Petaluma’s r&d lab, as indicated by its name, started with the research and development of several products to create more renewable and accessible sources of energy.
“We started the company with a bunch of products and business ideas but we’re not sure which would get traction first,” Co-owner Brian Atchley said via email. “The r&d lab was meant to be a company to experiment with companies.”
Created in 2019 by the husband-and-wife team of Brian and Amy Atchley, r&d lab has found its niche, creating solar roofs that can be easily installed whenever a roof is installed or repaired. And recently, the Petaluma-based company was named one of two winners of the American-Made Solar Prize, a National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and U.S. Department of Energy contest meant to promote innovation in the United States.