AST Logo Banner Middle Login/Why Solar/FAQs etc.
Top Right Blue Filler
Left Border Home About Us Service Product Button Contact Button Right Border
375kW PV System Photo Text Box
About Us

Advanced Solar Technologies, Inc. (AST) has been founded in 2007 by Harald W. Kegelmann and Douglas "Scott" Davies, two individuals dedicated to renewable technologies. At AST, we have a history of "firsts:" we installed the first free-standing structure to support solar energy in Orlando, the largest residential system at that time, we installed the first commercial PV system in the U.S. connected under a solar feed-in tariff, and we installed the first residential system in Florida leasing roof space from a third party.

Mission

Provide cost-effective renewable energy solutions with the highest technical expertise and the most professional service.

Vision

Gainesville Solar Feed-in Tariff

The Solar Feed-in Tariff (FIT) is the most successful vehicle for the broadbased deployment of solar PV systems. The program was first introduced in Germany and is the reason why about 50 percent of the world's solar PV installations take place in Germany.

Since December 2003, Harald Kegelmann has been promoting a German-style solar FIT in Gainesville, by giving numerous presentations at City Commission meetings, meeting individually with City Commissioners and managers at Gainesville Regional Utilities.

Subsequently, Ed Regan, Assistant General Manager for Strategic Planning, visited Germany in June of 2008 to study the solar FIT program. On February 5, 2009, the Gainesville City Commission signed an ordinance to implement the first solar FIT in the US.

Gainesville - Signing of Solar FIT 2009

February 5, 2009: Signing of the Gainesville Solar Feed-in Tariff in the Gainesville City Commission Auditorium.
Scott Davies (4th from right) and Harald Kegelmann (6th from right) were present at this historic event.

Management

Harald W. Kegelmann, CEO

Harald W. Kegelmann is a native of Germany and came to the U.S. in 1986 on a scholarship to pursue graduate studies in Computer Science at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. After completing his M.S. degree and attending the Ph.D. program, Mr. Kegelmann was offered a faculty position in computer science at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida.

Within two years of this opportunity, Mr. Kegelmann founded FDT, a successful Internet Company with more than 4,000 customers and 23 employees in several cities around North Florida.

In 2003, Mr. Kegelmann turned his interests towards solar energy. For the next six years, he lobbied the city commission of Gainesville and Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU), the local municipal utility, to implement a German-style feed-in tariff, the most successful funding program for solar energy. In 2010 alone it accounted for 7,400 MW of new solar PV installations in Germany. Finally, on March 1, 2009, GRU became the first utility in the United States to implement such a funding mechanism for solar energy.

Since February 2007, when Mr. Kegelmann co-founded Advanced Solar Technologies, Inc., he designed, developed numerous residential and commercial PV systems in Florida, as well as facilitated the largest roof installation in Florida (1.8 MW), the largest privately owned ground mount PV system (2 MW), and a large utility-sized PV system (15 MW).

Matthew M. Malone, COO

Matthew M. Malone grew up around construction with a father who was an architect designing skyscrapers in New York City. As a teenager he always worked on construction sites, but then later began working in the field of Solar Energy.

In 1995, Matthew received a military scholarship to attend Embry Riddle University in Prescott, Arizona, where he began earning a degree in Science, Technology and Globalization. During his time in college, he continued to develop his passion for construction by working in a Sustainable Building Technologies Department, a program that developed lectures on the most revolutionary renewable building methods and materials of that time. The program worked closely with EV Solar, a local solar company, where Matthew later received a position specializing in design and installation of fully integrated solar electric systems, solar hot water systems, micro-wind turbines, and solar water pumps.

Upon graduation Matthew entered the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a military officer, fulfilling his scholarship requirements. Over his six-year military career he attained the rank of Captain. While serving a one-year combat tour in Iraq he worked as the Oil Ministry Representative for Northern Iraq, receiving the Bronze Star for his work allocating and coordinating over $9 million in reconstruction projects. He and his team were responsible for project management, budget allocation, payment obligations, and the contracting of local Iraqi building companies. With the help of two great translators, he mediated crucial negotiations between Iraqi municipality officials and both U.S. and Iraqi governmental officials in Baghdad. Projects included the reconstitution of key energy infrastructure, as well as, local community projects such as schools, hospitals and sports facilities.

After returning from Iraq, he started his own consulting company, traveling extensively throughout the world, working with such companies as Bosch, Brose, and Siemens.

In 2010, he returned to his passion in renewable technologies, partnering with Advanced Solar Technologies Inc., developing solar projects in the U.S., Germany and other countries in Europe.

 

Home | About Us | Services | Products | Contact Us | Login | Why Solar | FAQs | Privacy Policy | Sitemap

Bottom Border