Eddie Obeliunas, Solar, Indiana
Eddie Obeliunas, who has been in the industry for 11 years, is the CEO of Exactus Energy.
Why is clean energy important to you? Technology has progressed so far now that we don't need to burn fossil fuels for energy. Why would we continue to pollute air and waterways when there are other options? Everything is moving to become more electrified, so making that a clean transition is so important for mitigating climate change, preserving nature and being smarter about how we live and consume power.
What's a memorable clean energy project you’ve worked on? I worked on distributing portable solar lights and batteries in and around the villages of Arusha, Tanzania in 2012. Most people depend on kerosene for light at night, which emits fumes and requires families to purchase kerosene regularly. I was able to raise money through a network of family and friends in Australia, and then purchase and distribute the lights whilst living and volunteering in Arusha that year. By providing over 500 families with a solar powered light, I was able to see the impact of clean energy at a grass roots level, and was genuinely humbled at the same time by how lucky we are to have energy at our fingertips in the western world.
What did you do prior to working in clean energy? Why did you transition to the clean energy industry? I worked as water engineer. My passion for preserving the environment and moving away from fossil fuels sparked my interest and need to work in the solar energy industry.
What do you wish more people knew about the clean energy industry? I think every year more people are becoming more comfortable and familiar with clean energy. I think education needs to continue and we need to manage misinformation about clean energy.
Why should congress invest in clean energy jobs? Everything is becoming more electrified than ever before. Power that from clean and renewable sources will be paramount with continued population growth, and the wave of EV cars coming, among everything else that will be powered by electricity - heat pumps, hot water systems, etc.
Is there anything else you’d like to share? There is a clean energy revolution happening whether people like it or not. Delaying the transition to renewable energy sources now is going to hurt those communities in the future. Get on board the renewable train now, or get left behind.
