In a world becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of climate change, and looking for sustainable methods of power generation that are more environmentally friendly, renewable energy is a booming industry. In 2010, the founders of Lightsource Renewable Energy created what would quickly become Europes leading solar energy company. Lightsource now operates the largest portfolio of commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) in the UK with more than 1 gigawatt of solar capacity and the company is growing by the day.
Managing Director Kareen Boutonnat has been working in the solar industry since 2008. Kareen spoke to The CEO Magazine about the future of energy, the challenges involved in running a solar energy company like Lightsource and how it works with the best staff and partners to ensure success.
The CEO Magazine: Throughout your time with the company, what have been the biggest changes you have overseen and how has the business grown?
Kareen: When I joined the company, Lightsource was effectively at the beginning of its growth. While other developers were spending a great deal of time finding new sites, Lightsource went in search of funding for projects and partnered with Octopus Investments, a leading retail investment company. This partnership has enabled Lightsource to dominate the UK’s commercial solar PV market, as it means we have been able to deploy large-scale solar installations at considerable pace while other developers were still trying to source funding for projects. I think that’s what really propelled Lightsource to become the leaders of the UK market.
