Every year, the industry says the same thing.

“C&I solar is about to take off!”

And yet, it never quite scales the way we expect.

Could this year finally be the year?

In this live panel from Intersolar, Nico Johnson sits down with Joe Ross (CPS America), Rob Smith (ABC Supply), Tim Montague (Clean Power Consulting), and Jim Wood (SEG Solar) to unpack what’s really happening in the commercial and industrial market.

The opportunity is real—but it’s uneven, complex, and highly dependent on where you operate.

Battery storage is starting to shift the conversation. Falling costs, rising electricity prices, and new incentives are making projects pencil in ways they didn’t before. But storage alone isn’t the answer.

This discussion explores the full picture—from workforce challenges and customer education to capital competition and regional market dynamics.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why C&I solar is growing, but still not scaling across all markets

🔹 How storage is improving project economics—and where it actually works

🔹 What’s holding projects back, from education gaps to competing capital priorities

🔹 Why transitioning from residential to commercial is harder than it looks

The ingredients for growth are finally coming together.

The question is whether this is the moment C&I solar truly breaks through.

Press play and decide for yourself.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

What do you do when your entire market disappears?

That’s not a thought experiment for Michael Bergey. It’s the story of his career.

Long before solar dominated rooftops, distributed wind was solving real problems across rural America — lowering energy costs for customers who didn’t care about climate narratives, only outcomes. Then policy support vanished. Oil prices collapsed. And later, cheap solar took over.

Most companies didn’t survive.

Bergey Windpower did.

In this conversation, Michael walks through what it actually takes to stay in the game when incentives disappear, competitors pivot, and the market moves faster than your business model.

But there’s a deeper takeaway here.

The customers driving distributed energy today don’t all look the same — and they don’t all think the same either. Wind and solar, once seen as separate paths, are now serving the same need: control, resilience, and economics that work.

Expect to learn:

⚡ What really happened to small wind after the 1980s policy collapse

⚡ How solar’s cost curve forced a complete reset of the business

⚡ The engineering decisions that made small wind viable again

⚡ Why farmers — not homeowners — are driving adoption today

If you’re building in clean energy right now, this may give you a new perspective on staying power and resilience.

👉 Press play to see what happens when the market turns against you.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

The residential solar playbook did not just change. It got torn up.

If you are still operating like yesterday’s incentives, product assumptions, and sales motions will carry you forward, this episode is a reality Margins aren’t disappearing overnight. They’re leaking — in places most contractors don’t even notice.

In this live conversation from IESNA 2026, Nico Johnson sits down with Rob Smith and Eric Cieslak of ABC Supply to break down where solar contractors are quietly losing profit — and where the smartest operators are starting to take it back.

From jobsite efficiency and logistics to financing-driven product decisions, this episode connects the dots between day-to-day operations and long-term business survival. ABC Supply brings a unique vantage point, seeing how contractors across the country are adapting — or failing to — as the market shifts.

If you’re still running your business the way you did two years ago, this conversation will challenge you to rethink what’s actually driving your margins today.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Where contractors are losing margin in time, labor, and logistics

🔹 Why contractors need a new operating playbook in a finance-driven solar market

🔹 Why planning with your distributor can unlock real efficiency gains

🔹 How storage and product selection are impacting ROI

🔹 Why disciplined, regional contractors may have the advantage right now

The margin is still there — just not where it used to be.

Press play and find out where to look.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Long duration energy storage has spent years sitting in the “we’ll need it someday” category. Not anymore. As grid strain grows, data center demand surges, and reliability becomes a boardroom issue, long duration storage is starting to move from interesting concept to urgent solution.

Recorded live at Intersolar and Energy Storage North America, this panel brings together Anna Siefken of the LDES Council, Aric Saunders of Noon Energy, Tristan Bannon of CellCube, and Andrew Friedenthal of E-Zinc. With Nico Johnson leading the conversation, the group digs into what is changing in the market and why more buyers are finally paying attention to long duration storage.

