Scaling Solar Energy in Retail Real Estate

Clarke Herring founded Great Circle Solar Management Corporation (GCS) in 2010, concurrent with the announcement of Ontario’s Green Energy Act, and has since led the firm through over 15 years of profitable growth, platform expansion, and key partnership milestones. Under his leadership, GCS has grown to manage approximately $3 billion in rooftop, ground-mount utility-scale solar, and other distributed generation assets.

Clarke brings deep expertise in solar energy, renewables, corporate finance and operational management.

He holds a Master’s in Philosophy from Cambridge University and an HBA (with distinction) from Western University’s Richard Ivey School of Business.

Colin is a Senior Director within RBC’s Sustainable Finance Commercial Banking group and works with RBC’s business banking clients to integrate ESG factors into their debt financing. He also advises them on emerging trends in climate while guiding their decarbonization strategies.

An economist by background, Colin has authored several major reports for RBC on the interface between climate change and the Canadian economy, including “The $2 Trillion Transition” and “High Rise, Low Carbon.”

Prior to joining RBC, Colin worked on mortgage and macro-financial policy for the Department of Finance Canada.

Tom Marson serves as the Vice President of Building Technology Services & Energy at Loblaw Companies Limited. A licensed Professional Engineer in Ontario, Tom holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University, a Master of Engineering with a Green Energy Certificate from the University of Waterloo, and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University. In his role, Tom oversees facilities management and the technology services related to equipment and energy optimization across all properties. He leverages his comprehensive knowledge of building technologies and energy management to devise strategies aimed at improving functionality while reducing environmental impact. His guidance is instrumental in fostering innovation and delivering cost-effective solutions that contribute to Loblaw’s sustainability efforts.