Scaling Clean: Akshay Sagar on Discipline, Focus, and Leading the World’s Largest Solar O&M Company
In this episode of Scaling Clean, I sat down with Akshay Sagar, CEO of NovaSource Power, at RE+ Vegas in the PowerUp Pro Studio Booth (H/T to Nico Johnson and the Suncast team). NovaSource is the world’s largest solar O&M provider, managing more than 30 gigawatts of solar and storage projects worldwide.
After decades in oil and gas with companies like Schlumberger, Halliburton, and Patterson-UTI, Akshay made the switch into renewables. He’s led three major corporate turnarounds, launched an AI-driven platform, and built teams that thrive on accountability and ownership.
Here are his big three points:
Great leadership starts with people, not assets
“Organizations are made up of two things: people and steel. Steel I can buy, I can build, I can mold. I really have to focus on the people.”
Akshay finds and invests in talent that’s better than himself because those individuals can form great teams and make you a better leader. He says great leaders should never be intimidated by strong voices or ideas in the room - they should welcome them.
He also credits his own success to the people who invested in him along the way. Someone took a chance on him, he says, and that experience drives his commitment to do the same for others.
During turbulent times, your team needs 5 things: Ownership, discipline, accountability, urgency and austerity
Having managed at least three corporate turnarounds, Akshay believes that culture outweighs strategy every time.
He defines five non-negotiables for his teams: ownership, discipline, accountability, urgency, and austerity. Those values are what keep an organization aligned during turbulent times.
“Industries may go through inflections. That’s just a moment of reset,” he explains. “Resets allow us to be a lot more efficient.”
Focus is a superpower
When asked whether NovaSource plans to expand into other energy verticals, Akshay doesn’t hesitate to say no.
Instead of chasing every new opportunity, he focuses on what NovaSource does best, which is optimizing utility-scale solar and storage assets. “(People) think (they) can handle it all, but we don't do it very well. Staying very focused has much more upside.”
That disciplined focus has paid off, since NovaSource-operated sites are now producing 25% more energy than peer facilities, according to public data.
Why This Conversation Matters
For me, this episode highlights three truths about leadership in clean energy:
- Talent is the real infrastructure. Akshay’s “people over steel” philosophy reminds us that no amount of capital or technology replaces great teams.
- The companies that survive industry resets are the ones that lead with ownership, discipline, accountability, urgency and austerity.
- In a fast-growing sector, knowing what not to do can be your greatest strategic advantage.
Listen to the full conversation on Apple, Spotify, Radio Public, Amazon Music, and iHeart.
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Overview
- Introduction
- Akshay Sagar: From the Oilfields of Angola to Leading Solar O&M
- Industrial Discipline: What Oil & Gas Taught Akshay Sagar About Scaling Solar
- Building a Leadership Mindset: The Influences Behind Akshay Sagar
- Global Perspective and Hard Lessons: What Experience Taught Akshay Sagar
- Global Living and Human Ingenuity: Lessons from Eight Countries
- Turnarounds in Energy: Culture, Accountability, and Reset Discipline
- M&A in Energy: Strategy, Culture, and the Reality of Making Deals Work
- Leading Through Difficult Decisions: Truth, Accountability, and Acting Fast
- The Power of Saying No: Strategic Focus in Solar and Storage
- Leadership Starts at Hiring: Culture, Aspiration, and Day-Zero Trust
- NovaVision: AI-Driven Predictive Performance at NovaSource
- Driving 25% More Energy: The NovaSource Model for Performance Excellence
- Personal Recharge and Industry Outlook: How Akshay Sagar Stays Energized
Introduction
Melissa Baldwin:
My guest today is Akshay Sagar, CEO of NovaSource Power, the world's largest solar O&M provider. If you've driven past a solar farm anywhere, it's very likely that NovaSource had a hand in keeping it running.
Akshay built his career in oil and gas, managing turnarounds and integrations with major energy players like Schlumberger, Halliburton, and Patterson-UTI. Now he's bringing that global energy expertise into clean tech, guiding NovaSource as it manages more than 30 gigawatts of solar and storage projects worldwide.
Akshay, welcome to Scaling Clean. Thank you for being here.
Akshay Sagar:
Thank you, Melissa. It's a pleasure.
