Movers & Shakers
LATITUDE
-photo by Rob McMorris Photography
-photo by Curtis Comeau Photography
BETTER DESIGNS MEAN BETTER COMMUNITIES, UNDER-40S BELIEVE
Mr. Vonesch, a mechanical engineer, joined the Calgary- based SkyFire in 2007 not long after graduating from the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Engineering. As reported in Avenue Calgary , his concerns about climate change led him to a career in renewable energy. After recently becoming a dad for the first time, he’s even more driven to help build a clean energy future. He does this not only through his own work but by inspiring younger generations to take action. He regularly visits elementary, junior, and senior high schools to talk about solar power, and also mentors fourth-year electrical engineering students at the University of Calgary. Albertans aren’t the only ones who have benefited from Mr. Vonesch’s talents. In 2013, he spent three weeks in a remote Peruvian jungle, helping install six solar electric systems and training locals in their operation and maintenance. He was there as a volunteer with Light up the World, a Calgary non-profit that brings solar power to communities without access to electricity. A second renewable energy entrepreneur named to the Top 40 Under 40 is Dennis Cuku, P.Eng. , another U of A mechanical engineering grad. The 39-year-old is one of three APEGA Members recognized by Avenue Edmonton . His approach to green
They each take a unique approach to the things they design, be they solar panels, oil rigs, buildings, or bright lights. But there’s a common thread connecting the four young professionals featured below: A strong desire and commitment to make their communities better places to live. Their efforts have been recognized by Avenue magazines in Calgary and Edmonton in their annual Top 40 Under 40 lists. First up is David Vonesch, P.Eng. , who at 32 is a partner and the COO at SkyFire Energy , one of Alberta’s leading solar power companies. He’s worked on hundreds of solar projects across Canada and recently led the design and construction of Alberta’s first utility-scale solar PV system, a two-megawatt solar farm east of Calgary. He’s also a board chair for SPARK, Alberta’s first member-owned retail power co-operative. The co-op is so dedicated to green energy that its members invest 70 per cent of profits back into renewable energy projects. And it recently formed a new electrical and natural gas retailer, Alberta Co-operative Energy.
50 | PEG SPRING 2016
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