Navisun Narratives: Nathan Russell, Director, Engineering
At Navisun, our people are the driving force behind every project we build. Through our Navisun Narratives series, we spotlight the individuals who power our mission and shape the future of clean energy.
We recently caught up with Director of Engineering Nathan Russell to hear about his unconventional path from Florida real estate to leading system design and standardization at Navisun. From stepping into a leadership role during a company crisis to helping develop our internal “PV Playbook,” Nathan’s story is a testament to resilience, curiosity, and what it means to engineer with the full business in mind.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself to get started?
I'm originally from Indiana and spent almost a decade in Florida in the real estate industry. However, I realized I wanted to be a part of physically building something in a field that was tangible, impactful, and interesting — and that led me to the solar industry, which has fulfilled those desires admirably.
From Florida, I moved to Vermont to pursue a master’s degree in renewable energy and started my solar career as an operations manager at Power Guru, a small residential and commercial solar installer in Southern Vermont. Power Guru’s owner, Bhima Nitta was the first person in solar to give me a shot and I will always be grateful to him for taking a chance on a real estate broker who was just trying to break into the industry. Unfortunately, just six months into my tenure, Bhima passed away unexpectedly. That moment ushered in a yearlong trial-by-fire as I stepped in and led the company in his absence.
After that, I moved to Massachusetts and joined Oberon, working on commercial solar projects. Then I was recruited by Genie Solar, where I got hands-on experience with community solar, managing projects from early development through interconnection and PTO. Eventually, I joined Navisun.
What did you learn most from that initial experience?
Losing the founder of a business is always difficult. We faced financial challenges, personnel challenges, and we had to deliver on our pipeline in order to give our customers the confidence to continue to work with us. I am happy to say that our team accomplished all of this and more. We created a tight knit team that was resilient, resourceful, and one that Bhima would have been proud of.
That experience at Power Guru taught me how to build and maintain a team during extreme uncertainty.
How many projects are you currently working on?
Whatever’s active in our pipeline. At any given time, I’m working on a variety of projects, each of which are in different stages of development, design, or construction.
What brought you to Navisun and to renewable energy more broadly?
It came down to wanting to make an impact and a shift in priorities. Real estate never really pushed me. I was craving work that combined purpose and problem-solving. I’ve always loved building things and being outside, and renewables checked all the boxes.
As for Navisun, I came here because of the people. The level of expertise is phenomenal. I’m surrounded by folks who’ve forgotten more about solar than I’ll ever know, and that kind of environment is where I grow the most.
Engineering is such a critical part of bringing solar projects to life. What are the key considerations when designing distributed solar systems like the ones Navisun specializes in?
I view design as a highly integrated process. It’s not just about engineering — it’s about the full business context. Design is shaped by what our finance team needs for tax equity, what state incentives are available, the specifics of the site, and what’s practical for the construction team to build.
My approach is to bring all those influences together. Solar is fairly simple electrically, but designing a system that integrates the competing priorities of internal and external stakeholders is a work of art. The only way to design a PV system effectively is to look at the broader picture and keep that context in mind as you design and build your project.
Are there any recent or upcoming projects you’re particularly proud of or excited about?
Definitely the Galva, Illinois landfill project. It’s a hybrid design — part landfill, part ground mount — with trackers, so it’s not a simple cookie-cutter install. It’s been exciting to tackle the complexities of that site and see it come together.
How do you see solar engineering evolving in the coming years and how is Navisun preparing for that future?
I think engineering needs to move away from being an isolated function. Historically, engineers could work in silos, but that just doesn’t work anymore. Every decision we make affects permitting timelines, financing models, power production, and ultimately whether a project gets built.
At Navisun, we’re already pushing in that direction. Engineering here is deeply collaborative, and it’s only becoming more so. The future of solar engineering will require even more awareness of how every detail touches the business.
What are you most proud of accomplishing in the time you’ve been at Navisun?
I’m really proud of the standardization we’ve built into our designs. We’ve shifted from being more of an M&A shop to a true self-development company. I led the creation of what we call the PV Playbook, which includes a series of design standards influenced by lessons from our business development, construction, and asset management teams.
The two major pillars are designing for reliability and for redundancy. That’s helped reduce O&M downtime, speed up construction, and improve coordination across departments. It’s not just about design efficiency — it’s about operational excellence at every stage.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in renewable energy or considering a career in solar engineering?
Just start learning. Dive into the resources that are out there like HeatSpring, NABCEP, and online communities. I started a master’s program but quickly realized that industry certifications were a faster and more effective entry point.
If you’re new to the field, I highly recommend getting your NABCEP Associate certification. It gives you a great foundation, teaches you the basics, and gives you something tangible to talk about. I’ve since gone on to earn the PVIP certification and a systems inspector license, but even the associate level is a great start.
What do you like most about working for Navisun?
Hands down, it’s the people. Steve, Jason, Lindsey — the collective knowledge on this team is incredible. Being surrounded by that level of expertise pushes me to be better every day. I want to be around people who challenge me and know more than I do. That’s how I grow.
Can you walk me through what your average day at Navisun looks like?
It varies a lot, but roughly 30% of my time is spent helping the development team with initial design concepts and thinking through the theory of what we’re trying to build and how to execute it. About 10–15% is focused on interconnection work and navigating utility requirements. The rest of my time is spent coordinating with independent engineers, ensuring they have what they need to support financing closures, and working closely with our construction team on execution.
What inspires you to want to come to work every day?
I’m driven by learning. That’s my biggest core value. I always want to understand more and solar has an endless depth to it. Every time I feel like I’ve figured something out, something new comes up. It’s like an insatiable curiosity I get to feed every day. It keeps me excited, challenged, and constantly engaged.
Outside of work, how would you spend your ideal day?
Family comes first. I have an incredible wife and a seven-year-old son who means the world to me. Outside of that, I’m a runner and actually just completed my first ultramarathon, the Anchored Down Ultra in Bristol, Rhode Island this August.