Melissa Baldwin:
All right, let's dive into our questions. We always like to start by hearing about your background. Clearly, you're the CEO of NovaSource today, but how did you get there? What path did you take that led you to the position you're in today? And why did you switch from traditional fuels to renewables?
Akshay Sagar: From the Oilfields of Angola to Leading Solar O&M
Akshay Sagar:
I graduated as an engineer in India, and my first job was with Schlumberger. At the time, I did not know much about the company, but looking back today, I would not change anything. Schlumberger took me straight from university and put me into the field.
I started my career as a field engineer, right in the mud with everyone else, working hands-on. My early experience in Africa was in Angola, in the middle of a civil war. At that time, running a business, delivering great service to customers, and staying safe was quite a challenge for someone just out of college.
From there, I continued my journey through different management roles and different geographies, learning a lot about various parts of the business. Eventually, I moved to other service companies for broader exposure and more variety. Toward the end of that phase, we went through a merger at Patterson-UTI.
As a result of that experience, I began looking at expanding into the broader energy portfolio, and renewables made a lot of sense. I had been observing the renewable energy space for a long time, and it was something that excited me.
This is a sector with incredible tailwinds and a very strong growth thesis, but it also needs the discipline and industrialized approach of a process-driven industry. I believed we could merge our learnings from traditional energy with what is, and will continue to be, an incredible growth engine for the overall energy equation in the United States and around the world.
Melissa Baldwin:
Interesting. You said a few things there that I want to dive deeper into. You mentioned discipline and an industrialized approach. What does that mean to you? Could you compare the way things worked in oil and gas and traditional fuels versus what you were seeing in renewables?
Industrial Discipline: What Oil & Gas Taught Akshay Sagar About Scaling Solar
Akshay Sagar:
In traditional energy, the industry has had more than 100 years to learn from its mistakes. Over that time, it developed a mindset of never taking anything for granted. Safety is extremely important. Time is valued very carefully, and jobs must be done correctly every single time.
When I came into this part of the industry, I saw that we had incredible technology coming in. There was also an urgent need for energy, especially clean energy, which is essential from a sustainability standpoint and for the broader energy equation.
However, one of the gaps I noticed was the urgency to ensure that jobs are done right every time. When something does not work, it must be addressed immediately. There also needs to be a rigorous process applied consistently across the board.
I sometimes describe it as the McDonald's approach. You want the same taste every time. That consistency builds customer trust and satisfaction. That level of operational discipline did not always exist in the renewable sector at the time.
We knew how to implement those systems because we had spent our careers doing it in traditional energy. Bringing those learnings into renewables has helped us tremendously at NovaSource over the last 18 months that I have been here.
Melissa Baldwin:
Excellent. Looking back, you mentioned the merger you went through. I believe it was at Patterson. Approximately what year was that?
Akshay Sagar:
That was in 2023. I exited Patterson at the start of 2024.
Melissa Baldwin:
Okay. I’m going to move on to the next question. We always ask people about their mentors. Who has influenced you in your life? As you look back over your career, is there anyone who stands out as a mentor, and what did they teach you?
Building a Leadership Mindset: The Influences Behind Akshay Sagar
Akshay Sagar:
I’ll start with the obvious. One of the most significant influences in my life has been my dad. He was also an energy executive, but earlier in his career, he worked for companies like Ford Motor Company and BASF, which are outside the energy sector.
What impressed me most about him was his drive to come from nothing and build something meaningful. He built a very strong career from the ground up. He was the first person in our family to leave India, come to Berkeley, and study there. From there, he built an amazing career.
The mindset of never giving up and believing that excellence should be a way of life is something I learned directly from him.
In my professional life, I have also had several mentors. Even at Patterson, the CEO served as a mentor to me at one point. He helped guide me through many different situations. There have been others as well.
It is hard to make a definitive list because I believe mentorship can come from many places. I try to learn from anyone who can give me a new idea or perspective to take home. For me, mentorship is not about one person. It is about continually learning from new ideas.
Melissa Baldwin:
I like that. Not a one-person thing, but a new-idea thing. I also have to say that at least half of the CEOs I’ve interviewed have credited their parents as mentors. It is a really common thread, and I think that is really cool.
