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Drones, Data, and Blind Spots: Daniel Mello Guimaraes on Solar’s Path to Real Intelligence
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In Episode 61 of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy, host Wes Ashworth sits down with Daniel Mello Guimaraes, SVP North America at Above, a pioneer in solar asset intelligence transforming how solar assets are built, monitored, and sustained.
Daniel shares his remarkable journey from high-stakes finance in London to leading Boston Solar and now spearheading Above’s expansion into North America. He explores why the solar industry remains “drowning in data but starving for insights,” and how Above’s blend of drone technology, digital twins, and data analytics is bridging critical gaps in solar asset management.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
- How Above moves beyond drone inspections to create factory-to-field traceability and digital twins that pinpoint solar asset issues earlier and more precisely.
- Why long-term condition monitoring at the module level, not just inverters, is key to ensuring solar’s reliability and bankability.
- How misaligned incentives between asset owners and O&M providers threaten solar’s potential and what must change.
- Daniel’s leadership philosophy of focusing on fewer priorities, enabling teams to excel, and creating transparency for faster solutions.
- Insights on the next frontier: autonomous drones, robotics, AI integration, and the creation of a seamless ecosystem to eliminate data silos across the solar project lifecycle.
Daniel’s perspective blends deep financial rigor with firsthand operational insight from the rooftop to the boardroom. He advocates for building partnerships, integrating diverse data sources, and refusing to settle for “good enough” in solar quality, especially as the U.S. expands its domestic manufacturing.
Whether you’re a solar developer, operator, investor, or simply renewable-curious, this episode offers practical wisdom on navigating the solar industry’s complexity and volatility and how to build a sustainable future where technology, people, and profitable business models align.
Tune in for a candid, energetic discussion that will challenge how you think about solar’s blind spots and inspire you to help the industry mature.
Links:
Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/
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