Jobs of the Future: Oakdale solar company hiring

By John Holland
jholland@modbee.com

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OAKDALE -- Steve Vella will ring the opening bell Friday at the Toronto Stock Exchange, where shares in his solar electricity company are now traded.

Acro Energy Technologies, formerly Acro Electric, went public Feb. 23 as part of its acquisition by Lonestar Capital Corp. of Houston.

Vella, who founded Acro and has done solar installations since 2000, said the listing will help continue its rapid expansion. He plans to double the number of employees in Oakdale to 70 this year.

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"It's kind of like the stars are aligning, and that's why we think our stock is going to do well," said Vella, whose new title is chief operating officer.

The stock is listed as LON at the Toronto exchange. Several company representatives will attend the listing ceremony Friday.

Acro installs panels made up of photovoltaic cells, which turn the sun's energy into electricity. Systems for homes and businesses can be costly upfront, but utility rebates and federal tax credits cover much of the cost.

Vella said rate increases for conventional power also are driving the boom in solar. Many new homes in California are expected to have these systems from the start, he said.

Amid a recession, with Stanislaus County's jobless rate at its worst in 13 years, Acro is hiring installers and salespeople.

Last week, the Sierra Avenue business was toured by junior high students from John B. Allard Community School in Turlock as part of a career-exploration effort.

Students heard about the jobs, examined some of the equipment and saw how an electricity meter spins backward when feeding a solar home's surplus power into the grid.

"The point is, at least they know it's a place they can look," teacher Gary Magelssen said.

Acro's expansion comes at a time of unprecedented interest in solar and other renewable energy sources. Backers say they can reduce dependence on foreign oil, ease the threat of climate change and put many people to work.

Vella is looking around town for a larger site for his company so he can keep meeting the demand.

"What I want to do, for the good of this community, is to put Oakdale on the map as a green town," he said.

Bee staff writer John Holland can be reached at jholland@modbee.com or 578-2385.