All right, imagine you step into a time machine right now and go back to the beginning of your career. What advice would you give to your younger self?
Global Perspective and Hard Lessons: What Experience Taught Akshay Sagar
Akshay Sagar:
As I mentioned earlier, I would not change much about my career trajectory. However, I would definitely try to avoid some of the mistakes I made. There were a few times when I thought I knew better than the people who were guiding me, and I refused certain opportunities. At the time, those opportunities did not seem exciting or appealing enough.
In hindsight, I should have taken them. When people in your career are thoughtfully guiding you, the opportunities they offer are usually just as thoughtful. As individuals, we should embrace those opportunities when we believe they are offered for the right reasons. I turned down a few, and if I had the chance to do it again, I would accept them.
Melissa Baldwin:
That’s interesting. You’ve lived in eight different countries. What have you noticed from those experiences? Do you have a favorite?
Akshay Sagar:
I’ll tell you what my wife’s favorite is. It’s Paris, France. She likes that place a lot.
Melissa Baldwin:
I don’t blame her. I think that would probably be my favorite, too. Paris is beautiful.
Akshay Sagar:
She definitely enjoyed living there.
I’ve lived and worked on almost every continent, and there are a few things that really stand out to me from those experiences. Together, they form a kind of portfolio of lessons.
One is human ingenuity. In almost every place I’ve lived, people are driven by a desire to do the right things and improve their lives. Another is cultural diversity and the acceptance of new ideas. That became part of our family’s DNA.
My children have lived in multiple countries, and they embrace diversity not simply for its own sake, but for the value of different ideas and perspectives. Doing things differently can often lead to better solutions. That mindset has become a way of life for us, and we truly appreciate it.
I have also seen many creative ways of solving problems. Being placed in challenging environments, whether in the middle of a desert or deep in a jungle, teaches you a lot about survival and resilience.
That is probably the last lesson I would highlight. We often complain about things that are not truly significant in the larger scheme of life. When you have worked in difficult conditions, such as during conflicts, in unsafe environments, or in places where you do not even speak the language, you begin to understand how strong the human spirit really is.
It is remarkable. I believe we should harness that spirit and bring it into our work culture, our personal lives, and our families.
Melissa Baldwin:
Is there any place you’ve been that really stayed with you visually, in terms of geography or scenery? Somewhere that left a strong impression on you?
Global Living and Human Ingenuity: Lessons from Eight Countries
Akshay Sagar:
We like Scotland a lot. Our daughter was born there, and it is just a beautiful place. It feels calm and peaceful. The scenery is incredible, and the people are very kind.
Melissa Baldwin:
That sounds amazing. All right, let’s move on to the section on leadership and change management. Imagine that you quit your job tomorrow and become a lecturer at a business school. In your first lecture, you are asked to explain the role of an effective CEO. What would you say to your students?
Akshay Sagar:
Over the years, through different leadership roles and experiences with mergers and acquisitions, I came to a very simple conclusion. I realized that organizations are essentially made up of two things: people and steel.
Steel can be bought, built, or molded. The real focus should always be on the people.
One of the most important lessons I have learned is to surround yourself with talented individuals who may even be more capable than you are. Never feel intimidated by having great people around you. Their ideas, their disruptive thinking, and their willingness to challenge you are actually strengths for the organization.
Building people, training them, and investing in them is essential. Many people invested in me throughout my career. Someone took a chance on me. I am a person from India leading a global company today, not because of how I look, but because of the work I have done and the opportunities others gave me.
I only reached this position because many people believed in my potential and supported my success. That is why I believe leaders should always find people they can invest in and help them succeed.
Always hire people who are more talented than you. They will make the organization stronger, and they will make you better as a leader. And as I often say, do not worry about the steel. That can always be acquired.
Melissa Baldwin:
That’s great. I’m interested in this next point. When I was reading about your career, I noticed that you have managed several corporate turnarounds. Right now, the solar industry is going through some changes and disruption. Can you share an example of a turnaround situation you have faced?
Turnarounds in Energy: Culture, Accountability, and Reset Discipline
Akshay Sagar:
This is actually my third major turnaround. The first one happened quite a while ago. It was my first exposure to a business that was losing money, which was a new experience for me. It was a bit of a shock at the time, but it was also an important learning opportunity.