This episode is not just about technology. It is about what happens when the grid needs more than incumbent batteries can supply. The panel explores how vanadium flow, zinc-based systems, and other long duration approaches could support resilience, replace diesel, firm renewables, and help planners think beyond the standard four-hour battery playbook.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why long duration storage is finally gaining real commercial momentum

🔹 How data centers, resilience needs, and grid volatility are accelerating demand

🔹 What makes zinc, vanadium, and other chemistries worth watching

🔹 Why procurement rules should focus on the problem to solve, not the technology to favor

If you want a clearer picture of where storage is headed after lithium-ion, this conversation is a strong place to start. It is practical, candid, and full of insight from leaders building the next layer of the grid.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Most conversations about agrivoltaics stay at the surface.

Rebekah Pierce didn’t set out to become a voice for solar. She was trying to solve a much simpler problem:

How do you make a small farm financially viable… without giving it up?

What followed was a shift — from seeing solar as a “necessary evil” to recognizing it as a tool that might fundamentally reshape how farms survive.

In this conversation, we unpack what’s actually happening on the ground:

🔹 What exactly is the business of solar grazing

🔹 Where the economics work — and where they don’t

🔹 Why “prime farmland” is often misunderstood

🔹 The gap between developer intent and rural reality

🔹 What breaks when you try to scale this model

This is less about sheep under panels…

…and more about what new revenue models might actually keep farms alive.

_____________________________________________________

🎧 Guest: Rebekah Pierce

Author of Agri-Energy: Growing Power, Growing Food

_____________________________________________________

If you’re curious about agrivoltaics, this is a perspective you don’t usually hear.

Hit play to hear why Rebekah Pierce believes agrivoltaics is not a side strategy. It is a glimpse of what farming could become.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

AI isn’t just increasing demand for electricity - it’s changing how power behaves.

In this Tactical Tuesday, Nico Johnson sits down with Jon Parrella of Terraflow Energy to break down a problem few people are talking about: modern AI data centers don’t draw power like traditional loads. They ramp rapidly, swing unpredictably, and introduce volatility that existing infrastructure wasn’t designed to handle.

That shift is putting real strain on generators, batteries, and the grid itself - accelerating wear, increasing complexity, and creating new risks for developers and investors alike.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

🔹 Why AI data centers behave differently from traditional power loads

🔹 How rapid load swings impact generators, lithium-ion batteries, and grid stability

🔹 What “controllable load” means - and why utilities and ISOs are prioritizing it

🔹 Where traditional power system design breaks down under AI-driven demand

🔹 Why being a responsive load could dramatically change interconnection timelines

Most importantly, you’ll understand what needs to change to make next-generation data center infrastructure reliable, scalable, and bankable.

If you’re developing, financing, or investing in data centers, energy infrastructure, or AI-driven growth, this episode will change how you think about the power system that it requires.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

You'll find more resources and learn about SunCast's guest(s), recommendations, book links, and more than 850 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.

You can learn more about partnering with SunCast here: https://mysuncast.com/sponsors

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly Linkedin Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

Russell Gold has spent years explaining the energy transition from the outside. First as one of The Wall Street Journal’s leading energy reporters, and now from inside one of clean energy’s fastest-growing new entrants, T1 Energy.

At The Wall Street Journal, his award-winning work covered the fracking boom, Deepwater Horizon, and the investigation into the Camp Fire in California. He also wrote The Boom and Superpower, digging into the people, decisions, and forces shaping modern energy.

Now, he’s on the other side of the table.

As EVP of Strategic Communications at T1 Energy, Russell is helping shape how a new U.S. solar manufacturer shows up to the market—and how that story connects to capital.

In this conversation, we explore what that shift in perspective reveals. Where the industry is actually making progress. Where the bottlenecks persist. And why clean energy still struggles to tell a clear reliability story, even as deployment continues at record pace.

We also dig into something most people underestimate: how much narrative influences where capital flows—and what leaders in this industry should be doing about it.

Expect to learn:

🔹 How behind-the-meter deployment is helping bypass transmission delays

🔹 Why the reliability story is still one of clean energy’s biggest messaging gaps

🔹 What it will take for domestic solar manufacturing to compete globally

This is a fascinating look at how Gold’s perspective changed once he got a chance to see what’s really happening from inside the clean energy sector, and what we all can learn and apply to our own businesses.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Most C&I solar projects don’t fall short because of the solar itself.

