As the face of energy continues to evolve, so do the requirements and expertise needed to support it. The renewable energy industry has seen impressive, global growth over the last decade and civil engineers and land surveyors have played a essential role in enabling the world’s transition to clean energy and more sustainable practices and processes.
KWRE developed its renewable energy department in 2022 as Chief Executive Officer, Chuck McCallum, PE, saw an opportunity to break into the industry and become an innovative forerunner.
“As a living, growing company, we’re always on the lookout to expand our services and evolve with the industry,” says Chuck.
“We know the world is transitioning to more sustainable practices, which allows us the opportunity to showcase another range of products and provide engineering designs that incorporate renewable solutions for our clients.”
Since developing this department, the renewable energy team continues to make a vital impact in the industry. Senior Project Manager, Murat Karakum, PE, was hired to head this department and help deliver on the promise of a cleaner energy future for our clients and their projects.
With 10 years of prior experience working at SunPower Corporation, Murat has earned a notable reputation in this industry and brings many years of valuable experience working on all types of renewable energy projects.
“With Murat’s guidance and vision, the KWRE renewable energy team is here to provide full solar power service for our clients,” says Chuck. “We understand what it takes to design and execute a variety of sustainable projects and can help minimize the impact of design needs and constraints.”
By utilizing the latest technology and experience, the KWRE renewable energy team helps manage our client’s projects from concept through construction. Our renewable energy services include civil, structural, surveying, hydrology, and geotechnical engineering.
“Not many renewable power design firms offer a multifaceted approach to renewable energy services,” says Murat. “But here at KWRE, we take the entire scope and offer our clients a one-stop shop solution to help eliminate the burden of coordination between several consultants.”
KWRE Principal and Vice President, Joe Thompson, PLS, collaborated on several projects with Murat while he was at SunPower and upon Murat’s return to KWRE was eager bring these impactful services inhouse. Joe works alongside Murat to deliver exceptional renewable energy projects and puts together ALTA surveys, provides title reports, and identifies all the legal aspects, powerlines, and easements for gas for the renewable energy team.
“Murat and I have built a great working relationship,” says Joe. “I’m excited to be a part of this dynamic team and love working on these sustainable projects and proud of the impact that they are making.”
KWRE’s renewable energy design services vary from renewable energy design, temporary power for construction, onsite and offsite street light design and undergrounding of overhead lines. This team also manages biological mitigation and environmental permitting even in the most complex geographical locations. Our electrical team is well-versed in designing solar arrays, battery storage units, interconnections, and substations.
“We provide multiple renewable energy services in order to best service our clients and their needs,” says Murat. “The world doesn’t have an energy problem; we have a collection and distribution problem. This is where the KWRE renewable energy team comes in and provides start to finish services to help our clients achieve their renewable energy production goals.”
Throughout the processes of these projects, our team utilizes the latest aerial drone technology and virtual visits to help speed up the surveying time and reduce the cost for our clients.
“Our innovative technology allows our clients to easily access the end product online and collaborate with their respective stakeholders,” says Murat. “I’m excited about the new opportunities this team is facing and will continue to implement innovative technology and processes as we continue to grow and evolve with the industry and world.”
KWRE’s interdisciplinary solar team has a proven track record of managing complex projects across the country and the world. The team is looking forward to continuing to serve their clients and grow their portfolio as the industry advances and provides new opportunities for these types of sustainable projects.
To learn more about this department, please view the video above.
To schedule your renewable power consultation contact us today.