Over time, I have developed a fairly consistent approach to turnarounds. The first step is building the right management team. The leadership group needs to believe in the same vision, values, and culture. Culture and values are extremely important. This is not just something leaders say casually. I truly believe that culture is often more important than strategy.
The next step is creating the right structure for the business within its specific market. Every organization is different, and copying someone else's structure rarely works. Instead, leaders need to be creative and design systems that actually fit the business environment.
Another important aspect is solving problems in real time. Trying to apply solutions from textbooks or from other companies without adapting them to your current situation usually does not work. We can learn from others, but we always have to adapt those lessons to our own circumstances.
Finally, accountability across the organization is critical. For me, accountability begins with the CEO. I personally emphasize five core principles that guide the organization.
The first is ownership. I own the outcomes, and I do not point fingers at others.
The second is discipline. A successful organization needs a process-driven and disciplined approach to operations.
The third is accountability. Everyone in the organization must take responsibility for their role and results.
The fourth is urgency. We should focus on getting things done quickly and effectively, rather than holding meetings simply for the sake of having another meeting.
The final principle is austerity. In any business and in any part of the world, it is better to operate with financial discipline. Resources should be invested thoughtfully in areas that truly matter, rather than being spent carelessly and then having to recover later.
These principles guided me during my time in oil and gas, and they guide me today as well. Industries will always go through cycles. What we are seeing now in the solar industry is simply another cycle. Oil and gas has gone through this many times before.
A downturn is essentially a reset. During these moments, highly efficient and well-managed companies tend to succeed, while others may struggle or need to change direction.
Melissa Baldwin:
Yes, I’m noticing that as well. We are seeing that dynamic across the industry. Some of the more established companies have strong plans and are prepared to navigate this period. For some of the younger companies, or those with less experience, it may be more difficult.
However, I think these challenges will ultimately strengthen the industry overall.
Akshay Sagar:
Exactly. It will become a stronger industry.
Melissa Baldwin:
That actually leads into my next question. You also have experience with mergers and acquisitions, and there is a lot of discussion right now about increased M&A activity in the solar industry. What advice would you give to companies that may be considering acquiring another company or preparing to be acquired? How should they approach those deals?
M&A in Energy: Strategy, Culture, and the Reality of Making Deals Work
Akshay Sagar:
M&A is a complex business. Most mergers and acquisitions do not succeed, and the reason is often quite simple. The underlying thesis and strategy behind them are flawed.
Many deals happen because they look attractive on paper or because the numbers appear to work. But M&A activity does not succeed based solely on spreadsheets.
First, companies need to have the right strategic reasons for pursuing a deal. They must clearly understand how the acquisition fits into the long-term roadmap of both organizations.
Second, culture plays a critical role. The cultures of the two organizations must align. The people within both companies also need to stay engaged and committed if the deal is going to succeed.
Another key factor is ensuring that the products and services complement each other rather than compete. You do not want to acquire a company only to dismantle part of it and destroy value. That approach defeats the purpose of the acquisition.
Culture remains one of the most important elements. For example, if one company operates with very strict micromanagement and another functions with a highly autonomous structure, combining them without careful planning will create friction. That is a simple example, but it illustrates the point.
It is essential to identify the right drivers before moving forward and not rush into the first opportunity you find. In some ways, it is similar to dating. You do not necessarily marry the first person you meet. You usually take time to learn, explore, and be thoughtful before making a commitment.
Melissa Baldwin:
That is great advice. I completely understand what you mean about culture. People get used to working in a particular way, so I can imagine there would be a lot of friction if they suddenly had to operate in a completely different environment.
Akshay Sagar:
Exactly. You have to remember that when a company goes through an M&A process, it can be very disruptive at the individual level.
The CEO and the board may understand the strategy behind the deal, but individual employees often experience uncertainty. They start asking themselves questions such as whether they will still have a job, who their new manager will be, and what direction the company will take.
That is a lot for employees to process, especially when they may have limited information.
This is why communication is such a critical part of any successful M&A process. Leaders need to clearly explain where the company stands today and where it is heading tomorrow. Along the way, there should be frequent updates so employees understand what is happening.
Melissa Baldwin:
And employees are probably wondering how these changes will affect them personally. How will this impact their daily work? Will their role change?
