(Adrienne Horel)
Adrienne Horel is the kind of leader you might not see on a job site or in a conference room, but her impact is felt in every project and in every decision that keeps her company moving forward.
In her position at E2 Solar, Horel helps implement strategy, cares for employees and customers, and makes rooftop solar in Central Oregon more accessible. And while women make up just over 30 percent of the U.S. solar workforce, her role as co-owner and permit technician is crucial.
Horel’s day-to-day activities often occur behind the scenes, with responsibilities that include submitting final plan sets to the appropriate jurisdictions for approval, obtaining approvals from local utility companies, and contacting customers, when needed, to keep projects on track. This detailed work requires organization, patience, and a thorough understanding of the process. Without it, rooftop solar systems and battery backups simply wouldn’t happen.
Alongside her husband and fellow co-owner, Rob, she also helps guide the business’s growth and operations. “We spend a lot of time brainstorming ways we can improve revenue and streamline processes,” she says. Like any strong business partnership, theirs includes differing perspectives and approaches to managing the company, but they work through situations deliberately. “We continue talking over challenges before rushing into decisions until we are more balanced in whatever conclusion we come to,” she adds.
That thoughtful approach reflects a larger mission she sees in E2 Solar’s work, both internally and in the community. For Horel, renewable energy provides resilience and long-term stability. The company hires through the LRT program and encourages team members to stay in school and pursue “meaningful and sustainable careers.”
On a larger scale, E2 Solar helps homes and businesses in Central Oregon reduce energy costs, while easing strain on the grid. The company also educates the community about how solar and battery storage can protect their homes during outages. E2 Solar’s recognition for battery adoption echoes that commitment. The company received the Energy Trust of Oregon’s highest battery attachment rate in 2025, which is significant because battery storage can provide essential backup power during emergencies. “It’s allowed people to protect their homes in potential crisis situations like wildfire-related outages,” Horel says.
A recent project with Habitat for Humanity townhomes is among the work she’s most proud of. As our region grows, housing affordability is a pressing concern, and she believes businesses have a responsibility to support lower-income households when they can. “I feel it’s our obligation to help [them]retain access to affordable housing and costs,” she says. “Because ultimately everyone deserves a place of safety and stability no matter their income.”
For Horel, solar is a tool for equity, which shows up in how she views women in her industry. While she doesn’t regularly experience bias, she is candid about challenges faced by women in electrical, leadership, or sales roles. “Women in these positions can find it difficult to be heard and taken seriously,” she notes. They may struggle to gain confidence and trust because these paths are often perceived as “a ‘male’ role and viewed as a less feminine career.”
Her advice to women is not to “stay little” on things that matter, guidance she strives to live by. “Even if my opinion might not be what people want to hear, I stand firm in being honest… and I don’t back down when I see something wrong happening,” she says. “I believe that if I have the opportunity or power to do something good, then it should absolutely be done every time — even if the path there is challenging.”
The example set by Horel’s mother informs her perspective. She describes her mom as a lifelong inspiration: pursuing a career she was passionate about, earning a college degree, moving away from her support network, and opening and running a successful business while raising three children.
When asked about her own greatest achievement, Horel returns to the business she and her husband are building together: overcoming challenges, growing E2 Solar, and making sure employees and customers are well cared for.
As she thinks about future generations, political unrest and questions about long-term sustainability sometimes feel heavy. Yet she sees “little glimmers of hope” that people will choose a path that’s rooted in compassion, human dignity, and care for the planet. Despite these concerns and pressures of co-owning a growing business, she remains grounded by making time to care for herself. “I listen to my needs,” she says, “and I allow myself to meet those needs so that I can stay healthy and engaged.”
She might not always be in the spotlight, but Horel is proof that some of the most influential leaders aren’t always highly visible. Sometimes, their impact is found in the details: a correctly filed permit, opportunities created for employees, solar-powered Habitat townhomes that give families stability, a thoughtfully handled conversation, and the Central Oregon homeowner who is better prepared for an outage.
