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He started his career as an equity advisor at Merrill Lynch where he sold Japanese equities to U.S.-based investors. He was impressed with growth of green energy technology in Japan, and his work brought him in close touch with Merrill’s technology research department.

“It became very apparent to me that technology, and specifically clean energy technology, was essential to solving global energy problems,” he said.

With his entrepreneurial instincts fully engaged, he quit a well-paying Wall Street job to start his own company in 2003. EmPower Solar rebranded as SunPower by EmPower Solar in 2015 after being invited to be the exclusive Long Island “Master Dealer” or SunPower; a global solar panel manufacturer. Today the company serves thousands of commercial and individual clients “from Manhattan to Montauk.”

Schieren sees EmPower Solar as a venture with a high financial upside—and a leader in the clean energy revolution. While tax breaks and other financial incentives helped fan consumer interest in switching to solar, he is convinced that the attraction of sustainable energy solutions plays a big role in current market demand.

“People respond to incentives, but increasingly they are responding to the needs we all share—sustainable energy, health and a clean environment.”

To develop technical credentials, Schieren earned his M.S. in energy management from the New York Institute of Technology. Still, he sees the essential preparation as stemming from his UVM experience. 

“There’s been quite a lot of discussion about STEM disciplines versus the liberal arts,” he said. “While technology always has its applications, the more human qualities I took from my education made me a critical and creative thinker, and gave me the confidence not to simply accept the status quo. So, when I first really began to think about the energy paradigm, I saw the potential early. I credit that vision to my liberal arts background.”