Meet Wes Kennedy – Instructor Spotlight

Thirty years is a long time to do anything. For Wes Kennedy, three decades in solar hasn’t felt like standing still. It felt like watching history happen from the inside.

Wes came up in the industry when solar was still considered a fringe technology, providing customer support for one of the original sustainable living catalogs and moonlighting installs across Colorado on the side. He’s watched panel prices drop from $10 a watt to pocket change, lead acid give way to lithium, and a niche back-to-the-land technology become the fastest-deploying power source in history. He’s been here for all of it.

When he’s not teaching about solar and storage on HeatSpring, you might find him cycling across France, pulling a block print, or starting the morning with a little something known in his household as GLOP.

We’re glad to introduce him in this Instructor Spotlight. Say hello to Wes Kennedy!

Enrollments on HeatSpring: 842 

Most Popular Paid Course: Comprehensive Solar Plus Storage

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten?

Follow your passions! We’re each unique, all 8 billion of us. We’re unique for a reason. Our purpose is to bloom our very specific unfolding. The things we are passionate about are the north star that guide us along our development. Following passions are not always easy, but the hard parts are still rewarding. 

What’s a quote you think about often?

Be Here Now, Ram Das. It’s so easy to get spun away from what is really going on in the present moment. Now is the only time there is, Now is the only time to actually do anything. When we ruminate on the past or project into the future we hamstring ourselves from actually achieving anything. 

What was your first job in the industry?

Tech support for catalog and early online retailer Jade Mountain. It was like the frontier days Sears catalog for sustainable living. Over 7000 products to learn about and support. Solar, Wind, micro hydro, batteries, generators, water pumps, water purifiers, composting toilets, energy efficient appliances. When systems were sold in CO, I’d offer to moonlight my services to install the system. Home Power Magazine was my Bible. Read every issue cover to cover. 

How many years have you been in the industry?

Since 1996, this means this is my 30th year! Where does the time go? Many of us know it as  “the Solar Coaster”. In those 30 years, I’ve experienced the maturation of this technology from a single 50 watt panel on a cabin to Gigawatt scale utility infrastructure. PV has gone from $10/watt to 25 cents a watt. Batteries evolved from lead acid to lithium, with a similar cost reduction. From back-to-the-land hippies to the most cost effective, reliable and swift to deploy source of power generation in history. I learned about sustainability in college in the 90’s, a lightbulb clicked on (LED of course), and I’ve never regretted a minute of my career!

What are your hobbies?

Bicycling, art and yoga. I’m the cook in our household too. Climbing, Road-tripping, traveling to visit friends. 

What’s a fun fact about you that your students don’t know?

My wife and I travelled across France on road bicycles last summer. 750 miles in 10 days. English channel to the Mediterranean sea. Part of a supported tour. Just pedal to your next meal, to your next bed. The Tour De France keeps rural roads in great shape. The route was 90% super rural farm roads with virtually no traffic. Truly a cyclist’s paradise! I created a commemorative block print for the occasion. French cat, cycling across the country.

What’s a tradition or habit you’re proud of?

Daily yoga practice. Haven’t missed a day in 6 years. Followed by a cold shower. It’s a great way to begin each day from a calm, alert, center.

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

My taste-buds are yelling TACOS, but the truth is it’s my morning smoothie, daughter calls it my GLOP. It’s made up of some tasty stuff: strawberry and banana, almond butter. The weird stuff: athletic greens, chia seeds, turmeric, moringa, kale, spinach, whey and collagen. It’s thick and alarmingly green in the glass. 

Anything else you think would be fun to share?

One of my passions is Art. I’ve anchored it with a yearly New Years block-printed card to friends and family. Around 100 go out each January, for the last 15 years or so. 2026’s is the afternoon aspens, titled “tranquilo” (attached). I also dabble in other mediums, primarily markers. My joy is to bring my interior musings into the external world.