Meet Our Experts
Stephen Pope
Solar APP+ Outreach Manager
As the SolarAPP+ Outreach Manager at the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA), Steve leads SolarAPP+ awareness building and education efforts with Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ’s) and solar installers and contractors nationally. As the U.S.’s national, expedited solar permitting platform, SolarAPP+ is a U.S. Department of Energy developed, no-cost software platform, led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) with industry support and collaboration, that automates rooftop solar permitting for local jurisdictions. In addition to direct outreach to community leadership and building department officials, he works directly with solar installers and contractors to strategically communicate and collaborate with municipalities and counties to introduce SolarAPP+ and its capability to revolutionize the local solar permitting process, thereby reducing the soft costs involved with less than efficient permit processing.
Prior to joining SEIA, Steve led outreach for two prominent privately-held, national solar installers based in New Jersey – Momentum and Trinity Solar. His experience at these two firms gave him first-hand experience in how long permitting times affect the solar industry and slow the experience for customers to obtain solar. After attending a SolarAPP+ webinar was hosted by SEIA, he immediately recognized its industry-changing potential as a critical process saver for the industry. When SEIA offered its SolarAPP+ Outreach Manager role, he had to take the leap. His entrepreneurial background, including previously co-founding Smarsh, a multinational SaaS electronic communications archiving and compliance provider, was an ideal fit and made for an easy transition to hit the ground running.
As the SolarAPP+ Outreach Manager at the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA), Steve leads SolarAPP+ awareness building and education efforts with Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ’s) and solar installers and contractors nationally. As the U.S.’s national, expedited solar permitting platform, SolarAPP+ is a U.S. Department of Energy developed, no-cost software platform, led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) with industry support and collaboration, that automates rooftop solar permitting for local jurisdictions. In addition to direct outreach to community leadership and building department officials, he works directly with solar installers and contractors to strategically communicate and collaborate with municipalities and counties to introduce SolarAPP+ and its capability to revolutionize the local solar permitting process, thereby reducing the soft costs involved with less than efficient permit processing.
Prior to joining SEIA, Steve led outreach for two prominent privately-held, national solar installers based in New Jersey – Momentum and Trinity Solar. His experience at these two firms gave him first-hand experience in how long permitting times affect the solar industry and slow the experience for customers to obtain solar. After attending a SolarAPP+ webinar was hosted by SEIA, he immediately recognized its industry-changing potential as a critical process saver for the industry. When SEIA offered its SolarAPP+ Outreach Manager role, he had to take the leap. His entrepreneurial background, including previously co-founding Smarsh, a multinational SaaS electronic communications archiving and compliance provider, was an ideal fit and made for an easy transition to hit the ground running.