They struggle because deals aren’t structured correctly, markets are misunderstood, or developers take on opportunities that were never a fit to begin with.

In this episode of SunCast, Nico Johnson sits down with Aaron Wilson, co-founder and CEO of Solar One, to unpack what actually separates projects that get built and deliver long-term value - from the ones that stall, get delayed, or fail to meet expectations.

Aaron didn’t come up through traditional solar channels. He started in commodities - trading steel and silicon across Europe and China - before moving into development and building Solar One into a vertically integrated C&I solar company operating in markets like Long Island and Texas.

Along the way, he’s:

1. Built projects in markets most developers overlooked
2. Helped stand up hundreds of megawatts in Texas - before the market was ready
3. Made deliberate decisions to walk away from residential solar
4. And developed a disciplined approach to choosing markets, customers, and deals

In this conversation, we explore:

🔹 Why Solar One chose C&I over the residential gold rush

🔹 What business owners actually need from a solar partner in an era of rising electricity costs

🔹 Why great entrepreneurs are driven by purpose, not ruled by fear

🔹 How to evaluate whether a market is actually viable (vs just “hot”)

🎧 Listen now to learn how to build C&I solar projects that actually deliver.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Clean energy is winning on cost.

Solar and storage are cheaper than ever. Deployment is accelerating. The economics are undeniable.

So why does it still feel like the industry is losing the broader public narrative?

In this live conversation, Nico Johnson sits down with journalist Sammy Roth to explore the gap between technical success and cultural influence. After more than a decade covering energy and climate for the Los Angeles Times, Sammy now writes the independent newsletter Climate-Colored Goggles, where he examines how media, identity, and storytelling shape the energy transition.

Sammy argues that the challenge isn’t just policy or technology — it’s narrative. While clean energy has focused on cost curves and deployment, it has often underinvested in the cultural work required to build public trust, identity, and long-term support.

This conversation digs into what the industry gets wrong about communication, why reacting to politics is a losing strategy, and what it would actually take to win the long-term cultural battle.

And asking a bigger question: what if the clean energy industry is fighting the wrong battle?

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why Sammy believes clean energy is losing a cultural battle, not just a political one

🔹 What the industry got wrong in communicating the Inflation Reduction Act

🔹 Why facts, economics, and climate science are not enough to win public support

🔹 How entertainment, sports, media, and advertising shape energy narratives over time

This is a conversation about branding, belief, and what it will really take to make clean energy feel as essential and American as the incumbents it is trying to replace.

Listen in.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

If you want to understand where the energy industry is heading, pay attention to the journalists tracking it every day.

Thankfully, we get to sit down with three of the most plugged-in reporters covering the energy transition: Sammy Roth of Climate-Colored Goggles (formerly w/ LA Times), Julian Spector of Canary Media, and Darrell Proctor of POWER Magazine.

What signals are shaping the market right now — from capital flowing into new energy projects to grid bottlenecks, AI-driven electricity demand, and the evolving narrative around fossil fuels and nuclear?

These are the conversations happening inside the clean energy newsroom.

Topics covered:

🔹 Why AI and hyperscale data centers are suddenly driving massive clean energy investment

🔹 The surprising rise of domestic solar manufacturing in the United States

🔹 Why grid interconnection queues remain one of the biggest barriers to new projects

🔹 How journalists are thinking about climate targets in a world already at 1.5°C

If you’re not already following Darrell Proctor, Julian Spector, and Sammy Roth then you’re missing the conversations and stories shaping the clean energy transition.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

What does serious capital actually look for in the energy transition?

In this episode, Nico sits down with Brendan Bell, Co-Founder of Aligned Climate Capital and a former member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, to discuss how experienced investors evaluate energy companies, infrastructure projects, and management teams.

Brendan shares a practical look at:

• why raising capital has become more selective

• the common mistakes founders make when pitching investors

• what strong management teams do differently

• how infrastructure investors think about risk, scale, and long-term value

For founders, developers, and operators building in the energy transition, this conversation offers a clear view into how institutional investors actually make decisions.

