Experienced Energy Experts
Our passionate team brings expertise and experience to our collaborative solar projects. Carson Harkrader, our CEO, leads us toward our vision - high quality solar projects that are welcomed by their communities.
For more than 15 years, we’ve been pioneers in bringing solar energy to the Southeast. Our role is to connect all the essential people to spark a successful solar project.
We develop utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) solar energy projects across the Southeastern US. Our goals are to:
reduce the cost of solar energy
increase the use of renewable energy
bring economic development to underserved areas
We believe solar is an important part of an affordable and sustainable energy future.
Carson Harkrader
CEO
Carson leads Carolina Solar Energy’s business strategy, forging partnerships in new markets. She has recently guided the company into new projects in Kentucky and Louisiana, and in 2021, 2022 and 2023 made Business North Carolina’s list of top CEO’s in Energy. Before joining CSE in 2012, she led teams at GE Energy on worldwide projects. She holds a BA in Political Science from Brown University, and a MBA from New York University and is the Vice Chair of the Carolinas Clean Energy Business Association. Carson stepped up to lead the company in early 2018. She lives in Durham, NC.
Tyler Caron
Solar Developer
Tyler focuses on site selection and project management including interconnection applications and state permitting for new development projects. He also manages Carolina Solar Energy’s intern program. He received a BS in Environmental Technology and Management from NC State University. Tyler joined our CSE team in 2018. He completed a summer internship with Strata Solar in 2016. Tyler lives in Durham, NC.
Vann Joines
Business Development Director
Vann manages our corporate landowner outreach, gulf south market development, and due diligence in Louisiana and other states. Before CSE, he worked in commercial real estate development, financing and building multifamily & commercial tax credit financed projects throughout the southeast. Vann holds a Masters in Sustainable Real Estate Development from Tulane University, and lives with his wife in New Orleans, LA.
Benjamin “Benny” Finch
Outreach Director
A veteran of countless solar projects, Benny joined our team in 2010. His responsibilities include early outreach to landowners, community relations, and event planning. Benny joined CSE after a career working in economic development in North Carolina. Benny lives with his wife in Henderson, NC.
Richard Harkrader
Founder
An architect emeritus, building contractor, solar installer and real estate developer, Richard founded CSE in 2004. Through his leadership, CSE built the first utility-scale solar energy project in the Southeast in 2007. Richard is a lead policy advocate in NC for renewable energy and energy efficiency, past Chair of the NC Sustainable Energy Association and founder of the Carolinas Clean Energy Business Association.
He lives with his wife in Chapel Hill, NC.
Kate Halstead
Assoc Project Developer
Kate focuses on site selection, initial layout, and project management for new development projects. She received a BS in Environment and Sustainability with a concentration in Natural Resource Management from Catawba College. Kate first joined CSE as an undergraduate intern, and transitioned to full time in 2023. She lives in Carrboro, NC.
Our History
We continue the family legacy of solar energy pioneers to build a greener future.
From a young age, Carson knew of her dad's passion for solar energy. She didn't know then that Richard Harkrader would become known as the "grandfather of solar energy in NC."
Richard started Carolina Solar Energy in 2004. His goal was to show that Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard legislation could build an industry for solar energy legislation could build an industry for solar energy in NC. He spent a few years of trial and error in developing early projects. In 2007, Richard built the first utility-scale solar project in the Southeast, at NC State.
That same year, his business partner Gerry Dudzik joined the company. Gerry's experience at AT&T from the early days of the cell phone industry proved ideal. Instead of zoning permits for cell phone towers, Gerry now sought permits for solar projects.
For 11 years, Richard and Gerry developed many solar projects in North Carolina and Virginia. The company has always been active in policy work to build and support the US solar industry.
Carson joined them in 2012, after gaining experience with GE Energy and getting her MBA. Richard and Gerry both retired in early 2018, passing the company to Carson’s care.
One of Carson's key decisions after taking over the company was to shift focus to Kentucky. In March 2020, Carolina Solar Energy became the first solar company to apply for Kentucky state-level permits for a solar project. We continue to be early to market, leading others into successful solar projects.
Carson has also focused on developing projects in Duke Energy Carolinas service territory in western NC. The first of those projects, Olin Creek, won a 2019 RFP from the City of Charlotte. It's now the largest US city to acquire large scale solar through a green tariff.
In part due to our early work, NC has become one of the country's leading solar markets. We rank second in the US (behind California) in installed solar. Our company keeps leading communities throughout the Southeast to create sustainable clean energy. Learn about some of our recent projects.
