Meet the Natural Solar team: Oliver Coleman

We are very proud of our staff here at Natural Solar, and we love working every day with such a passionate, experienced and energetic team to bring you the very best in solar energy systems.

To give you a chance to get to know us a bit better, we’re going to share some little Q&As with our staff. Here’s the first one, with one of our friendly engineers Oliver Coleman.

What’s your role at Natural Solar?

I’m the Lead Technical Support Engineer.

And what exactly does that mean?

I talk to customers about their systems. I also do line diagrams and voltage drop diagram calculations for connection applications and I look after the technically nitty-gritty to make sure a system is electrically compliant and the networks will approve a system connection application.

What’s your background?

I started out doing an Environmental Engineering degree at the University of Newcastle before going to work at Vales Point Power Station as an Operations Engineer, monitoring the efficiency of steam turbines, boilers and other plant items. I then did a Masters of Renewable Energy Systems Technology in the UK, before coming back to Australia and working briefly with a solar start up here, then finally joining Natural Solar last year.

Why are you passionate about solar?

Because it’s green and it’s accessible to nearly everybody, from the power of a pocket calculator through to large megawatt scale projects. Also, the sun’s pretty reliable and rises every day, and the physics behind converting photons to an electric current is really interesting and elegant.

What’s your favourite part about working for Natural Solar?
Seeing customers get systems on their roof that they’re happy with and that allows them to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and save money.

What are your thoughts on solar energy in Australia?

I think Australians are excited about solar because we’re practical and we love to be self-sufficient. It’s in our national psyche, and you see it with old couples in their caravans and young people at music festivals with generators. I’m really positive about the future of solar energy here in Australia.

Why do you think the Tesla Powerwall is such a game-changer?
The Tesla Powerwall is a big deal because it’s very reliable, highly efficient and maintenance free. Anyone can use them, they’re very well monitored, they last a long time – and they’re a great price!

Which do you prefer – sunrise or sunset?

Sunrise. The promise of a new day.

What’s your favourite way to spend a sunny day?
On a surfboard.