Visit Table #7 for the Latest Insights & Benchmarking

As community solar scales nationwide, developers, buyers, financiers, and utilities face growing complexity in forecasting bill credits, valuing portfolios, and navigating policy-driven programs like NY VDER.   Ascend Analytics delivers financial-grade retail rate forecasts and distributed power market insights tailored to community solar projects—across more than 50,000 U.S. nodes.  

Ascend offers:

• Bill credit forecasts for community solar programs
• Dispatch modeling for storage and hybrid DERs
• Locational value analysis with interconnection data
• Geospatial overlays for site and value screening

Stop by table 7 to explore how Ascend's geospatial mapping tools, dispatch simulations, and revenue stack modeling help maximize returns and mitigate risk throughout the project lifecycle or book a meeting with our Ascend Experts for a one-to-one consultation regarding your specific project.

Meet with Ascend Analytics Experts

Robert LaFaso, Director of Forecasting & Valuation

Mr. LaFaso directs Ascend’s Market Intelligence practice, where he oversees the development of long-term supply stack models, price forecasts, and project economics. His leadership informs the analytics that power Ascend’s software suite, including PowerSIMM and PowerVAL. Mr. LaFaso has conducted valuation due diligence for large-scale M&A deals such as Terra-Gen’s acquisition by Masdar and Origis Energy’s sale to Antin Infrastructure Partners, supporting key investment decisions across the clean energy space.

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Shalom Goffri, PhD, VP of Valuation & Portfolio Management

Dr. Goffri advises both public and private sector clients on power asset valuation, clean energy procurement strategy, and decarbonization pathways. He brings deep experience in due diligence, policy analysis, and market and technology assessments. His work spans ISO markets, community solar, and distributed energy resources, providing the strategic insights that shape Ascend’s valuation and portfolio optimization tools.

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Caroline Zechter, Director of Community Solar

Ms. Zechter leads the development and deployment of Ascend’s MI Retail products, applying expertise in both ISO wholesale and utility retail markets. She manages a team that forecasts community solar bill credits and retail rate dynamics across the U.S., helping customers evaluate DER portfolios with precision. Her leadership includes five years of experience modeling New York’s VDER program and launching tools for battery dispatch under evolving regulatory frameworks.

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Will Edwards, Business Development, BESS products

Mr. Edwards supports the growth of Ascend’s Battery Energy Storage Systems and Market Intelligence platforms, helping clients assess market conditions, revenue potential, and dispatch strategies. He helps  drive adoption of analytics tools that support the full lifecycle of storage development, from market entry to optimization and risk management.

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Tyler Pritchard, Senior Energy Analyst

Mr. Pritchard develops the retail rate forecasting methods used by Ascend Analytics. These analytical approaches draw on his prior experience developing thermodynamic and financial modeling frameworks for Schneider Electric and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. By leveraging large datasets and complex econometric frameworks, Mr. Pritchard is working to add flexibility and transparency to industry-leading retail rate forecasts. 

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