My Life at Palmetto: Sai Kiran Kosgi

When Sai Kiran Kosgi joined Palmetto nearly a decade ago, it was his first job in the United States, fresh out of graduate school and a big move from Massachusetts to Charleston. Today, he’s a manager of design and construction quality on the LightReach team, helping ensure the systems we build are set up for long-term success.

How long have you been at Palmetto, and what is your role here?

I’ve been at Palmetto for close to nine wonderful years now, coming up this July. It was actually my first job in the U.S., straight out of graduate school. I packed my bags in Massachusetts and flew down to Charleston, and that decision changed everything for me.

Early on, I was fortunate to meet incredible people who really shaped my experience here, including Chris Kemper, Sean Hayes, Paul Platt, Kevin Lehr, Mike Noto, Tia Cline, Shea McSween, Donnie (Sean Fahey), Bhargav Rentala, Alvin Aldaz, and many more amazing teammates along the way.

I started on the Design and Engineering team, designing solar systems and plan sets from scratch. Today, I’m a Manager of Design and Construction Quality on the LightReach team.

What does a typical day in your role look like?

I oversee day-to-day quality control (QC) team activities, including staffing, training, service-level agreement maintenance for install and activation throughput, and overall review quality. A big part of my role is making sure we are delivering strong outcomes for our downstream partners like Hardware, Aftermarket Services, Capital Markets, and Incentives.

On a typical day, you’ll find me brainstorming with Paul, Vargas, Tony, our leads, and the rest of my amazing QC teammates. We’re constantly working through new hardware and program implementations, standard operating procedure updates, and requirement changes for original equipment manufacturers.

I also collaborate closely with program managers, specialists, and team leads to support our partners, especially around M1 and M2 milestone approvals. The goal is always to reduce rework and set systems up for long-term success.

What originally excited you about joining Palmetto, and what keeps you excited today?

I’m a millennial, so I’ve always been driven by the idea of creating impact through my work. I was fortunate to get into a very selective master’s program in solar engineering, and even more fortunate to land an opportunity at Palmetto. It really felt like things fell into place at the right time, and I haven’t looked back since.

What keeps me excited today is seeing how far we’ve come. Every day brings a new and often more complex challenge, and I genuinely enjoy that. The renewables landscape is constantly evolving, and I get to grow alongside it.

I also really value the people I work with. I get to collaborate with incredibly talented individuals who care deeply about what we’re building and the mission we’re working toward.

What excites you most about the impact our work could have on the world?

The work we’re doing helps accelerate clean energy adoption, drives technological advancement, and ultimately makes renewable energy more accessible and affordable.

I truly believe Palmetto has played a meaningful role in advancing renewable energy adoption, both in the U.S. and globally. Being part of that is something I take a lot of pride in.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received during your career?

The best advice I’ve received came from my father early on, and it’s something I carry with me in both my career and my life:

“Your response to adversity matters more than the adversity itself.”

What do you enjoy doing outside of work that keeps you energized?

Soccer is a big one for me. I play on the weekends, and I’m also a big Arsenal fan. It definitely helps that we’ve been doing well recently. COYG!!!

I got married recently to my lovely wife and got a dog (Shifu, who is a mini poodle), so we spend time together as a family exploring parks. Magnolia Gardens are our favorite for a weekend outing.

When I visit India, I spend time at home with my family, especially my mom, dad, sister, and another doggo (Onyx, who is a German Shepherd).

Favorite Palmetto value or principle?

Happiness. 😀