Sundt Construction, Inc., one of the country’s largest and most respected general contractors, has expanded its presence in the renewable energy construction market with the launch of Sundt Renewables, LLC. Prior to forming the new subsidiary, Sundt acquired select assets and key personnel from i1 Energy, a well-known leader in the renewable power market. Sundt Renewables will focus on utility-scale solar and energy storage projects across the United States with a heavy emphasis on the Southwest and Texas.
“Sundt Renewables brings something unique to the solar industry: the specialized knowledge of a niche contractor combined with the size and strength of a large builder,” said Sundt’s CEO and Chairman of the Board, G. Michael Hoover. “The renewable energy market is poised for significant and sustained long-term growth as society continues to shift away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy. We anticipate significant growth from this new enterprise and are excited to be part of the country’s move toward a more sustainable energy future.”
Sundt Renewables is led by a trio of solar industry veterans and successful entrepreneurs who founded and grew i1 Energy into a well-respected market presence. Tom Dodson leads the group as its Managing Director. As co-founder of i1 Energy, he led the company’s operations and oversaw the construction of its projects. Previously, Dodson served as the President of Amec Foster Wheeler’s Power and Process business unit, growing a team that built nearly two gigawatts of solar projects under his direction. Dodson holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Cornell University and master’s degrees from the University of Florida and Pennsylvania State University.
“We are excited to expand the skills of our group with this exciting addition,” said Sundt’s Industrial Group President Rich Keil. “We desire to further augment the services we provide to our current clients while building new relationships in the solar market to support the sustainable energy demand of the future.”
Topher Wood brings $2.5 billion in solar project experience to his role of Vice President, Business Development Manager for Sundt Renewables. Before joining Sundt Renewables, he cofounded i1 Energy and led another solar industry contractor’s strategy and development. Wood holds a bachelor’s degree from James Madison University in manufacturing engineering and a master’s degree in industrial and systems engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology. Bobby Batista, i1 Energy’s third co-founder, along with Dodson and Wood, brings over 10 years of solar project experience to his new role of Vice President, Engineering Director for Sundt Renewables. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.
As an industrial construction expert for over 100 years, Sundt has raised the bar on scheduling, safety and efficiency as well as innovations to reduce natural resource consumption, minimize environmental impact and improve our overall quality of life. A recognized leader in critical infrastructure, the firm has worked on projects worth $4.5 billion over the last decade and is ranked No. 1 in the power and water categories in Engineering News-Record Southwest, the industry’s leading publication.
Sundt Construction, Inc. is one of the country’s largest and most respected general contractors. The 130-year-old firm specializes in transportation, industrial, building, concrete and renewable power work and is owned entirely by its 2,000-plus employees. Sundt is distinguished by its diverse capabilities and experience, unique employee-ownership culture and depth of self-perform expertise in nine major trades. Half of Sundt’s workforce is comprised of skilled craft professionals who, together with the company’s administrative employees, enable Sundt to fulfill its mission to be the most skilled builder in America. Sundt has 11 offices throughout California, Arizona, Texas and Utah and is currently ranked the country’s 52nd largest construction company by ENR, the industry’s principal trade magazine.
