Lila Ontiveros Is Raising the Solar IQ in Houston
August 9, 2019
As the Lone Star State’s longest-running solar company, Freedom Solar has deep roots in the state. We’re especially connected to Central Texas, where the company was founded. In the past few years, we’ve aggressively expanded to population centers with high solar potential but low solar adoption and deregulated electricity markets — most recently to Houston.
Why Houston?
In May 2019, Freedom Solar hired Houston native Lila Ontiveros as vice president of business development. With Lila’s help, we’ll further accelerate solar installations and extend the team locally in the Bayou City.
Houston has huge potential for solar power, especially when combined with battery storage, for several reasons:
- Its large and growing population
- The great amount of sun it receives
- Its need for reliable backup power during emergencies
The biggest barrier to solar adoption is that most residents are unaware that solar is a viable and financially attractive option. As Lila notes, “The solar IQ in Houston is extremely, extremely low. It’s just an untapped market.”
Houston is known as the Energy Capital of the World and has a long-standing reputation for energy industry leadership. As the cost of solar reaches parity with hydrocarbons, staying on the forefront of energy innovation will include solar adoption.
Lila’s Stance
Lila believes solar will be “the next wave.” She further notes, “[E]very single person I’ve spoken with in the oil and gas industry, they’re into listening. They want to have the conversation.”
She’s responsible for market development and accelerating both commercial and residential operations in Houston. Before joining Freedom Solar, Lila worked as director of investment strategies at CAZ Investments. Previously, she served as finance director on a major presidential campaign.
Lila began her career with nearly a decade of experience in foreign exchange sales at Goldman Sachs in New York City. A Houston-area native, Lila was a Meinig Scholar at Cornell University and graduated with a B.S. in industrial labor relations.
