Solar Power

Ralph Jacobson has been a steadfast advocate for solar since he founded IPS Solar in 1991. In 2017 they became the fastest-growing Twin Cities Business, all the more rewarding because of their practice of inviting women & people of color into the mostly male-dominated industry, and for Ralph's effort to use MnVest.org (Minnesota Investment Crowdfunding) to jump-start solarization of the Red Lake Nation reservation.

We ask 3 sustainable energy professionals about their visions of our future, both technologically and personally, living responsibly on the Earth. We speak with Jeff Knutsen of A-A Exteriors, Jim Olson of E3 Coalition, and Zeus Stark of Next Step Energy. Who and how will we be as we grow into a responsible energy future?

There are ways to help individuals and organizations to overcome the impediments to adoption of alternative energy sources, and it's the work of RENEW Wisconsin to help get folks in Wisconsin past these problems, into the future. Drawing on the inspirations and experiences of other states and nations, RENEW Wisconsin's executive director, Tyler Huebner helps map a course to a decentralized, non-polluting, inexpensive energy system.

Ralph Jacobson founded Innovative Power Systems in 1991, giving him 20 years on the learning curve. His outlook & views have been significantly changed by the experience of "doing business". He is also president of the Minnesota Solar Industries and lives in St Paul, Minnesota.