Due Diligence

Technical Due Diligence For Investors

Are you considering investing in a new solar or energy related product or service?   Before you do, you might want to give me a call.

I offer the following Due Diligence Services for Investors:

Pre-committment:

  1. Initial technical screening of investment opportunities.
  2. Independent review of product developer’s performance claims.
  3. Full assessment on technical and market viability.

Conditional or post-commitment: (in partnership with product developers)

  1. Review and/or provide recommendations for optimal path to proof-of-concept.
  2. Review and/or provide recommendations for optimal path to prototype.
  3. Independent prototype testing.

I’ve seen a great deal of products and services come and go over my career from many different angles and perspectives.  As a classically trained scientist and engineer, I can tell when the science won’t hold up the claims being made.  As a technology integrator, I understand intimately what the industry needs – and doesn’t need.  As a former solar and energy contractor I know what is practical and as a businessman I know what will sell in the industry.   The integration of these perspectives has given me a high degree of accuracy in predicting what products would fail and which would take off.

I have seen many bogus product claims – both technical claims and economic claims – where I could have saved investors a whole lot of money if they would have spoken with me first.  And I’ve seen exquisite ideas languish for lack of investment that later proved to be pivotal contributions to the industry.

I am especially versed in the areas of solar concentrators, hydrogen energy systems, flywheel energy systems and other energy storage technologies. I’m also highly versed in all aspects of solar, wind and michrohydro electric systems including balance of system components.   I participated as far back as 1978 in developing solar concentrators as part of President Carter’s Point Focusing Competition and have been involved in solar concentrator and energy storage research and applications ever since.  I’ve extensive experience developing electric vehicle applications and have experience in optimizing solar thermal applications – both active and passive.

My business philosophy for these services is to share the “risk” with you up front.  I can work on time or on a deliverable contract as fits the situation.  I’m glad to provide a good amount of free advice up front in order to explore whether working together is a good match.  Give me a call – 413-559-9763.