Electrify Everything! Ok, we’ve heard that “Electrification” is coming, but beyond our Automobiles what else can be electrified? Did you know that cleaning up our built environment is one of the biggest clean energy opportunities today? In the U.S., buildings are the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, representing 35% of total energy-related emissions. There are meaningful steps we can take to reduce the overall impact our buildings have on the environment while also improving how ...
Jul 11, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 14Ep. 717
Energy isn't a battle of fossil fuels vs renewables; it's about figuring out the energy transition together. As a North Carolina State Representative (GOP), John Szoka was once dismissive of renewables, as many might expect. Yet, after serving five terms in the legislature , Szoka transitioned from a renewable energy skeptic to a champion, thanks in large part to his open-mindedness when presented with data from a lobbyist which conflicted with his own understanding of the value of Renewables. R...
Jul 09, 2024•19 min•Season 14Ep. 716
Finally, a feel-good story of independence and triumph! There’s little more patriotic and American than the dream of starting out on your own and building a business that supports your family, serves your neighbors and builds a durable legacy. And we even have a “He left med school for this?” to pull your heart strings too. The true-life story of the rise of Summit Energy as one of the Inc 5000 fastest growing companies, now 2 years running, is a heartfelt look at how Culture truly does eat Stra...
Jul 04, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 14Ep. 715
Have you ever wondered why clean energy is not only surviving, but thriving in RED states here in the USA? Despite the common perception that Republicans are against clean energy, states like Georgia (and AL, SC, and FL, not to mention TX!) are seeing significant solar growth. Republican Tim Echols, Vice Chairman of the Georgia Public Service Commission, discusses Georgia’s journey to becoming the 7th largest state for utility-scale solar (with 6GW!) and how they are gearing up to meet the incre...
Jul 02, 2024•19 min•Season 14Ep. 714
In 50 short years, solar energy transformed from a niche interest to a key driver of the global energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has been at the forefront of this transformation, advocating for policies, fostering innovation, and driving growth in the industry. Founded in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis, SEIA has worked tirelessly to give solar “a seat at the table” in Washington, and the fruits of their labor are plentiful. ...
Jun 28, 2024•59 min•Season 14Ep. 713
The United States just surpassed 5 million solar installations, but as excited as Abby Hopper is to shout that from the rooftops, she agrees we’re just getting started. While the last 50 years was about building a solid foundation (fighting for every inch), the next 50 actually has a lot more at stake. The Solar Energy Industries Association celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, marking half a century of progress, innovation, and entrepreneurship in solar energy and storage. Nico joined Abb...
Jun 27, 2024•41 min•Season 14Ep. 712
How can we meet the growing demands for renewable energy without losing precious agricultural land? Agrivoltaics! It’s one of the most exciting growth sectors in solar energy! This approach leverages solar photovoltaic (PV) systems without losing the property’s agricultural capabilities, thus unlocking fertile and scarce land’s dual-use potential. Few have done as much to proliferate education on this topic as Dan French, Executive Producer of the Solar Farm Summit. We recently had Dan take over...
Jun 25, 2024•23 min•Season 14Ep. 711
I learned a staggering statistic recently: Almost 90% of solar panels are thrown away when they reach the end of their useful life. In 2016, The International Renewable Energy Agency projected that 78 million tons of solar waste would be created by 2050. Within that waste sits a goldmine of opportunity: $15 billion in recyclable materials that most of the industry is simply ignoring. One entrepreneur, however, is transferring his e-waste knowledge and experience to this relatively new high-tech ...
Jun 20, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Season 14Ep. 710
When it comes to certifications and training in the solar industry, one name (or label) stands out and is recognized as the gold standard: NABCEP. The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners is the certifying body for Solar PV and Battery Installers here in North America, and I’ve been told that the NABCEP certification test is as hard as the Professional Engineering (PE) exam! And, one trainer is the top educator for NABCEP (and many other areas of solar) in North America… Nico s...
Jun 18, 2024•14 min•Season 14Ep. 709
Mary Powell, CEO of Sunrun, has cast the vision of the leading solar brand in North America as a clean energy lifestyle company. She recently shared with Nico how Sunrun is accelerating the transition and nearing its millionth customer despite the typical electric utilities' “no and slow” culture. Under Powell's leadership, Sunrun installed more than 1 GW of solar in 2023, maintaining its position as the nation's leading residential solar provider. Even more impressive, perhaps, is how Sunrun’s ...
