The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has appointed former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty as its new president and CEO. Pawlenty, who governed Minnesota from 2003 to 2011, brings a background in executive governance and financial sector advocacy to the helm of the U.S. solar and storage industry.
The appointment comes at a critical juncture for the domestic solar market, which has solidified its position as the fastest-growing source of new electric generating capacity in the United States. Pawlenty will officially assume the role on June 15, taking the reins from Darren Van’t Hof, who has served as interim president and CEO following a leadership transition earlier this year.
“Tim brings a proven track record of executive leadership, deep public policy expertise, and a clear understanding of the energy challenges facing our country,” said Scott Moskowitz, SEIA board chair and head of QCells. “I am confident Tim will build strong coalitions to advance the growth of affordable, American-made solar and storage across the United States.”
A bipartisan approach to energy
As the 39th Governor of Minnesota, and a member of the Republican party, Pawlenty gained a reputation for championing renewable energy mandates and overseeing a $50 billion biennial budget. A subsequent tenure as chief executive officer of the Financial Services Roundtable further established his credentials in navigating complex regulatory environments and high-stakes federal advocacy.
Pawlenty emphasized the economic necessity of solar energy in a market increasingly defined by rising demand and a focus on domestic energy independence.
“The sun is the safest, most natural, and largest nuclear reactor in the world,” said Pawlenty. “At a time when affordability is front and center for Americans, expanding access to low-cost solar and storage can deliver real savings and strengthen our domestic energy supply.”
The selection of Pawlenty earned praise from a diverse search committee representing key players in the solar value chain, including Moss, Swift Current Energy, Array Technologies, and CleanCapital. Committee members highlighted Pawlenty’s ability to bridge the gap between government policy and private sector investment.
“Our industry is entering a pivotal moment that requires steady leadership, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of how policy and markets intersect,” said Alfredo Espinosa, senior vice president of energy preconstruction at Moss.
Van’t Hof will continue to lead the organization through the mid-June transition. Under interim leadership, SEIA has continued to represent over 1,200 member companies, advocating for market rules that support the “Solar+ Decade” vision of solar reaching 30% of all U.S. electricity generation by 2030.
Founded in 1974, SEIA remains the leading voice for the U.S. solar workforce, which currently supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in annual private investment.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment.
Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so.
You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled.
Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy.