July Monthly Meeting
Wed, Jul 08
|MISO Energy
Featured Speaker: Douglas Hutchings Topic: A look at how the solar industry reached this point and the trends shaping where it goes next, covering technology, policy, and the opportunities and challenges in between.
Time & Location
Jul 08, 2026, 11:45 AM
MISO Energy, 1700 Centerview Dr, Little Rock, AR 72211, USA
Guests
About the event
Douglas Hutchings is a scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur who has helped build the solar industry in Arkansas. He grew up in Mena, earned a PhD in microelectronics-photonics from the University of Arkansas, and started his first company nine days before defending his dissertation. His work on solar cell efficiency won a 2015 Edison Award and earned him a place on Inventors Digest's list of the nation's top new inventors. Technology he helped develop is currently deployed in manufacturing on three continents. In 2017 Douglas co-founded Delta Solar, where he serves as CEO. The company designs, builds, and maintains commercial and agricultural solar systems across Arkansas and the surrounding region. He is also a founding board member of the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association and a long-time advocate for energy policy and STEM education in his home state. Douglas lives in Fayetteville with his wife and two sons.