Jun 13, 2024•33 min•Season 14Ep. 708
Anti-dumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) are nothing new; they have plagued US-based solar developers and decision-makers since 2011. These duties, aimed at preventing unfair trade practices, greatly impact pricing and timelines of solar projects and generally seed uncertainty in the marketplace (at the outset, at least). We now have a new round of trade investigations being undertaken by the US Dept. of Commerce. What’s at stake, and who will be most impacted? AD/CVD investigations were ...
Jun 11, 2024•31 min•Season 14Ep. 707
In the solar industry, we’re often building the plane as we fly it, as it were. This is ever-moreso evident in commercial and industrial (C&I) solar, a relatively untapped market with unique challenges. One of the key areas of failure is a lack of funding. And, often, the culprit that leads to failed projects or lack of funding (ie, un-interested buyers) is poor processes. So how do you teach due diligence and standardize processes when it seems we’ve been making them up as you go for so lon...
Jun 06, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Season 14Ep. 706
Ever get annoyed when you order takeout and they give you the obligatory plastic wrapped napkin and plastic cutlery? If you’re like me, you politely decline, but most just take them and dispose of them directly in the waste bin. The world is drowning in plastic waste, and current solutions to a useful alternative aren't cutting it. PlantSwitch, a North Carolina-based startup co-founded by Dillon Baxter, uses agricultural byproducts to create a durable, plastic-like resin. With it, they aim to ta...
Jun 04, 2024•16 min•Season 14Ep. 705
If we’re going to address climate change through capitalism, we’ll need about $10 Trillion. The growing climate crisis demands that we take urgent action, but early-stage climate entrepreneurs still face significant barriers in finding the funding to bring their innovations to market. CEO and co-founder of Enduring Planet, Dimitry Gershenson, offers a solution to a critical funding gap climate entrepreneurs face. After building the Energy Access program at Facebook and seeing first-hand how hard...
May 30, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Season 14Ep. 704
Struggling with imposter syndrome? You're not alone. Returning guest (Ep 333, 687) Paula Glover, President of the Alliance to Save Energy, delves into one of the most common emotional challenges faced by leaders and entrepreneurs. Paula gets real about the self-doubt leaders face and the importance of authenticity in leadership. It’s rare to get this kind of honesty in a b2b podcast conversation, and Paula does it with guts and grace. As the head of the Alliance to Save Energy, Paula has been a ...
May 28, 2024•29 min•Season 14Ep. 703
He came to America with ten thousand dollars and a dream of making it big. A few years later, he was a legitimate rock star, rocking arenas with Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osborne. So why did this British rocker who achieved the height of music stardom give it all up and start an EV charging business? How did that turn into not 1 but 3 successful exits (his most recent for north of $80M to Enphase) and a fourth energy sector startup sure to find similar outcomes? Rue Phillips, a rockstar turned entr...
May 23, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Season 14Ep. 702
US manufacturing is back! We were recently invited to a ceremony to celebrate the expansion of Nextracker’s dedicated steel torque tube manufacturing lines at JM Steel’s Leetsdale facility in Pittsburgh. This historic site, formerly Bethlehem Steel(the company that produced the landing craft for Normandy during World War II) now manufactures low-carbon steel tubes for solar trackers. Among the many dignitaries present at the event were 3 people on Nico’s yet-to-be-interviewed bucket list, so he ...
May 21, 2024•25 min•Season 14Ep. 701
It only took me 8 years and 699 episodes to finally land today’s guest! But the wait was WELL worth it. You’re in for a treat. And it was recorded in-person at Strata’s HQ, so you might enjoy some of the extra footage included in the YT video version of this episode. Markus Wilhelm founded Strata Clean Energy in 2009, but readily admits that he didn’t have the right initial vision for the company. In fact, it wasn’t till the THIRD pivot that he says they really found their groove. By any measure...
May 16, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 14Ep. 700
265,000! That’s how many of you/us work in Solar Energy so far (and rapidly growing!) Yet, with 4 million solar installations in the U.S alone, Solar Energy is rarely featured in mainstream media. WHY? Probably True Solar Stories , a podcast created by Tor Valenza, also known as Solar Fred, aims to bridge this content gap with engaging solar-themed fictional tales. Valenza, once a Hollywood writer for shows like "The Dead Zone," "Dharma and Greg," and "Stargate SG-1” brings a uniquely solar flai...
May 14, 2024•22 min
Many of us working in clean energy forget that access to clean power is still a privilege, not a right. Millions of Americans still don’t have the freedom to choose clean energy. People all over the country want to fight climate change by choosing renewable energy sources for their homes and businesses. But, in monopolized electricity markets, consumers are forced to purchase power from the only available utility (like Duke Energy here in my home state of NC). CleanChoice Energy is fighting to a...
