“Having the opportunity to lead a new department at Sol Systems and build it from scratch has allowed me to accomplish an important life goal.”
At Sol Systems, our team is the foundation of our continued success. With nearly sixty full-time staff and counting, our talented team of industry professionals have brought creative financing solutions to the solar industry for the past eight years. Giving our clients, partners, and growing staff a chance to get acquainted with the Sol family, our Employee Spotlight blog series features interviews with new hires. This month, we sat down with James Machulak, the Director of the Asset Management Team.
1. What first made you interested in the solar energy industry?
I have always been interested in the environment. As an undergraduate and graduate student, I studied economics, so having the chance to combine two of my favorite things, finance and the environment, was an opportunity I was very excited to pursue.
2. Why were you attracted to accept a position at Sol Systems?
I joined the team in October 2015, and when looking at Sol Systems at the time, I thought that it would be very interesting to join the company at such a strong and clear inflection point. With the solar industry and Sol Systems itself growing so quickly, I knew that there was going to be a lot of new and engaging work happening. The opportunity to build-out the Asset Management department was something I really looked forward to when accepting this role. There is still a significant amount of progress going on at Sol Systems and my role continues to develop.
3. Since joining the team, what has been your favorite part about Sol Systems?
Definitely the people. The people make all the difference and here at Sol Systems they are the core of what we have been doing. Everyone here is really passionate and smart, and the organization allows them to bring new innovative ideas and perspectives to their work here. Also, the people are so dedicated to the mission of Sol Systems and the work that we are doing here.
4. What are you currently working on the Asset Management Team?
Our role continues to develop and be defined since we are still a smaller team and continue to bring on more people. Currently, Asset Management means that we manage the investments of tax equity assets for investors. For companies investing who are not in the solar industry, we make sure that we maximize the returns that they get on their investment. Additionally, since the solar industry is a little more technical than others companies may be investing in, we also manage technical performance and make sure that the stakeholders understand how their finances are being invested and any issues that may come up and impact their returns.
5. In what ways do you see the solar energy industry, and the role of asset management in the field, changing?
Since solar is still relatively new and growing rapidly, the available pool of assets is also increasing. As the industry progresses, asset management is definitely going to see a lot of growth. With this increase, asset management in solar will likely get more mature and see considerable standardization, such as more polished electronic reporting and data. Also, with more tax equity and credit options available, there will be extensions of opportunities for new tax investors who may need guidance and advice in the process of investing in solar energy.
6. Outside of Sol Systems, what do you like to do with your free time?
I actually really enjoy playing bridge a lot. I also like playing videogames when I get a chance. Walking and hiking around parts of D.C. is something I really like to do too.
Interested in becoming a member of the Sol Systems team? We are currently seeking new employees at all three of our offices, in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and San Francisco. To learn more about available solar energy careers with Sol Systems, please visit our careers page.
ABOUT SOL SYSTEMS
Sol Systems is a leading solar energy investment and development firm with an established reputation for integrity and reliability. The company has financed approximately 450MW of solar projects, and manages over $500 million in assets on behalf of insurance companies, utilities, banks, and Fortune 500 companies.
Sol Systems works with its corporate and institutional clients to develop customized energy procurement solutions, and to architect and deploy structured investments in the solar asset class with a dedicated team of investment professionals, lawyers, accountants, engineers, and project finance analysts.
