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Amid rising energy demand and global unrest, this San Diego renewables company says it’s in a good spot

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Amid rising energy demand and global unrest, this San Diego renewables company says it’s in a good spot


After 18 years of carving out a national niche in the energy infrastructure sector, San Diego-based SOLV Energy became a public company on Feb. 11, closing out its initial public offering and trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market.

“You’re always a little nervous because you feel like you’re throwing a big party and you don’t know who’s going to show up,” founder and CEO George Hershman said.

It turned out that there was no reason to worry, as investors gobbled up 20.5 million shares of Class A common stock at an IPO price of $25 per share for the company that’s built more than 500 solar and battery energy storage projects across the country — and has constructed, operates and maintains 150 of its own utility-scale solar and battery facilities.

“I think the strength of our investors and the support of our business was strong,” Hershman said during an interview at SOLV Energy’s headquarters in Rancho Bernardo.

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The company boasts a market cap of about $5.85 billion and despite stock market jitters caused by the twists and turns with the war in Iran, SOLV Energy stock has more than held its own. It closed the trading day last Friday at $31.66 per share.

“I think investors are looking at the stability of renewables as a real way to hedge against the volatility of fossil fuels” in the wake of the hostilities, Hershman said.

But regardless of what eventually happens near-term in the Middle East, it’s widely accepted that energy demand is poised to take a dramatic leap in the U.S.

Some analysts foresee domestic electricity consumption swelling 25% in the next four years — and continuing to rise well into the next decade — due to a combination of factors, most notably the growth of data centers feeding artificial intelligence.

SOLV Energy executives believe their company is in the right place at the right time.

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“We’ve never seen that kind of energy demand in the U.S. so a company like ours is well-positioned to provide that generation and service,” Hershman said. “We’re sitting in a good spot to continue to grow and capture a lot of that market opportunity … I think the investor community understands that energy demand is real.”

The Eland 2 photovoltaic solar farm in the Mojave Desert that SOLV Energy of San Diego took lead on engineering, procurement and construction. (SOLV Energy)

Legislation dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” that passed on Capitol Hill and was signed into law last summer by President Donald Trump cracked down on the 30% federal tax credit on solar and wind power. But a safe harbor provision for utility-scale projects is in place until July 4,  and those that meet a “begin construction” deadline have as late as 2030 to receive the credit.

“It really didn’t create much of an impact on our business,” Hershman said. “Energy demand is what is driving our market now, not tax incentives.”

Microsoft is in the process of resurrecting one of the nuclear power units at Three Mile Island to provide electricity to fuel its AI data centers. Some tech titans are casting their eyes on natural gas plants for the same reason.

But Hershman says SOLV Energy has an advantage.

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“A gas plant is going to take you seven to 10 years to build. A nuclear plant is going to take you a few decades to build, at best,” he said. But a solar and storage plant “can be deployed and be sending megawatt-hours to the grid in 12 to 18 months.”

But what about the fact that renewable energy sources are intermittent — that is, solar does not produce electricity when the sun is not shining and batteries typically run for about four hours? And what about concerns of battery fires?

Hershman said “long-duration battery (systems) are coming” and technological advancements are leading to more fire-resistant battery chemistries.

“We’re going to have to make sure that we do it safely, first and foremost, and technology is going to be a big part of that,” he said. “But the reality is, we’re going to have to meet this load somehow.”

Before its IPO, SOLV Energy was a private company, created as a division of commercial construction company Swinerton in 2008. Since 2022, SOLV has been owned by American Securities, a private equities firm.

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SOLV’s national workforce is made up of about 2,600 employees, with more than 150 based in the San Diego area.

The company’s ticker symbol is MWH, which is appropriate for an energy company since that’s an acronym for “megawatt hours.”



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San Diego, CA

Game 21: San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Angels

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Game 21: San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Angels


San Diego Padres (14-7) at Los Angeles Angels (11-11), April 19, 2026, 1:07 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Angel Stadium – Anaheim, Calif.

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

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Solans, Luna, Guilavogui help RSL beat slumping San Diego, extend unbeaten streak to 6 games :: WRALSportsFan.com

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Solans, Luna, Guilavogui help RSL beat slumping San Diego, extend unbeaten streak to 6 games :: WRALSportsFan.com


— SANDY, Utah (AP) — Sergi Solans had two goals and an assist, Diego Luna added a goal and two assists, and Real Salt Lake beat San Diego FC 4-2 on Saturday night to extend its unbeaten streak to six games.

Morgan Guilavogui scored his first goal in MLS and had an assist for Real Salt Lake (5-1-1). The 28-year-old designated player has five goal contributions in his first six career games.

RSL hasn’t lost since a 1-0 defeat at Vancouver in the season opener.

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San Diego (3-3-2) has lost three in a row and is winless in five straight.

Luna opened the scoring in the fifth minute when he re-directed a misplayed pass by Duran Ferree, San Diego’s 19-year-old goalkeeper, into the net.

Moments later, Solans headed home a perfectly-placed cross played by Luna from outside the right corner of the 18-yard box to the back post to make it 2-0. Solans, a 23-year-old forward, flicked a header from the center of the area inside the right post and past the outstretched arm of Ferree to make it 3-1 in the 37th minute.

