It’s no secret around the Inovateus office that I love cars. There’s nothing quite like a good ol’ classic automobile–and I’ll leave the term “classic” up for interpretation since I’m the proud owner of a 1993 GMC Typhoon. It is my passions for cars and photovoltaics that drive the inspiration behind my poster, Solar Burner.
I’ve been around cars and the automobile industry my whole life. In fact, my family owns Proctor Auto Repair in Edwardsburg, MI, and my Dad is a certified mechanic. I spent countless hours getting under the hood with him in our shop, learning all I could about what makes cars work—or not work.
For me, many of the trends in the automobile world are as exciting as the developments happening in the solar and clean energy sector. While I don’t like the idea of self-driving cars—what fun is that?!—it’s cool to see new technologies and innovations pushing things forward. When the two worlds overlap, like with advanced energy storage batteries and those futuristic solar-powered cars, it’s even cooler.
Despite my love of all things automobile, especially diesel and other internal combustion engines, I understand the need to move away from fossil fuels toward solar and other renewable sources of energy. I truly believe it’s all about finding a healthy balance, spreading the word about solar and protecting the environment on the one hand but also enjoying classic cars and taking some time for a simple leisurely drive.
As a father and a project engineer, there are two things that I am really looking forward to teaching my boys about: cars and solar energy. I want to help them find and navigate that balance in their lives, to enjoy the simple things, and to show them how we at Inovateus are continuing our efforts toward building a brilliant tomorrow.
By Andrew Proctor, senior project engineer, Inovateus Solar
