Founder and owner of Pacific Energy Company (1980), Cal Poly graduate John Ewan is a Certified Energy Analyst (CEPE R05-07-5333) and Solar Electric System component selection and integration specialist. With over 36 years of experience in the Photovoltaic Industry, John is an essential NET ZERO team member for evaluating and specifying renewable energy systems. Contact John with questions regarding Off Grid PV system products/services, FULL POWER renewable energy system analysis and Title 24 compliance reports.

Typically in the office Monday – Thursday, Field work on Fridays.

Additional Information

John Ewan Founder

John Ewan was born in Paso Robles, California, to Henry & Imogene Ewan, an Episcopal minister and social healthcare nurse. After moving at an early age to the Pasadena area where he graduated from Pasadena City College with an AA degree in Architecture, John returned to San Luis Obispo to attend California Polytechnic State University. He graduated in 1973 with a BA in Political Science. He and his wife, Stephanie, chose to live and raise a family in San Luis Obispo.

John became involved in social activism at the age of 14 when he attended his first civil rights march in Pasadena, California. From the age of 14 to 24, John stayed involved in Civil and Farm Workers Rights, walking with Caesar Chavez in Delano, attending numerous civil rights and peace rallies, and working with disadvantaged children through the Head Start program. In 1970, John was a member of the first Earth Day committee for Pasadena where he organized a television news segment highlighting the effects of air pollution on San Gabriel Mountain Forests.

From 1974 to 1975, John worked in southern Indiana as a VISTA volunteer, leading a crew in the repair of rural homes for impoverished Americans. The program involved the use of client furnished and salvaged materials. John’s team installed indoor plumbing, fixed leaky roofs, added insulation to attics, repaired fireplace chimneys, and in one instance built a new outhouse – as the client wished.

In 1976 John returned to San Luis Obispo and began a career as a General Building Contractor – specializing in the remodeling and renovation of older homes in SLO. During this time an interest in sustainability and the need for alternatives to fossil & nuclear power caused John to become active in the design and construction of passive solar homes, hot water systems and solar electric systems.

In 1980, John co-founded Pacific Energy Company as a way to promote a sustainable solution to nuclear power, rather than just saying “NO”. The business has evolved into San Luis Obispo County’s largest showroom of clean burning hearth products, and the County’s premier retailer of solar electric equipment. John and his team have been recognized in national publications for solar electric systems installed through out the Central Coast. Both John’s home and office are powered with grid-tie solar electric systems and solar hot water systems. Local projects of note include the Palm Theater – America’s first solar powered theater, St Stephen’s Church, Temple Beth David, San Luis Sustainability Group offices, Cass Winery,  and Voler sports wear. John presents a free seminar on photovoltaic equipment and systems as an educational service to the community. He has lectured at Cal Poly and in 2006 was a featured speaker at Sailfest in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, describing the efficiency of solar electric systems to a group of over one hundred “cruisers” (people who live on their boat full time) anchored in the bay.  John’s Civic involvement includes terms on the Board of Director’s of ECOSLO, SLO GreenBuild and the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce, serving as Chairman of the Board on all three.  John served two four year terms on the City Council of San Luis Obispo, helping to bring about the Damon Garcia Sports Fields, Downtown Crossing Lights & Open Space Aquistion, to name a few favorite projects.

Welcome to our local business, we appreciate your patronage!

John