Before co-founding Align Climate Capital, Brendan helped rebuild the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office in the aftermath of the Solyndra collapse. From financing some of the earliest utility scale solar projects to backing companies like Tesla in its early days, he has spent his career sitting at the intersection of policy, infrastructure, and capital.

Now at Align, Brendan and his team invest across the clean energy ecosystem. Early stage companies developing new business models. And infrastructure portfolios that own and operate solar and storage assets.

If you’re building, financing, or investing in the energy transition, this one is packed with insights.

Listen in to understand how capital is shaping the next chapter of the global energy system.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

From Davos to data centers, Axios reporter explains the new rules of power.

Amy Harder is one of the most widely read and respected reporters covering the intersection of energy, climate, and policy. As the national energy correspondent for Axios and author of the Harder Line newsletter, she helps industry leaders understand what’s actually happening inside the energy system.

In this conversation with Nico Johnson, Amy breaks down the forces reshaping the global energy landscape.

Artificial intelligence and data centers are driving electricity demand growth for the first time in decades. Tech companies are behaving more like utilities. Capital is rapidly reorganizing around energy infrastructure. And amid all of it, the politics and narratives surrounding climate and energy are shifting in real time.

Among her key insights:

🔹Energy is now one of the biggest bottlenecks for AI expansion

🔹The AI boom may ultimately accelerate clean energy deployment

🔹Natural gas is riding the current demand wave — even as renewables continue to grow

🔹Hyperscale tech companies are influencing power markets without becoming utilities

🔹Climate has slipped to the background in some global conversations about energy

🔹Political cycles will keep swinging — and the industry needs a longer-term perspective

Amy also discusses the role of capital in the AI-driven power buildout, why some of the most talked-about data center projects still exist only on paper, and how journalists are trying to cover one of the fastest-moving moments the energy sector has seen in decades.

The result is a candid look at how technology, infrastructure, politics, and capital are colliding to redefine the rules of power.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

For nearly a decade, Abby Hopper served as President and CEO of SEIA, the Solar Energy Industries Association, representing the U.S. solar industry through one of its most transformative periods.

From trade wars and policy battles to the rise of domestic manufacturing and record industry growth, Abby had a front-row seat as solar moved from the margins of the energy system to the center of it.

In this conversation, Abby reflects on the challenges she inherited, the progress the industry made, and the work that still lies ahead — from building political influence in Washington to strengthening credibility across the market.

It’s a candid look at the decade that reshaped solar, and what comes next for the industry.

Expect to learn:

🔹 What reshaped solar’s domestic manufacturing strategy

🔹 Why the solar industry still lacks political influence compared to oil and gas

🔹 What Abby believes could slow the next phase of solar growth

🔹 The uncomfortable truth about why solar companies underinvest in political advocacy

Listen now to hear Abby Hopper’s unfiltered perspective on the past, present, and future of solar leadership.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Every year, there is a new “crisis” in solar.

And yet… the industry keeps growing.

With leadership transition underway at the Solar Energy Industries Association, Darren Van’t Hof steps in as Interim President and CEO at a pivotal moment. Policy uncertainty. Permitting bottlenecks. Election year noise. And a projected $25 billion flowing into storage in 2026 alone.

So where do we really stand?

In this candid conversation recorded live at Intersolar & Energy Storage N.A., Darren shares why solar has already won the cost battle, why storage may be the most durable growth sector in energy, and what must happen politically for the industry to keep accelerating. There are some additional fun bits about the future of SEIA and his role in there as well. ;-)

Expect to learn:

🔹 What’s the outlook from the new (Interim) CEO on the heels of SEIA’s latest board meeting

🔹 Why solar is no longer competing on cost and what that changes

🔹 How permitting and regulatory uncertainty are quietly freezing capital

🔹 Why storage could command $25 billion in 2026 alone

🔹 The political engagement strategy SEIA is building to compete dollar for dollar

Darren brings two decades of finance and board leadership experience to the conversation. His message is clear. Affordability wins. Economics win. But certainty is everything.

Hit play to understand what is noise, what is signal, and how to position your company for the next growth cycle.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Most energy projects look solid on paper. Fewer stay on track in the field.

