SunChase’s founders and senior managers have played key roles in the development of more than 4,000 MW of operating renewable energy projects in multiple markets throughout North America.
Heather Otten, Principal
Heather has been working in the renewable energy field for the past 15 years. During that time she has helped to bring over $2 billion of wind energy projects online in ERCOT and SPP.
Prior to founding SunChase Power, Heather was a Director at First Solar where she was responsible for project development in MISO South and SPP. Before First Solar, Heather worked as a renewable energy consultant and served as a Vice President for both EOn Climate & Renewables North America (ECRNA) and Invenergy LLC. At ECRNA Heather managed the southwest development team and was responsible for an onshore wind energy portfolio in excess of 4000 megawatts. Heather worked for 7 years at Invenergy LLC as Vice President, Business Development where she was responsible for overseeing the development and acquisition of wind energy projects located in ERCOT and SPP. At Invenergy she brought 690 megawatts of wind power online in ERCOT. Ms Otten received her start in the wind business in 2000 at Cielo Wind Power. She was lead counsel on the development and sale of 320 megawatts of wind energy and assistant counsel on the development and sale of 439 megawatts of wind energy all currently in operation in Texas and New Mexico.
Prior to working in the renewable energy industry Heather worked as a litigation attorney for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Heather is licensed to practice law in Texas and received her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.
Dave Groberg, Principal
Dave has been developing utility-scale renewable energy projects since 2002. He has overseen the development of more than 1,400 MW of currently operating projects. Dave’s background covers management of all aspects of the development process, including site selection, site control, permitting, interconnection, and project acquisition and sales. He has successfully developed projects in ERCOT, PJM, NYISO and Quebec.
Prior to founding SunChase Power, Dave was the Vice President of Development Eastern Region for Invenergy LLC, the largest independent wind power developer in the United States. During his eight years with Invenergy, Dave managed all new project identification, project development, sale and acquisition activities for Invenergy’s 3,000-plus MW portfolio of wind developments in the Eastern United States and Eastern Canada. He also initiated the Invenergy Texas (ERCOT) wind program, including assembling and managing a team that successfully developed 690 MW of projects that commenced operations in 2008 and 2009. Before joining Invenergy, Dave managed the development of a 1,000 MW portfolio of wind projects for Cielo Wind Power in Austin, TX.
Dave earned a BA (cum laude) from Cornell University and holds an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.
Will Furgeson, Vice President
Will has been working in renewable energy development since 2008. Prior to joining SunChase Power, Will was a Development Director at Lincoln Clean Energy, where he was lead developer on 960 MW of wind projects in Texas that are now in operation or under construction. His position at Lincoln spanned all phases of the project development process from site selection through financing, but he focused on leasing/landowner relations, permitting and environmental due diligence, property tax issues, and interactions with local government and taxing jurisdictions. While at Lincoln he also sited and developed three solar sites in the ERCOT market.
Will started his renewable energy career at Invenergy, where he spent four years as a project developer focused on wind energy in the ERCOT and SPP markets. Will received a BA and a BBA from the University of Texas at Austin.
Mark Soutter, Vice President
Mark has been involved in developing renewable energy projects since 2004. Prior to joining SunChase Power, Mark was the Director of Regulatory Affairs for Invenergy LLC, leading the team tasked with utility commission and RTO/ISO engagement across the US and Canada in support of the development of wind, solar, natural gas and battery storage projects. Mark has extensive experience in utility commission proceedings and previously served on the ERCOT Board of Directors.
Mark holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Texas in Austin and an MBA from Baylor University.
Teran Smith, Vice President
Teran joined the renewable energy business in 2007, following a ten-year stint in conventional energy. Prior to joining SunChase, Teran worked in origination and power marketing roles in both EDPR and Scout Clean Energy, resulting in off-take arrangements for more than 1GW of renewable generation. Before moving into origination, Teran led late stage development and project prospecting for many projects throughout the central region of the US while working for EDPR, including more than 800MW of operating projects.
Teran has a BS in Chemical Engineering from Rice University.
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