That is a really important point. In business, especially as a CEO, you often have to make very difficult decisions. Sometimes that means letting someone go, dealing with financial challenges, or admitting and correcting a mistake, as you mentioned earlier.
When you have to have those difficult conversations, what is your approach?
Leading Through Difficult Decisions: Truth, Accountability, and Acting Fast
Akshay Sagar:
Yes, you are right. I have had to make those kinds of decisions many times. It is never enjoyable, and I do not take it lightly.
The first rule is to never make such decisions casually. They must always be thoughtful and deliberate. But once a decision is made, it is important to be direct and act quickly. Prolonging the situation only makes it more painful for everyone involved.
If the decision involves an employee, I believe in being straightforward. Explain the reasons clearly and respectfully. In many cases, people appreciate honesty and clarity, even when the message is difficult.
Unfortunately, I have had to make those decisions multiple times in my career, including during my time at NovaSource.
The same principle applies when dealing with customers. There is no substitute for the truth. If our team makes a mistake, I would rather acknowledge it openly and work through it with the customer.
Customers generally respect honesty. Everyone makes mistakes. We are human. If I were a robot, this podcast would probably be happening in a very different way.
What matters is how we respond to mistakes. When we accept responsibility and work to improve, customers are usually willing to work with us. If we try to hide problems behind polished explanations, it rarely ends well.
Melissa Baldwin:
Yes, and I think customers can often see through that immediately.
We ask this question to every guest. In business, do you think success depends more on what you choose to do, or what you choose not to do?
The Power of Saying No: Strategic Focus in Solar and Storage
Akshay Sagar:
I believe success depends more on what I choose not to do.
Every day, leaders make many decisions about what to pursue. The challenge is that we sometimes try to do too much. Organizations can become overly ambitious and attempt to pursue too many opportunities at once.
When that happens, we often spread ourselves too thin and fail to execute well. Staying focused usually produces better outcomes.
For example, at NovaSource, many people have suggested that we expand into wind services or add additional energy segments. My response has consistently been no.
We are a utility-scale service provider for the solar industry and the Battery Energy Storage industry. That is where we will stay focused. Instead of diversifying broadly, we want to deepen our expertise. We want to create more value through predictability, operational excellence, and advanced analytics.
Choosing not to diversify was a deliberate decision. It would have been easy to pursue additional sectors and appear larger in the short term. However, we believe long-term success comes from focusing deeply on a few areas rather than spreading ourselves across many.
Melissa Baldwin:
Excellent. Let me ask you something else. You are the CEO of a large company. Are you still personally involved in the hiring process?
Leadership Starts at Hiring: Culture, Aspiration, and Day-Zero Trust
Akshay Sagar:
Yes, I like to meet people who are joining at least two levels below my position, and sometimes even three levels below. I try to meet them at least once.
There are three main reasons I do this.
First, I want to share my perspective on NovaSource. I explain where I believe the company is heading and what the future could look like. People appreciate hearing that directly from leadership.
Second, I want to assess cultural fit. I ask myself whether this person could work with me effectively in the future. Everyone we hire should aspire to grow within the organization. I do not hire people simply to fill a role today. I want to hire future leaders who could eventually take on my job or the roles of other executive leadership team members.
Our goal is to develop leaders not just for today, but for tomorrow.
The third reason is to create an environment of open dialogue from the very beginning. I tell candidates very clearly that the responsibility ultimately stops with me. If they ask questions about direction, strategy, or key decisions, I should be able to answer them directly.
If I cannot provide that clarity, then there is a problem. From day one, we want openness, trust, and transparency. Without that foundation, it is difficult to build a strong, long-term partnership.
Melissa Baldwin:
Is there a time when you personally conduct interviews yourself?
Akshay Sagar:
Yes. I always interview people who will work directly on my leadership team. I also interview other candidates periodically.
My interview style is probably more direct than what people experience with HR. HR teams tend to be more structured and conversational. I prefer to get straight to the point.
I believe time is best spent focusing on what truly matters rather than spending too much time on unnecessary details. That is how I run the business as well.
Our organization moves quickly. We operate at a high level of intensity and velocity as a team, and we enjoy working that way. Some people may not prefer that style, but those who do tend to stay with us.
