The Solar Roots Party
Oct 30 - Nov 1 in Grass Valley, CA
See the documentary debut of "Solar Roots: The Pioneers of PV" and Celebrate the birth of an industry
Past Events
Solar Pioneer Parties
2015, 2016, & 2017
Our mission
Solar photovoltaics (PV) is a magical technology that converts the power of sunlight into electricity with no moving parts to generate clean energy to power our planet.
Our mission is to educate & inspire by connecting dedicated solar professionals and advocates with other member of the Solar Community who share the passion to expand solar power by promoting sustainability and knowledge of our unique history to help make the world a better place.
Meet the team behind
the Solar Roots Party
Jeff Spies - Event Founder
Jeff Spies is the founder of the Solar Pioneers Parties and the executive producer of the documentary film "Solar Roots - the Pioneers of PV". Jeff serves as president of Planet Plan Sets - a full service solar and storage plan drafting and interconnection application processing company serving solar contractors nationwide. He works from his home office in Chandler Arizona where he has lived since 1997.
Sam Vanderhoof
Sam is one of the main characters in the documentary film and started his solar career in Nevada County in the mid 70's. Sam has been a valued mentor and advisor throughout our project and has been an invaluable source of information for planning of the Solar Pioneer Party, and the Solar Roots Party.
Wyatt Briest
Wyatt started his solar career in 2010 and has done almost everything under the sun since, from installing residential, commercial, and off-grid systems to sales, procurement, and business development. He now focuses on procurement consulting, while advising innovative startups like Sunnoo, whose off-grid microgrids double as charging hubs for EVs.
Vince Lucia - Event Organizer
Vince Lucia is a long time solar pro based in the Grass Valley area. He started his solar career in 2001 working for SMA in Grass Valley, one of the pioneering companies of the solar PV industry. Vince is our man on the ground and will manage all aspects of planning for the Solar Roots Party and affiliated events.
Guy Snow
Guy is a long time solar pro that started his solar career in Grass Valley in the 1980s. Guy now leads a commercial renewable energy team in Las Vegas. He also serves as solar compliance consultant for NV Energy, teaches solar PV to IBEW electricians, and serves on the Board of Directors for Solar NV.
Jessica Fishman
Jessica Fishman is the strategic marketing and communications manager for the Solar Roots Party. Passionate about climate solutions, she has 15 years of experience managing high-profile marketing, publicity, and launch campaigns.