2019 Ratterman Award honors Brad Burkhartzmeyer

Remote Energy co-founder Brad Burkhartzmeyer was honored with the 2019 Walt Ratterman award from the North American Board of Energy Practitioners® (NABCEP) for his work in international renewable energy education. This annual award was created to recognize and honor Walt Ratterman, one of NABCEP’s first certificants, who was tragically killed by the earthquake while working in Haiti. Brad worked with Walt on the Sun Energy Power International (SunEPI) team whose mission was to “promote an increased quality of life in remote, rural regions of the world through the use of renewable energy”.  Together they installed 13 solar electric hospital systems with SELF (Solar Electric Light Fund) in Rwanda and had plans for many other projects at the time of Walt’s death in 2010.  Walt’s ambition and hard work towards making a more equitable world has been a big inspiration for Remote Energy’s vision and work.

Brad is committed to bringing solar electricity training to remote populations worldwide. He works tirelessly to train new trainers who are eager to bring solar programs into their schools and their communities.  His classroom humor and wit relaxes students as they learn technical subject matter.  Brad also combines years of technical aptitude with refined pedagogical methods to continuously adapt and perfect Remote Energy’s “training of trainers” methodologies.

Remote Energy received a $500 award from NABCEP to go towards an underfunded project. They also raised $1,000 in a “pass the hat” donation drive which Remote Energy has donated to our partners at Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center.  Their homes and training center were recently devastated in a 500-year flood.