother, Dylan. Jesse likes being outdoors and hanging out with friends and family. Jesse also plays music, and although there is no official brotherly beard contest, it seems Jesse is in the lead.
Joel
Solar PV Technician. Another Cotuit native, Joel brings extensive carpentry experience to Cotuit Solar and has an interest in sustainable living. Brother to Arden, the Lockwood brothers are a great addition to our Solar team!
Saiful
Saiful Bahrami joined us in September 2021. He is a pleasure to know and work with. Saiful was evacuated from Afghanistan as the Taliban would probably have taken his life for aiding the US. He has a family that he hopes to be reunited with – they are still in Kabul.
Muhammad Khasib ( hasib )
A citizen of the Russian Federation, Hasib was born and studied in Afghanistan. While still in Afghanistan he worked as a supervisor at a paper factory and doing plumbing work in Kabul International Airport. He then lived in Russia from 2010 to 2023. In 2010 he started his wholesale trade of home textiles in Moscow until he came to America in 2022. He is a hard worker and a great addition to the team!
Sam
He was a teacher in Myanmar for over 7 years. Came to US with a Scholarship Visa. Because of political situations in the country he cannot go back. He will be joining electrical school to become a licensed electrician. Passionate about renewable energy and loves the environment. He lives life using the three “R” ( Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) lowering his life’s footprint.
Karen
After graduating from UVM with a degree in Math and Animal Science, Karen worked on Nantucket as a commercial fisherwoman, farm manager, boat captain, and mother. Karen has always had a deep concern for conservation and the environment. In the hope of working in the renewable energy field, Karen returned to school for Electrical Engineering. In 2013 she graduated from Vermont Technical College Sum Cum Laude and a Tau Beta Phi member. When not working towards converting everyone on Nantucket to solar power, she spends her time surfing and running in the summer and Nordic ski racing in the winter.
Total Installations
Our Experience
Cotuit Solar is the most experienced solar installer on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. We are fully insured and maintain all necessary state and local licenses in compliance with the MA Clean Energy Center. And we only use licensed plumbers, electricians and engineers.
Since 1988, we have installed over 950 solar systems. Our work includes: residential PV systems; a 1 MW solar farm in Acushnet; agricultural solar installations (Cape Cod Organic Farm, Truro Vineyards and Northern Pines Farm on Martha’s Vineyard); community organizations (Housing Assistance Corporation, Hyannis Recreation Center, Truro Center for the Arts, MA Audubon, and Cape Cod Community Development Partnership; and, churches (Cape Cod Church, St. Davids, Sacred Heart and St. Augustine’s).
Woods Hole Research Center
Falmouth, MA | 2018
Anita Zlatev
Bourne, MA | 2018
Steve Colman- Year in Review
Falmouth, MA | 2018
Ed & Peg Crawford
West Barnstable, MA | 2017
Dick Schott
West Yarmouth, MA | 2017
Meghan Hanawalt
Falmouth, MA | 2018
Janice Allee
Truro, MA | 2016
Lincoln Jackson
Cotuit Solar was extremely helpful before, during and after my solar installation. They completely demystified the sea of paperwork, necessary for the various state and federal tax credits and other incentive programs.
Lincoln Jackson | Concord
Julie Reinemo from Nantucket
Honore From Falmouth
Phillip Hallowell
Tom Sbarra
Falmouth, MA | 2017
Steve Colman
Falmouth, MA | 2017
Ed Delano
Plymouth, MA | 2017
Give Us Your Feedback!
Your opinion matters! Once your solar installation is complete, we would love to hear your feedback.
Refer a Friend
For every friend you refer who signs up for our services, you will receive a check for $350.
