Parker Johnson, Solar, Hawaii
Parker Johnson is Regional Sales Manager at Sunrun, and he lives in Honolulu, Hawaii. He’s been in the industry for 3 years.
Why is clean energy important to you? Clean energy is necessary. I left the tourism industry to change to renewables because I do believe that climate change is one of the largest threats to us.
We can make a difference and it's awesome to be able to spread the word to customers, employees and acquaintances.
What’s your proudest accomplishment in clean energy? My proudest accomplishment is leading one of the top sales teams in the nation. Bringing and keeping honest talent and employees with integrity. Sales doesn't always attract the most moral individuals so finding these kinds of employees is instrumental in our success.
What did you do before entering clean energy? I worked in the tourism industry at Hilton for 8 years, but I didn't feel accomplished or fulfilled in what I was doing.
How did you first get introduced to clean energy? I applied for multiple jobs through LinkedIn. Sunrun was the first company to get back to me and they were the most efficient! I've been interested in renewables for years. I had my real estate license at Hilton and always wanted to get into green real estate to sell environmentally friendly homes or to retrofit and help people transition.
How does clean energy impact your community? Clean energy will always help the community. Hawaii relies on oil for about 70% of our electricity resulting in the highest rates in the nation. It's ridiculous, solar gives the customer control over their power.
What is something you wish more people knew about your job? I hope more veterans learn that their skills and passions, developed during military service, are directly applicable and severely needed in the clean energy sector.
Why should Congress invest in clean energy jobs, not fossil fuel jobs? Because clean energy supports more jobs and is more beneficial to the community. We all see the detrimental effects of fossil fuels on the environment. They advertise jobs in the fossil fuel industry but the truth is that most of the jobs are replaced by mechanization and the renewable industry has so much more potential and is such a cleaner option. Our fossil fuel industry is aged, using outdated infrastructure and a profit model that is state mandated and subsidized. This needs to change.