Guilavogui slammed home a first-touch shot to give RSL a three-goal lead in the 45th.

Marcus Ingvartsen scored a goal in the 14th minute and Anders Dreyer converted from the penalty spot in the 66th for San Diego.

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Ingvartsen has five goals and an assist this season and has 10 goal contributions (seven goals, three assists) in 16 career MLS appearances.

Rafael Cabral had three saves for RSL.

Ferree finished with five saves.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

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How San Diego Has Quietly Emerged as One of America’s Great Dining Destinations

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How San Diego Has Quietly Emerged as One of America’s Great Dining Destinations


When John Resnick opened Campfire on a quaint little street in Carlsbad, Calif., in 2016, some locals weren’t sure what to think. The coastal enclave wasn’t exactly awash in innovative, chef-driven establishments, so it was a shock to see the dining room consistently full. Early on, one woman wondered aloud to Resnick, “Where did all these people come from?”

It’s a moment he remembers vividly. “I was struck by her statement, because I think she was surprised that so many other people in Carlsbad were there,” Resnick says. 

The rest of the culinary world would take some time to catch up to what was happening. In 2019, when Michelin expanded to rate restaurants throughout all of California—not just the San Francisco area—Addison was the only one in San Diego to earn a star. But since emerging from the pandemic, the region’s food scene has grown dramatically. Driven by outstanding farms, ingredients, a bumper crop of talented chefs, and a G.D.P. approximately the size of New Zealand or Greece, San Diego County has become one of America’s most underrated dining destinations.

Campfire’s octopus, chorizo, and celery-root entrée.

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Gage Forster

Perhaps no single restaurant is a better emblem for this shift than chef William Bradley’s Addison, which opened in 2006. After landing his first star, Bradley knew he wanted more. To get them, he transformed his French-leaning fare to serve what he calls California Gastronomy, which combines the cultures of SoCal with impeccable ingredients and wildly impressive techniques, prizing flavor over flair. Michelin responded, awarding Addison a second star in 2022, and making it the first Southern California three-star restaurant just a year later. The accolade has created a halo effect, attracting culinary tourists from around the world.

Berry beet tartlets at San Diego’s three-star stalwart Addison.

Berry beet tartlets at San Diego’s three-star stalwart Addison.

Eric Wolfinger

“Earning three stars forces the global dining community to pay attention to a place that may not have been on their radar before,” says chef Eric Bost, a partner in Resnick’s four Carlsbad establishments. 

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Resnick recruited Bost, who spent time at award-winning outposts of Restaurant Guy Savoy, to run Jeune et Jolie, which he led to a star in 2021. They’ve since taken over an old boogie-board factory down the street and converted it to an all-day restaurant and bakery, Wildland. The space also hosts an exquisite tasting-counter experience called Lilo, which was given a Michelin star mere months after opening in April 2025. And as Resnick and Bost grew their successful Carlsbad operation, chef Roberto Alcocer earned a Michelin star for his Mexican fine-dining spot Valle in nearby Oceanside.

The stylish tasting counter at Michelin one-star Lilo in Carlsbad.

The stylish tasting counter at Michelin one-star Lilo in Carlsbad.

Kimberly Motos

About 25 miles to the south, another affluent coastal community is going through its own culinary glow up. In La Jolla, chef Tara Monsod and the hospitality group Puffer Malarkey Collective opened the stylish French steakhouse Le Coq. Chef Erik Anderson, formerly of Michelin two-star Coi, is preparing to launch Roseacre. And last year, Per Se alums Elijah Arizmendi and Brian Hung left New York to open the elegant tasting-menu restaurant Lucien, lured by the ingredients they’d get to serve. “A major reason we chose San Diego is the quality and diversity of the produce,” Arizmendi explains. “San Diego County has more small farms than anywhere else in the U.S., and its many microclimates allow farmers to grow an incredible range of ingredients year-round.”

Wildland’s spicy Italian sandwich.

Wildland’s spicy Italian sandwich.

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Gage Forster

Chef Travis Swikard has also been a tireless advocate for the region’s ingredients since he returned to San Diego, his hometown, and opened Mediterranean-influenced Callie in 2021. There’s no sophomore slump with his latest effort, the French Riviera–inspired Fleurette in La Jolla, where he’s serving his take on classics like leeks vinaigrette and his San Diego “Bouillabaisse” with local red sheepshead fish and spiny lobster. Its food is bright, produce-driven, and attentive in execution, while the dining room maintains a relaxed and unpretentious style of service. And Swikard sees that approach cohering into a regional style with a strong network of professionals behind it.

“It’s really nice that we are developing our own identity, not trying to be like L.A. or any other market, just highlighting what’s great about the San Diego lifestyle and ingredients,” he says. “Similar to New York, a chef community is starting to develop where chefs are supporting each other. There is a true sense of pride to be cooking here.”

Top: In La Jolla, Lucien serves ocean whitefish with tomatoes turned into concasse, sabayon, and other expressions.





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