Brandon Moss sees the difference every day.

Energy demand is rising. Load growth is real. Timelines are tightening.

So what actually keeps large energy projects on track?

In this conversation, Brandon Moss, CEO of Shoals, shares what he sees from the center of utility-scale deployment. Shoals touches a significant portion of U.S. solar projects, giving Brandon a rare vantage point into how projects are planned, where they slip, and what separates strong operators from the rest.

We discuss:

1. What the biggest EPCs are prioritizing right now
2. Where early decisions create downstream risk
3. Why partnership is replacing transactional procurement
4. How labor constraints are shaping engineering and design
5. What “bankable” and “buildable” really mean in today’s market
6. How AI and load growth are changing the urgency around delivery

Brandon also reflects on the shift from private to public leadership, the responsibility that comes with scaling a business, and why simplicity and execution still win.

If you’re building projects, financing them, or planning infrastructure in a volatile policy and trade environment, this episode offers practical insight from someone who sits at the center of it.

Hit play and learn from a leader who sees where projects succeed and where they break.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Listen to the full 2.5 hour episode here: https://suncast.media/episodes/900

Most companies don’t fail because of strategy.

They fail because standards slip.

In this 13-minute vignette, T.J. Rodgers breaks down the management system he’s used across more than 25 acquisitions to build and scale billion-dollar companies — and why discipline, not charisma, determines whether a business survives.

Inside:

• Why 19 out of 20 decisions in your company are made without you

• Why quality must be enforced, not admired

• Why speed of correction matters more than avoiding mistakes

• What “owner means 100% responsible” actually looks like

• How written principles — enforced daily — shape culture

This isn’t theory. It’s operational structure from someone who has spent decades building machines that work.

If you lead people, run a company, or care about performance, this is worth 13 minutes.

Press play; Listen in.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Battery storage is scaling fast.

But scaling portfolios exposes weaknesses most owners never see coming.

As projects move from single sites to gigawatt-hour fleets, many IPPs discover something uncomfortable: they have dashboards - but not decision-grade visibility.

In this Episode, Lennart Hinrichs, EVP and General Manager of the Americas at TWAICE, explains what actually changes once batteries begin operating at scale.

We discuss:

1. Why state of charge (SOC) is foundational — but insufficient
2. How LFP chemistry complicates measurement more than most assume
3. What derating really does to revenue and dispatch confidence
4. Why overbuild can mask deeper performance issues
5. What actually causes most battery fires (and what doesn’t)
6. How data transparency reshapes warranty disputes and financial risk

This isn’t a founder story.

It’s a practical conversation for asset owners, operators, and performance engineers who want fewer surprises over the life of their storage assets.

If you operate or finance battery projects, this episode will sharpen how you think about KPIs, safety, and operational confidence.

Listen in.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

“This is not an offensive play. It’s a defensive play. It’s a must win.”

That’s how Sheldon Kimber describes AI for companies like Google.

If your business depends on organizing and serving information, AI isn’t optional. It’s existential.

And if AI is existential, power becomes strategic.

In this conversation — recorded before Google’s acquisition of Intersect Power — Sheldon lays out the durable thesis that led here:

The U.S. grid isn’t collapsing.

It just can’t scale.

Transmission is stalled.

Business models are misaligned.

Permitting reform won’t arrive in time.

So instead of waiting for the grid to be fixed, Intersect built around it.

Gigawatt-scale co-location.

Wind, solar, batteries.

Flexible gas.

Control systems designed to act as one asset.

The result? A hybrid solution that can deliver four-nines reliability - potentially more reliable than the grid itself.

This isn’t about chasing incentives.

It’s about building a better product.

In this episode:

🔹 Why AI is a defensive must-win moment for hyperscalers

🔹 Why the grid’s structural limits created opportunity

🔹 How hybrid plants can outperform traditional baseload

🔹 Where the real moat lives: optimization and control

🔹 What “win the win” means for clean energy

Google didn’t acquire Intersect as a climate statement.

It acquired it because reliable, controllable power is now strategic infrastructure.

