Please start by introducing yourself.My name is George Solomon, and I joined EfficiencyOne in 2019 as the Business Development Manager, Industrial. My educational and professional background is in electrical engineering and business.
My role is focused on realizing and expanding the reach of our business programs, while reinforcing the critical role strategic energy management plays in industrial performance and sustainability. At the core, my work is about creating conditions for our clients to succeed, helping them recognize energy as a true strategic advantage.
Why did you pursue a career in the clean energy sector?The energy transition is one of the defining challenges of our time. I wanted to be involved as it is both economically and environmentally critical for Nova Scotia and globally. Clean, reliable, and cost-effective energy sits between these two priorities and offers a rare opportunity to positively influence long-term structural improvement and promote economic growth across the province.
Tell us about your career journey and growth at EfficiencyOne.I started out by building relationships and driving industrial efficiency projects and, over time, I became more involved in the development of programs, such as demand response, EV charging, and fisheries and agriculture. This allowed me to deepen my collaboration with stakeholders across the organization as well with the Province of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Power and the Halifax Regional Municipality. Now, I am very involved with our Demand Response program, and overall, I feel I am lucky to get to work with such a variety of sectors.
What is most meaningful about your current role?Seeing real impacts from my efforts such as the positive results of our programs, client demand reduction during our winter peaks, emissions reductions, and how our teams continuously improve by working together.
What has been the most impactful project you’ve worked on to date?It’s hard to pick one because I’m lucky enough to be involved daily in great projects. Most impactful would have to be the Smart Synergy program, where we help NS businesses earn incentives, by reducing their electricity use during winter demand ‘events’. More than 50 industrial and commercial clients participated this past season, joining to reduce winter peak electrical demand, up to 12 times across the winter. In addition to the electricity grid resilience and planning impact, the energy visibility we are enabling is revealing to industry, the untapped economic value in treating energy as a central strategy component, rather than just a necessary cost. This has the potential to help Nova Scotia’s economy grow and be more competitive.
If you could go back in time and give your younger self one piece of career advice, what would it be?Focus your energy on your strongest abilities and align it with a mission that is meaningful to you.
What is your favourite place(s) or thing(s) to do in Nova Scotia? Why?The Valley and Ingonish in the summer. Green, beautiful, and sunny. I am originally from New Zealand, and these places are similar to there in many ways.
What is your favourite thing about working at EfficiencyOne?The culture. An EfficiencyOne person is kind, helpful, highly competent, and highly productive. That combination doesn’t happen by chance, it is part of a carefully crafted and multifaceted effort across the organization, that is proven to create the optimal workplace. It’s not something you see happen everywhere and is something I cherish daily.
Is there an accomplishment you’re particularly proud of outside of work?My two girls are my proudest accomplishment. Beyond that, I’ve played the bagpipes since I was 10 and spent many years in pipe bands, with highlights including winning the New Zealand and North American Championships and playing twice in the World Championship finals.