Across America, sunny driveways are abundant yet surprisingly overlooked as potential power generators. Now, a Florida-based startup, Gismo Power, is pioneering a remarkable innovation: a portable, plug-in solar EV charger called the MEGA – or Mobile Electricity Generating Appliance.
In this episode of the Energy Changemakers Podcast, host Elisa Wood talks with Antonia Ginsberg-Klemmt, CEO and mechanical engineer, and her parents and business partners, electrical engineer Achim Ginsberg-Klemmt and operations specialist Erika Ginsberg-Klemmt. Together, this activist entrepreneurial family is challenging both conventional wisdom and outdated regulations to create a new category of solar technology designed specifically for renters, small businesses, and anyone seeking greater energy independence.
The MEGA is more than a typical solar installation—it’s an appliance that plugs directly into your home’s electrical system. Because it’s mounted on wheels, the MEGA avoids the high costs and red tape associated with permanent rooftop or ground-mounted systems. This unique approach has already attracted early adopters across the U.S., from tech enthusiasts to Native American communities looking for energy sovereignty.
But innovation is only half the battle. Gismo Power faces complex regulatory hurdles, as most jurisdictions lack a legal framework for “plug-in” solar devices. Elisa’s conversation with the Ginsberg-Klemmt family reveals the challenges—and potential solutions—in navigating local permitting processes, utility approvals, and shifting attitudes toward decentralized renewable energy.
Ultimately, the Ginsberg-Klemmt family sees its solar on wheels appliance as not just a technological breakthrough but as a path toward energy democracy—making clean power accessible and affordable for the millions of Americans who have been historically left out of the solar revolution.
Join Elisa and the Gismo Power founders as they discuss the science, the struggles, and the exciting future of distributed solar energy, one driveway at a time.
Update: As you’ll hear, the Gismo Power team recorded this podcast in Austin, Texas, at the SXSW conference and festival in March, awaiting word if the MEGA had won an innovation award. It did. Details here.
Guests:
Antonia Ginsberg-Klemmt, CEO of Gismo Power, mechanical engineer and recipient of the Ozy Genius Award and winner of SXSW Innovation Award in the student innovation category
Achim Ginsberg-Klemmt, vice president of engineering at Gismo Power, electrical engineer specializing in renewable technologies.
Erika Ginsberg-Klemmt, vice president of operations, leading communications, regulatory strategies, and community outreach.
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