Many members of my team have worked with me before, sometimes more than once. In several cases, they chose to come back and work together again. That says a lot about how we operate as a team.
Melissa Baldwin:
That is interesting, because it sounds like many people have transitioned from traditional energy into renewables. Is that correct?
Akshay Sagar:
Yes, absolutely. When I look at our customers and the people I meet in the industry, I would say that nearly 90 percent started somewhere else first. Many came from traditional energy sectors, industrial companies, upstream and downstream energy businesses, chemicals, manufacturing, and other industries.
At some point, they saw the opportunity in renewable energy. As global energy demand continues to grow, alternative energy sources are becoming increasingly important.
These professionals brought their experience and expertise into a rapidly growing sector. Many of them have enjoyed the transition and continue to stay in the industry. I do not plan on leaving either.
Melissa Baldwin:
Good. We like having you here.
All right, I want to move into another topic. Let’s talk about marketing and artificial intelligence. What is your company’s approach to AI? Are you using it in your services for customers, or internally to improve your own processes?
NovaVision: AI-Driven Predictive Performance at NovaSource
Akshay Sagar:
That is a timely question. Earlier this week, we announced the launch of NovaVision, which is our AI-enabled portfolio of solutions designed to help the industry analyze information, make predictive decisions, and optimize performance.
We have built a three-pronged strategy around predictive failure detection, predictive optimization, and inspection efficiency. These areas directly influence asset performance. As a company, we have evolved beyond traditional operations and maintenance to a broader model we call total asset optimization.
AI plays a major role across our organization. From an external product standpoint, our primary focus is on predicting failures of large components that impact energy generation, especially inverters.
Internally, we are also taking a thoughtful approach. Every function in the company will use AI tools to automate one to three processes. Our expectation is that this will generate roughly a 30 percent efficiency improvement across the organization.
For us, AI is not just an optional capability. It is embedded in our DNA, both internally and externally. However, AI must be applied with purpose. Using AI simply to place it on a marketing brochure has no value.
The tools we introduced this week under the NovaVision platform are designed to deliver real, measurable value to the industry, and we believe they will have a significant impact.
Melissa Baldwin:
I want to explore that further. Let’s imagine that someone listening to this podcast may not be familiar with NovaSource. Could you briefly explain who you are as a company, how large the organization is, and the types of customers you serve?
Driving 25% More Energy: The NovaSource Model for Performance Excellence
Akshay Sagar:
Certainly. NovaSource is a services platform focused entirely on utility-scale solar and battery storage systems.
About 18 months ago, we redefined our strategic direction. Instead of focusing only on operations and maintenance, we shifted toward a broader concept called total asset optimization.
Operations and maintenance remain the core of our company, but we expanded the business into additional verticals. The first is intelligence, which focuses on deploying subject-matter experts to optimize asset performance.
The second is a digital vertical, which led to the development of the NovaVision platform, our AI-enabled solution suite.
The third is a standalone back-office services function focused primarily on supply chain management. Supply chain challenges have historically been a weakness across the industry, and we saw an opportunity to strengthen that area.
Together, these capabilities allow us to take a full asset optimization approach.
We also shifted how we measure success. In the past, many companies focused on metrics like availability or scope-based performance. While those metrics matter contractually, we decided to focus on what truly matters to customers: actual energy generation.
That is what the industry needs, what our customers require, and what power purchase agreements ultimately depend on.
Based on third-party industry data, we recently determined that sites operated by NovaSource are producing approximately 25 percent more energy than those managed by comparable providers. Importantly, this is not internal NovaSource data. It comes from publicly available industry datasets.
Our focus on predictive analytics, operational execution in the field, and asset optimization is already showing measurable improvements in energy generation. That is what the industry needs, and we plan to continue building on this model.
Ultimately, our goal is simple. Every asset should operate as close as possible to its maximum capacity.
Melissa Baldwin:
I was actually discussing this earlier today with some people at the conference. Right now, the solar industry is under significant scrutiny, including from government stakeholders. Because of that, it is more important than ever for projects to operate effectively and deliver the performance that was promised.
Machines break, of course, but it sounds like the solutions you are developing help address those issues.
Akshay Sagar:
Exactly. Without getting into politics, the reality is that existing solar assets are already connected to the grid. The infrastructure is in place, and the power purchase agreements exist.