May 09, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 13Ep. 699
Imagine that your phone rings. The person on the other end tells you: “you won the project. Now, we need you to fly to Australia and build the largest battery backup project in the entire world.” Powin, a Portland, Oregon-based battery energy storage developer, was up to the challenge. Nico got a chance to sit down with then-President of Powin, Anthony Carroll, to discuss where the energy storage market is headed and how large-scale integrators like Powin are moving the needle. Under Anthony’s l...
May 07, 2024•19 min•Season 13Ep. 698
Chris Nelder challenges the status quo. And his efforts have, for nearly a decade, centered on mobilizing an army of supporters to help us transition away from fossil fuels. As creator & host of the podcast The Energy Transition Show , Nelder aims to "influence the influencers" through carefully researched interviews with clean energy experts. I know that many many listeners of SunCast are also listeners of Chris’s show (and many have even told me you’re paid subscribers!) which has long-ins...
May 02, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 13Ep. 697
The IRA gave solar manufacturers a huge incentive to manufacture on U.S. soil. How does the 45x incentive work, and are we actually gonna see anybody other than Nextracker capitalize on it?! Companies like FTC Solar are taking full advantage of this huge manufacturing tax credit. Their Vice President of Sales, Eric Frazier, shares how they’re bringing higher-paying manufacturing jobs back to American communities and what it means for developers. He also shares his career lessons in mitigating pr...
Apr 30, 2024•17 min•Season 13Ep. 696
We’ve heard that we need to focus on workforce development. Yet many times the workforce we’ve developed has to re-invent the wheel for lack of reliable systems to a) know what good looks like, and b) replicate it in the field with minimal oversight. What if any solar installer had reliable, step-by-step installation guidance straight from any manufacturer? Would this improve the process? Solar projects are custom-built each time, often with components from a range of OEMs. This means that insta...
Apr 25, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Season 13Ep. 695
What if solar installers could easily integrate energy storage with any inverter on the market? LG Energy Storage Systems (ESS) makes that possible, and in an important and elegant way. At the 2024 NABCEP Conference, Jim Brown, Senior National Sales Manager at LG ESS, highlighted LG's new "Home 8" AC-coupled energy storage system, a game-changing product for solar installers. In today’s episode, Jim and Nico discuss AC vs. DC-coupled systems, homeowner misconceptions, and a new technology that w...
Apr 23, 2024•15 min•Season 13Ep. 694
We often take access to electricity, refrigeration, and running water for granted. In many parts of the world, these are luxuries. In today’s episode, Andi Kleissner and Kurt Kuhlmann, Co-founders and Co-CEOs of Amped Innovation, discuss how they’re changing lives by installing high-performance off-grid solar systems and appliances across Asia and Africa. Nico visited with the pair in their CA headquarters; Seated on two of their high-efficiency solar freezers, they share insights from making so...
Apr 18, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Season 13Ep. 693
New York set an ambitious goal for a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040. What will it take to get there? Turns out, hydrogen may be a key component to New York's climate strategy, especially for difficult-to-electrify sectors. Haiyan Sun is the program manager and team leader for hydrogen and clean fuels at the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). With over a decade of experience in the power sector (much of which was in GE’s gas division), she has valuable i...
Apr 16, 2024•11 min•Season 13Ep. 692
Is solar plus storage magically going to fix our grid? If you listen to many of the conversations I’ve heard the last 2+ years, you’d easily assume “we got this, just throw some batteries out there and we’re well on our way to 100% RE!” Turns out it’s not that simple. Building hybrid power (solar+storage) projects requires a deep understanding of the unique challenges they present, from how to forecast revenue to building integrated software solutions that can handle massive complexity. Leigh Za...
Apr 11, 2024•50 min•Season 13Ep. 691
How do we solve yesterday’s interconnection problems with today’s technology? Alexina Jackson, Vice President of Strategic Development at The AES Corporation, pulls back the curtain to show us how AES is using cutting-edge technology to integrate MORE renewable energy into the grid. Because we need to add new energy fast and our current grid isn’t up to the challenge, AES is inventing solutions as they go. Expect to learn: How AES’s new technology can push more power through existing wiring when...
Apr 09, 2024•19 min•Season 13Ep. 690
As our Secretary of Energy says, deploy deploy deploy! It’s incredible to see how hard we’re pushing to modernize the grid, but, we also must maintain and ensure solar projects are delivering on every kilowatt hour that we promised. Today’s guest has been delivering on those promises for nearly two decades. Josh Fraughton, a renewable energy veteran with nearly two decades of experience in the solar industry, has seen firsthand the increasing need for a stable supply chain for solar O&M. So ...
Apr 04, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Season 13Ep. 689
