Solar Charging Meets Retail and Restaurants

Going Green enjoys talking to leaders in the sustainable and cleantech space, which is why we were very excited to invite Tosh Dutt onto the podcast and have a conversation with him about his company, ChargeNet Stations . Tosh, the CEO of ChargeNet Stations, has built a software platform that integrates and optimizes EV Fast Chargers, solar and energy storage with point-of-sale systems at restaurants and retail locations. Let’s dive a bit deeper with Tosh and learn about how his company is changing how solar charging meets retail and restaurants.

Tell us a little bit about you and your background: 

My subject matter expertise is in Distributed Energy Resources and EV Charging which has derived from my work as a consulting engineer and having been in various management and sales leadership roles throughout my career. I have successfully built and scaled mature startups and new business units of large organizations such as Enel X, Johnson Controls Inc., Honeywell, Allana, Buick, and Bers, and others.

What is a fun fact about you?

A fun fact about me is that one of my hero’s is the MotoGP rider, Valentino Rossi. He’s one of the greatest professional athletes of all time and still is competitive in MotoGP at 41. I admire his tenacity and poise. Despite being having been injured several times, written off, discounted, and still being considered the underdog after 9 world championships, he’s still riding circles around kids half his age. He’s given me the inspiration to keep charging forward and push no matter how many times I get told no or that I won’t succeed, that I’m too this way or that, and that I don’t belong here or there. He reminds me to never give up.

What was your motivation to get into this industry?

My motivation was to do work that would leave this planet better than when I entered it and provide my kids and future generations with solutions that will sustain our planet.

Why do you think climate change/sustainability is such an important topic today?

 It’s so important because the future of our planet, our species, and every other is at stake. We can’t continue on the path that we have been and expect that nature is going to respond lightly. We’re already seeing massive changes in weather patterns, melting ice caps, the eradication of different species due to deforestation, and other tectonic shifts in nature. Our ability to come up with solutions that will slow down and potentially reverse GHG emissions and more CO2 being pumped in our atmosphere are paramount to fighting climate change.

What do you envision your industry looking like 10 years from now?

I envision 10 years from now that majority of our transportation will be electrified, that EVs will have a high level of autonomy, and that fast charging infrastructure will be widely available and will be quicker as filling up a gas tank and offer more range. I believe that the advancements in renewables and energy storage will allow for buildings to operate as true microgrids and not have to be grid tied. Lastly, I envision that the majority of the meat and dairy we eat will be replaced with more sustainable, organic plant-based products and ingredients that offer the same taste and texture.

What can the average person do to make a difference? 

The average person doesn’t need to do much to make a difference. They only need to keep an open mind. From an open mind comes an awareness. With an awareness comes the desire to change. It’s the small changes we make that add up to make a big difference.

What positive changes are you seeing?

I’m starting to see more funding, policies, and legislation being implemented that are incentivizing companies like mine to develop new technologies and software that accelerate our transition to EVs and incorporate more renewable energy on our grid. There are more and more EV manufacturers announcing and releasing new products to the market along with major OEM’s doing the same. Tesla’s success is driving the rest of the industry to catch up and is igniting other industries to innovate in a similar way.

Thank you Tosh for taking the time and diving deep into how ChargeNet will change how solar charging meets retail and restaurants.

Going Green interviews leading experts in cleantech, sustainability, media, finance, and real estate on the Going Green podcast. Tune in and subscribe to the podcast on Apple or Spotify to listen to interviews with leading cleantech and sustainable experts. If you would like to to be featured on Going Green, fill out the interview form Here. If you are interested in writing for Going Green, click Here.