Press play and decide for yourself.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

T.J. Rodgers has built — and rebuilt — billion-dollar companies across semiconductors, energy, storage, and manufacturing.

In this 2.5-hour Episode 900 deep dive, he walks through the operating principles behind that track record — in detail.

This isn’t a surface-level conversation. It’s a masterclass in how durable companies are actually constructed.

We unpack:

🔹 The mental models he uses to evaluate technologies and markets

🔹 The acquisition and integration process he’s deployed dozens of times

🔹 Why revenue per employee tells the truth — and what most CEOs hide behind

🔹 What “quality is free” really means in practice

🔹 How ownership, incentives, and culture get reinforced — not just talked about

🔹 Why most solar companies fail, and some survive

If you’re a founder, operator, investor, or executive building in a hard industry, this episode will challenge how you think about metrics, structure, and leadership.

It’s long. It’s dense. And it’s worth your time.

This is not a fluffy discussion about climate optimism.

It is about discipline. Incentives. Quality. And the brutal honesty of markets.

Episode 900 feels like the right moment for a conversation like this.

Listen in.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Conference season is back, and if you are heading to Intersolar and Energy Storage North America 2026, this episode is your unfair advantage.

Nico Johnson sits down with the people who know the show better than anyone. Event Director Beckie Kier, Solar Games mastermind Shannon Twombly, and Conference Chair Gene Hunt. Together, they break down how to get the most value from your time in San Diego, whether this is your first Intersolar or your tenth.

This is more than a show preview, it’s a snapshot of where the clean energy industry stands right now. From the rapid rise of energy storage and domestic manufacturing to the growing importance of grid flexibility, DERs, and ultra long duration batteries, Intersolar 2026 reflects an industry that is evolving fast and learning in real time.

You will also hear how the show floor itself reflects the strategy. Solar Games installer competitions, virtual reality activations, mini golf networking, and the always buzzing Hub Stage are all designed to spark real conversations, not just badge scans.

Expect to learn:

🔹 How the Intersolar audience is shifting toward integrated solar and storage solutions

🔹 Why energy storage has moved from side topic to center stage

🔹 What Solar Games reveals about installer quality, safety, and best practices

🔹 How state leadership, supply chains, and long duration storage shape the 2026 outlook

👉 Listen or watch now to walk into Intersolar prepared, focused, and ready to make the connections that matter.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Modern founders spend years building toward a hopeful exit or liquidity event. Almost no one talks about what comes after the acquisition.

In this episode, Nico Johnson sits down with Andy Klump, founder of Clean Energy Associates (CEA), for a thoughtful conversation about leadership after transition. After fifteen years growing CEA and completing a multi-year earn-out, Andy is in a rare season of pause — stepping back from the CEO seat and reflecting on what actually mattered.

Rather than revisiting the early days, Andy shares lessons from leading through change, protecting culture during uncertainty, and recalibrating his identity once the nonstop pace slowed. They discuss why communication cadence matters more than vision statements, how internal Net Promoter Score became a tool for listening, and what founders often underestimate about earn-outs and transitions.

This episode is for founders and operators who are scaling fast — or quietly wondering what comes next.

Press play. You don’t hear conversations like this very often.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Want to grow a billion-dollar business? You need better systems, not just better ideas.

Adam James has had a front-row view as Energy Impact Partners has scaled from a $500M fund into a multi-billion-dollar force as a clean energy VC. But, as he shares, the secret to success isn’t capital or flashy pitch decks. It’s an obsession with infrastructure, team building, and doing the messy work of aligning people and process.

In this candid conversation, Adam breaks down his methodology for scaling fast-growing organizations. From audits and goal-setting to the surprisingly overlooked art of hiring with intentionality. He also shares why most business books are garbage (except one), and why being “like bamboo” might be your best leadership model.

Expect to learn:

🔹 How to simplify operations in a high-growth environment

🔹 Why data transparency beats endless KPIs

🔹 What to look for in interviews beyond technical skill

🔹 How to prepare your company for its “Easter Sunday” moment

Here’s a lesson in operational excellence for anyone serious about scaling in clean energy.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

The solar industry scaled faster than almost anyone expected. But in the rush to deploy, one part of the system never fully got built.

