GlobalData research has found the top solar influencers based on their performance and engagement online. Using research from GlobalData’s Influencer platform, Verdict has named ten of the most influential people in solar on Twitter during Q1 2020.

Biggest influencers in solar: The top ten in Q1 2020

1. Arik Ring (@arikring)

Arik Ring is an energy engineering consultant. He specialises in areas such as solar, waste heat, and other clean-tech technologies, turbomachinery, power plants, HVAC and power systems. Ring has extensive experience at companies such as Ormat and Siemens, developing solar, clean-tech and turbo-machinery technologies. He is also known for bringing novel technologies to power plants.

He is proficient with solar power technologies such as solar thermal (CSP), and photovoltaics (PV), tracking systems, hybridisation, waste heat, biomass and biofuels, among others.

Twitter followers: 85,406

GlobalData influencer score: 100

2. Tor Valenza (@SolarFred)

Tor Valenza is a solar energy marketing consultant and television writer. He is the founder of Unthink Solar, a communications agency that focuses on providing solar companies reach their customers through innovative branding, messaging, and social media communications.

Twitter followers: 17,455

GlobalData influencer score: 73

3. Mike Hudema (@MikeHudema)

Mike Hudema is an energy campaigner focusing on addressing the climate crisis, building green opportunities, and new collaborations. He currently serves as communications director for Canopy, an international environmental organisation working with corporate across industries such as fashion, print and packaging to tackle the climate change and preserve forests.

Twitter followers: 127,094

GlobalData influencer score: 67

4. Thomas Hillig (@THEnergyNet)

Thomas Hillig is an energy consultant, and the founder of Thenergy, a boutique consultancy focussed at microgrids, minigrids, off-grid renewable energy and energy storage for commercial and industrial customers, innovative products and energy access applications, as well as rural electrification.

Twitter followers: 40,971

GlobalData influencer score: 60

5. Jesse Jenkins (@JesseJenkins)

Jesse Jenkins is an energy consultant and an assistant professor at the Princeton University. As a macro-scale energy systems engineer, Jesse focuses on the rapidly evolving electricity sector, including the transition to zero-carbon resources, distributed energy resources proliferation, and the role of electricity in decarbonisation.

As a consultant, he offers analytics, decision support and policy advisory services to non-profit and other energy customer working to accelerate clean energy deployment.

Twitter followers: 27,696

GlobalData influencer score: 59

6. Ken Oatman (@KenOatman)

Ken Oatman is a solar industry professional and marketing expert. He is is the director of sales for Seraphim Energy Group, a solar energy company based in California and the US subsidiary of Jiangsu Seraphim Solar System Company in China.

Twitter followers: 21,959

GlobalData influencer score: 59

7. Carl Siegrist (@CarlSiegrist)

Carl Siegrist is a renewable energy strategist and consultant. He is the member, board of directors of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), New York. He focuses on areas such as community solar, renewable energy policies, other clean technologies, sustainability, collaborative decision making, and more.

Twitter followers: 9,970

GlobalData influencer score: 54

8. Tom Cheyney (@cheynman)

Tom Cheyney is a solar energy consultant. He contributes towards solar, renewables and climate solutions content, strategy and market intelligence at Kiterocket, a PR and marketing agency. He is part of a team that leads solar energy, storage, and sustainability practices.

Twitter followers: 5,495

GlobalData influencer score: 50

9. Jigar Shah (@JigarShahDC)

Jigar Shah is an energy consultant and the co-creator of Generate Capital, an investment and operating platform. He is best known to have pioneered the “no money down solar” path, as founder of the largest solar services company, Sunedison. He specialises in helping entrepreneurs deploy sustainable infrastructure at scale.

Twitter followers: 22,960

GlobalData influencer score: 50

10. Michael Noble (@NobleIdeas)

Michael Noble is an energy and climate policy leader. He is also the CEO and executive director of Fresh Energy, an independent non-profit organisation that helps to speed the transition to a clean energy economy. As a leader and policy advocate, Michael focuses on organising institutional and philanthropic resources to bring about the necessary change.

Twitter followers: 12,923

GlobalData influencer score: 49