Stafire Energy supports the growth and success of the renewable energy industry in Colorado through membership of the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (CoSEIA), the Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES), and the Colorado Energy Science Center (CESC). The company also supports national organizations such as the American Solar Energy Society (ASES).



Starfire Energy is proud to be an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau. We share their vision of "an ethical marketplace where buyers and sellers can trust each other." Our company values include integrity which we place above other business imperatives. You can see the Denver Better Business Bureau's report on Starfire Energy on their web site.

To view more about Starfire Energy: Media coverage of Starfire Energy.

Starfire Energy is dedicated to making sustainable energy a reality. It isn't enough for us to just be a profitable business; we must provide high quality, affordable sustainable energy options so they can be widely adopted in our society. For sustainable energy systems, durability is a key factor in their value. Our design goal for our flush mounted solar electric systems is for them to last 50 years, the same as a high quality asphalt shingle roof. To do this, we use high quality materials and pay attention to the details of our workmanship. This approach has higher up-front materials costs, but it results in a more durable, lower maintenance system that provides better long-term value. We also emphasize energy efficiency to our customers. Energy efficiency is nearly always the lowest cost, fastest, most effective way to reduce one's utility bill. It also reduces the size of the solar system that is needed to provide the energy you need, letting you "go green" for less money.

An example of a rooftop solar electric installation by Starfire Energy. Starfire Energy can provide all of the services you need to start powering your home or business with solar electricity. Our trained photovoltaic system designers will work with you to determine your present electrical energy usage, survey your roof and grounds to determine the best location for your solar panels, and design a solar electric system that will meet your needs. Energy efficiency and renewable energy go hand in hand. The least expensive energy is the energy that you do not use. We can work with you to reduce your electrical usage, which will reduce your utility bills and reduce the size of solar electric system required to supply all of your electricity. See our Energy Efficiency page for more details. Our staff has over a decade of project management experience to make your system installation go smoothly. We use only high quality materials and we adhere to high standards for both system design and installation. We manage your installation from start to finish, contracting with skilled electricians, and roofers if needed, to ensure a high quality installation. Thinking about building a new home? In addition to keeping up with the latest in photovoltaic products and innovative design ideas, we have a "green network" to help connect you with experts in wind power, solar thermal systems, architects, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and other trades.

Starfire Energy supports solar energy education in the community. We are part of the CRES Speakers Bureau, which local groups can contact to provide speakers at their meetings to discuss solar energy, energy efficiency, and other "sustainability" topics. We are also part of the Advisory Board to help Red Rocks Community College develop a training program for solar electric and solar thermal installer and system designers. We also helped group of high school students at the Denver School of Science and Technology to design and build a solar charged electric go-kart for their senior project. We provided solar panels and advice, and they applied their ingenuity and enthusiasm to successfully complete the project.

The students (Alexandra Scherble, Chris Torres, and Jay Wellman) did a great job finding the right mentors, parts, and concepts to have a successful project. They combined a recumbent tricycle from CU-Boulder, a motor and battery from a commercial electric scooter, and two solar panels and a charge controller from Starfire Energy to make a working solar charged vehicle. A photo of them with their creation taken by the Stapleton Front Porch newspaper is shown at the right. Their work was featured in an article in the June 2008 issue. You can see a video of one the students driving their finished project in front of the school here. We were also treated to test drives of the vehicle, and it was quite fun to zip around in it. Alexandra, Chris, and Jay all graduated from Denver School of Science and Technology in the spring of 2008, with plans to attend college at CU-Boulder.

