What separates solar projects that get built from those that die in development? Brad Stutzman has spent 16 years figuring out the answer.

Brad is the Founder and CEO of O3 Energy, a Dallas-based solar development and construction company. He started in 2009 during the Great Recession, pivoting from real estate financing to renewable energy. O3 Energy has since deployed hundreds of on-site solar projects across commercial, municipal, and non-profit customers throughout the Southwest, Hawaii, Guam, and Mexico.

Key Discussion Points

• How the 2009 recession and Obama's American Recovery Act launched Brad's solar career through the 1603 grant program
• Why behind-the-meter projects reduce development risk by eliminating land acquisition and off-taker uncertainty
• O3 Energy's approach to "practical innovation" and requiring ROI from every business improvement
• How Brad converted a capped New Mexico landfill near Sandia Labs into a working solar facility (brownfields to brightfields)
• Why Brad is repowering a project with Erthos flat-to-earth racking technology after wind damage destroyed the Ballasted fixed tilt system
• The future of "renewable baseload power" through solar plus battery storage achieving grid parity
• AI integration in solar monitoring platforms that analyze system performance and troubleshoot issues

Brad's 16 years in solar development reveal a consistent truth: successful projects require patience, practical thinking, and smart partnerships. His brownfield conversion near nuclear weapons storage required Nuclear Regulatory Authority sign-off. His California municipal project needed creative cross-property engineering. Neither would have happened without tenacity.

As Brad puts it, mistakes are only mistakes if you don't learn from them. O3 Energy continues expanding into the Midwest and Mexico while preparing for the next wave of solar plus storage. The company is actively seeking partners for development, construction, and asset management opportunities nationwide.

Connect with Brad Stutzman

Brad’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradstutzman/

03 Energy Website: https://o3energy.com/

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