Meet Sara Lopez

 Enterprise Energy is excited to welcome our newest team member, Sara Lopez. Sara is joining as the Technical Chief of Staff and has a background in construction management and sustainability consulting. She is Enterprise’s’ Technical Chief of Staff and comes from an exciting background of construction and climate advisory that will aid her in joining the team. We sat down with Sara for a brief conversation about her professional journey and her work in renewable energy. 

Q: Sara, we are excited to welcome you to Enterprise Energy. Can you tell us a little bit about your background and experience prior to joining the team?

Sara:
Absolutely! My academic background is actually in astronomy and geology, and I graduated from UC Berkeley with a major in geophysics. I loved the hands-on aspect of the earth sciences, like fieldwork and hiking around the Bay Area. One of my favorite geology professors is actually from Minnesota, which is home to some of the oldest exposed rocks on the planet. After college, I worked as a senior project engineer at DPR Construction. That role equipped me with foundational experience in the architectural, engineering, and construction industry, where I learned how to manage trades, navigate permitting processes, and act as a liaison with local agencies and utilities. Each of these skills will help in the land development and engineering work I’ll be supporting at Enterprise Energy. After five years at DPR, I knew I wanted to work more closely in sustainability and climate change mitigation. That led me to KPMG, where I transitioned to corporate sustainability consulting. There, I worked with large companies to evaluate their climate decarbonization strategies and the potential impact of climate change on their operations. While the work was meaningful, it was also very high-level and analytical. I’ve wanted to work directly in solar for years, and joining Enterprise Energy was a great opportunity to be involved at the implementation level. 

Q: Coming from a background in construction, how did your prior experience shape your path toward sustainable energy? Was sustainability something you already envisioned pursuing?

Sara:
I always knew I wanted a career that balanced technical work with social impact. Development and construction is a great field for that because you need a technical foundation, but much of the role involves coordinating with people, facilitating processes, and moving projects forward. What attracted me to Enterprise Energy is that our work directly impacts communities. Community-scale solar has a real, tangible effect on decarbonizing local electricity grids, and it feels purposeful knowing that the work we do helps people access affordable, renewable energy. I also love that sustainability is inherently interdisciplinary. Energy intersects with politics, economics, environmental justice, and even global energy security. Nothing exists in a vacuum. Working in this space means you’re constantly integrating different fields, and that really appeals to me.

Q: In your work as a climate advisor at KPMG, how did you interact with renewable energy and the broader climate crisis?

Sara:
At KPMG, we supported corporate sustainability strategy. That meant engaging with executive-level stakeholders to assess their climate risks and help them understand how climate change could affect their business. For example, I worked with a large food distribution company with a fleet of over 10,000 heavy duty trucks. With new zero-emission vehicle regulations and incentives emerging, we helped them evaluate how they could electrify their entire fleet. That project involved market research, financial modeling, greenhouse gas accounting, and a lot of stakeholder engagement. We also supported clients in negotiating power purchase agreements and connecting with developers who could provide renewable energy to match their needs. So I did get exposure to the renewable energy sector, but it was always from a high-level strategic perspective. Here at Enterprise, I’m excited to dive deeper into the details and help actually deliver projects on the ground.

Q: Lastly, what are some of your favorite hobbies and pastimes outside the office?

Sara:
I live in San Francisco and love to do all the city things, like exploring new neighborhoods and trying out new restaurants. I try to get a walk in every day along the water since the weather is nice year-round. I also play in a recreational volleyball league, and during the winter season, I love to take ski trips to Tahoe.