Jennifer Beach, MS PMP
Owner/Manager
Ms. Beach along with her husband Joe Beach, started Starfire Energy in 2007 with the belief they could make a difference in the way our society uses energy. Ms. Beach holds a BS in Business Management from the University of Phoenix and an MS in Technology Management from Denver University She has been a professional project manager since 2002, when she received her Project Management Professional certification by Project Management International. She has more than 12 years of total project and program management experience with budgets spanning up to $23,000,000. She received the bulk of her solar training through Solar Energy International. Ms. Beach also believes in the need to prepare our workforce for the energy economy and to that end has functioned as an instructor at Red Rocks Community College teaching Solar Estimating courses and serves on the solar advisory boards of Red Rocks Community College, Arapahoe Community College, and Community College of Aurora. She is also assisting Regis University with their renewable energy leader-ship program. She has also served as President of the Rocky Mountain Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association and as an Honorary Director of the United States Hang Gliding Association. She strongly believes that we need to transition from hydrocarbon energy sources to ones that do not emit carbon dioxide. Her project management and business skills help to achieve this goal by ensuring that Starfire Energy provides high quality, high value solar energy installations for its customers.

Joe Beach, PhD
Co-Owner
Dr. Beach holds a PhD in Applied Physics from the Colorado School of Mines. He has been researching solar cell technologies for the last 12 years. He has participated in two thin-film CdTe start-up efforts in the module manufacturing segment. Dr. Beach received training in solar module installation techniques by Solar Energy International. He is also certified in home energy rating assessments. Currently, Dr. Beach is a Research Professor at Colorado School of Mines. He also consults on array designs and optimization opportunities. He enjoys the combination of working at Starfire Energy and Colorado School of Mines because it gives him a "full spectrum" view of the solar energy industry, from laboratory research to power-generating installations. He is a proponent of distributed energy generation because it can increase the robustness of our electrical grid and it can make people more conscious of what it takes to produce the energy they consume.

Nathan Singsen, MBA
Project Lead
Mr. Singsen has extensive experience in specifying PV systems for flat roofs. He has managed projects both within and outside of the energy industry and is exceptional at delivering them on time with high quality standards. Mr. Singsen holds an MBA with a finance concentration form the University of Denver. He has significant leadership training and has demonstrated his leadership skills in a variety of settings. Nathan enjoys skiing, sailing, mountain climbing, and woodworking.

About the Sustainable Energy Co-Operative

Early on Starfire Energy recognized a need to work cooperatively with other Solar Installers. To that extent, they have established long term, solid relationships with other like-minded Solar Installation owner-operators.

Michael Maharas, BSE, NABCEP
Master Electrician
Mr. Maharas began his electrical career even before he finished high school. He took time for college and graduated with a BS degree in Economics. He then returned to the electrical field where he quickly earned the respect of his peers doing both residential and commercial work. He obtained his master electrician's license, has been installing solar arrays for several years, and holds the NABCEP Installer certification.

Bob Monnet, BSEE
Crew Manager
Mr. Monnet has a BSEE degree from the University of Southern Colorado in Pueblo, with a minor in mathematics. He was trained by SEI-Solar Energy International in PV design, installation and safety. Mr. Monnet brings to the team, practical solar solutions, electrical engineering and home construction expertise. Bob enjoys gravity sports in the outdoors; climbing, skiing, backpacking, and mountaineering. He also enjoys cooking.

Troy Wanek, BSBA, NABCEP
Crew Manager
Mr. Wanek is a licensed General Contractor with more than 20 years of experience. He has constructed over $150 million in projects and his experience ranges from malls, schools, and retail stores to residential and commercial photovoltaic projects. He received PV installation training from Solar Energy International and holds a NABCEP Installer certification. Mr. Wanek currently instructs at Red Rocks Community College where he heads up the renewable energy department.

The spiral in the body of the sun on our logo is a depiction of the Maori koru symbol. The koru is based on the unfurling of a fern frond, and represents creation or new beginnings. Starfire Energy seeks to establish a new way of sustainably powering our society. We are creating the change we want to see in the world. The photo to the right shows an unfurling fern frond. It is provided courtesy of the Wikimedia Commons, a wonderful project that lets people share their creativity. The photo can be redistributed under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License Version 1.2 or later.