SunCast 829: Dean Solon Unfiltered: What the Shoals Founder Will Create Next Is Unprecedented
Jun 26, 2025
Dean Solon, the outspoken founder of Shoals Technologies and now ReCreate Energy, dives into his ambitious new venture after taking his company public. He shares the real story behind Shoals' rise and why he chose to walk away at its peak. Expect bold insights on the slow solar industry, a new labor model inspired by fast food, and a revolutionary solar ordering system akin to a McDonald’s menu. Solon reveals how ReCreate Energy rapidly developed Nissan’s next-gen microgrid in just nine months, embracing American manufacturing with a no-nonsense approach.
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Dropping Out to Start Shoals
- Dean Solon dropped out of college and transitioned from automotive to renewables on a gut feeling.
- A call for a million junction boxes a week kickstarted Shoals' rise in the solar industry.
Simplifying Solar Installation
- Creating modular, pre-assembled solar components drastically reduces labor from hours to seconds.
- Designing to eliminate failure modes makes installations maintenance-free, transforming O&M to "no S&M."
Solar's Amazon Meets McDonald's
- ReCreate Energy offers a McDonald's menu-style product selection with Amazon Prime-style quick delivery.
- This approach removes complicated bundles and custom builds, letting customers pick exactly what they want.