About SED

Donald E. Osborn, CEO
Mr. Osborn was the founder and Supervisor of the SMUD Solar Program, which he led for the past decade. As Superintendent of Renewable Generation, which included the photovoltaics program as well as wind energy, distributed generation and renewables R&D, he managed over 20 professional staff members and a $16 million annual budget.  Under his leadership SMUD became the world's leading utility in the use of photovoltaics with more than 1,000 installations totaling over 10 MW, and received numerous honors and recognitions including the 2001 World Energy Globe Award.  Upon leaving SMUD, Osborn received in July 2002 a citation for “the successful creation of SMUD's Solar PV Pioneer Program, his legacy to the Sacramento community …dedicated efforts and life-long commitment to the advancement of PV technology” One of the most respected professionals in the Solar Industry, he is an engineer with 25 years of solar experience.  He is the author of more than 100 technical reports and publications in the solar field. Mr. Osborn was the Director of the University of Arizona Solar & Energy Research Facility where he directed and conducted RD&D programs in photovoltaics and other areas of solar energy development.  He also previously served as Associate Director of the State of Arizona Solar Energy Commission directing and implementing solar related legislation, regulations and consumer protection programs, later being appointed the Chairman of the Commission by the Arizona Governor.  In 2000 Mr. Osborn was awarded the Charles Greeley Abbot Award , the most prestigious honor given by the American Solar Energy Society for his “persistent and effective contributions to the many fields of solar energy.”  He is the former Chairman and Board member of the Solar Electric Power Association (formerly the Utility PhotoVoltaic Group), and a former Board Member of the American Solar Energy Society and the Solar Energy Industries Association.

Dr. Vincent Schwent, President
Dr. Schwent most recently headed the marketing effort for the SMUD Solar PV Program, where he built a marketing team covering commercial and residential PV sales as well as large volume sales of PV hardware.  Previously, he worked for the California Energy Commission (CEC) where he was responsible for designing and implementing the CEC Buydown Program.  He has been actively involved in various pieces of legislation involving PV including the California net metering law and the California tax credit for PV.  Dr. Schwent also played a similar role with the State Energy Commission 20 years previously when he headed the state's pioneering efforts to commercialize wind energy. He left public service to found and act as President of WindMaster, Inc., one of the first firms developing large wind energy generating facilities and which produced $32 million in sales in its first three years.   WindMaster is now part of the Danish wind energy developer, eneXco, Inc.  In between he served as the Chairman of Green Tree Plastics, a start-up in the recycled plastics field where he developed their business plan, raised their initial capital, and successfully found venture capital and a joint venture partner.  He has founded and led a number of other for-profit and non-profit organizations, including the California Public Interest Research Group, a major environmental and consumer organization in California.

Dave Collier, Vice-President for Engineering
Mr. Collier has been a Senior Project Manager for the SMUD PV Program since its inception.  In this capacity he has overseen the design, procurement, siting, construction, testing and operation of over 1,000 PV systems ranging from 1 kilowatt to 3,500 kilowatts with a total capacity of 10 megawatts.  He has served as a Principal Electrical Engineer at SMUD with 23 years of utility experience including experience with protection engineering and transmission and distribution system operation making him an expert on the interconnection of PV systems to utility grids.  A internationally recognized authority on the design and installation of both residential and large PV systems, Mr. Collier serves as the U.S. representative to the International Energy Agency (IEA) Task 7&8 (Feasibility of Very Large PV Plants) and is a Licensed Professional Electrical Engineer.

Rich Heisler, Vice-President for Project Development
Mr. Heisler was most recently Manager of California Operations for Terra Solar, Inc. where his duties included the start-up activities for the Cal Solar photovoltaics manufacturing plant in Sacramento , including permitting and initial staffing.  He has over 20 years of experience in business management and operations including founding and operating a building material supply business, as well as experience in managing sales operations, consumer finance and energy services and performance contracting.

Patrick Agnello, Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Agnello most recently is a consultant to the SMUD Solar Program responsible for developing PV marketing and financial analysis in the commercial market sector.  From 1996 to 2001, he was the Chief Financial Officer of O.C. Communications, a utility project development and construction firm, where he managed all of the financial matters of the company as it grew to 80 employees. Mr. Agnello provided financial and economic analysis to clients of Redwood Securities as a consultant to them on energy matters. He also has a background in wind energy and other energy project development as the North American Business Development Manager for Howden Group PLC of Scotland from 1985 to 1991.  He also has operated a number of real estate development ventures.