There is absolutely no downside to producing more energy from those sites. The industry needs it, and more importantly, humanity needs more energy.
Regardless of political perspectives, we all rely on electricity every day. The goal should always be to maximize the output of the assets we already have.
Our approach is straightforward. We want every site to operate at 100 percent of its capacity. In some cases, sites are even capable of exceeding their expected output, and we should aim to capture that potential as well.
Today, our sites are generating roughly 95 to 96 percent of their maximum plant capacity, which is significantly higher than the typical performance within our peer group.
We openly share these results and collaborate with others in the industry to improve performance even further. Our team at NovaSource is very proud of what we have achieved so far.
Melissa Baldwin:
That is impressive. I have heard of facilities operating at only 60 to 75 percent of expected performance, meaning a large portion of their potential energy production is lost. Achieving 95 to 96 percent is remarkable.
Akshay Sagar:
Exactly. That is why our figure of producing 25 percent more energy than our peer group is meaningful. It is based on publicly available utility meter data, not internally generated statistics. Anyone can review the same data and reach the same conclusion.
Melissa Baldwin:
That point about data actually leads nicely into my next question about marketing.
In marketing, companies often use their internal data to provide insights that customers might not already know about themselves. Can you tell me about your approach to marketing at NovaSource? How large is your marketing team, and what strategies have worked well for you? Are there lessons from oil and gas that renewable companies could adopt?
Akshay Sagar:
First, we have a fairly strong marketing organization. Our Chief Commercial Officer oversees marketing, sales, business development, and related functions.
While I do not know the exact number of team members, the group is probably somewhere in the 20-person range, which is appropriate for our scale.
However, the most important factor is what I call a service DNA. We are fundamentally a service company. Service companies are rarely thanked enough for what they do.
Think about airlines as an example. When you fly, people rarely thank the airline for safely transporting them from point A to point B. Instead, the feedback is usually about delays or inconveniences. Yet the airline’s primary responsibility is to move passengers safely, and they accomplish that every day.
Our business is similar. There will always be customers who encounter issues or challenges, but those situations represent opportunities to improve.
One of the principles we emphasize strongly is maintaining direct interaction with customers. I personally meet with at least two customers each week, and sometimes as many as fifteen. Our teams are frequently traveling and engaging with clients face-to-face.
Human interaction matters. Meeting in person allows for deeper conversations and better understanding than remote communication.
Our philosophy is simple: listen to customers. It is not about sophisticated tools or complex spreadsheets, although those can help. The core principle is building relationships and understanding what clients truly need.
This conference is a good example. I have met many industry leaders here. Some have even become personal friends, and our families know each other as well.
What I appreciate about the renewable energy sector is that ego levels are generally very low. People are approachable, collaborative, and open to conversation.
For us, success comes from listening carefully, delivering reliable service, ensuring safety, and helping clients generate more energy. That is what ultimately matters.
Melissa Baldwin:
That is a great perspective on service culture. Being a CEO is extremely demanding. What do you do to recharge or reset when you need downtime?
Personal Recharge and Industry Outlook: How Akshay Sagar Stays Energized
Akshay Sagar:
Interestingly, the thing that energizes me most is solving problems. I actually get excited when a new challenge appears. My mind becomes restless if I am doing nothing.
I typically start my day very early. I wake up around four in the morning and go to the gym. That helps me set the tone for the day.
After that, my schedule is mostly about meeting people. I enjoy talking to colleagues, partners, and customers, and identifying new problems that we can solve together.
I do not spend much time golfing, although I occasionally play sports.
The final thing that helps me reset is spending time with my family. Our families support us in ways that are often overlooked. My wife and my children are extremely important to me, and I value that time greatly.
Melissa Baldwin:
That is wonderful. Before we end the podcast, do you have any final thoughts you would like to share with our listeners?
Akshay Sagar:
I would simply say that the industry is in a very strong position. Policy environments will change over time, and that is part of how countries and communities evolve.
However, we should never lose sight of the value this industry provides. Renewable energy plays a critical role in the global energy equation and in the progress of humanity.
There is tremendous potential ahead. If we continue to innovate, improve performance, and remain creative, the industry will continue to grow and contribute meaningfully to our future.