In this episode, Nico Johnson sits down with Suvi Sharma, founder of Solaria and now co-founder and CEO of SolarCycle, to talk about what happens after solar works. Suvi explains why end-of-life planning, repowering, and material recovery are no longer edge cases - they’re becoming core infrastructure challenges for the industry.

This conversation goes beyond recycling. It’s about maturity. About what it means for solar to grow up as an industry, and how decisions made twenty years ago are shaping today’s constraints - from glass durability to supply chains to capital planning.

Suvi shares why he came out of “retirement” to start another company, how he’s building a system designed for scale, and what developers, operators, and policymakers are still underestimating.

If you work anywhere near solar deployment, ownership, or manufacturing, this episode may change how you think about the full lifecycle.

You made it this far — hit play.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

What goes through Alex Honnold’s mind when he’s thousands of feet off the ground without a rope?

After his first-ever Taipei 101 Live Broadcast ascent of one of the world’s tallest buildings, we thought it’d be useful to revisit what we learned from Alex about mental fortitude and his singular admonition to “do the thing”. Curious how Alex channels discomfort into growth? This episode explores the surprisingly grounded mental habits that drive one of the world’s most extreme athletes and how those same frameworks apply to business, energy, and impact.

You’ll hear why Alex values silence over self-talk, how he trains for precision, and the personal philosophy that powers both record climbs and energy access projects. In addition, Nico reflects on the nature of preparation for such a mind-bending feat and how it extends to the world of business and clean energy.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why muscle memory matters more than motivation at the highest level of performance

🔹 How climbing helped Alex master “working backwards” and why it matters for entrepreneurs

🔹 How free soloing shapes Alex’s views on risk, focus, and long-term legacy

🔹 Why small details matter more than big goals

Whether you’re scaling a company, a building or a granite wall, this episode will sharpen how you think about goals, fear, and execution.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Clean energy should be easy to finance.

The money exists.

The technology works.

The demand is real.

And yet, projects stall. Deals drag. Capital gets stuck.

And with the IRA crumbling under our feet, everyone is right to ask “how will these projects actually get funded?!”

So what’s actually broken?

In this episode of SunCast, I sit down with Alfred Johnson, CEO and co-founder of Crux, to unpack how clean-energy finance actually works once a project leaves the slide deck — how pricing gets discovered, how risk is evaluated, how trust is established between parties who’ve never worked together, and why so much of the process still depends on manual workflows and bespoke negotiation.

Alfred left a senior role at the U.S. Treasury after reading the Inflation Reduction Act and realizing it didn’t just expand incentives - it forced the creation of a brand-new market. One where buyers and sellers had to find each other without reference prices, standardized terms, or a shared operating system to move capital at scale. Crux exists to solve that coordination problem.

We talk about:

🔹The difference between money being available and money being usable

🔹Why trust — not tax credits — becomes the real bottleneck in new markets

🔹What breaks first when financing workflows don’t scale with market growth

🔹Why standardization matters more than speed in early market formation

🔹How Crux decided which parts of the capital stack to tackle first — and why order mattered

This is an episode about much more than tax credits.

It’s about why markets fail even when money is available — and how they get rebuilt.

If you care about how capital actually moves, why deals slow down, or what it really takes to scale the energy transition, this one’s worth your time.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Data centers aren’t the problem.

They’re the stress test.

As AI-driven demand surges, the grid is being pushed in ways it was never designed for. But instead of asking how to slow data centers down, today’s conversation asks a better question: Is the grid fit enough to handle what’s coming next?

In this Tactical Tuesday episode, recorded live with the Smart Electric Power Alliance, we explore grid fitness — a new way of thinking about flexibility, planning, and speed to power.

SEPA’s Ann Collier is joined by Tyler Norris and Nelson Abramson to break down what the data actually shows, what’s already working in the field, and what has to change upstream in planning and policy.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why data centers expose grid weaknesses rather than cause them

🔹 How 0.25% flexibility could unlock 76 GW of capacity

🔹 What “planning-grade flexibility” really means

🔹 Why batteries and design matter more than demand response

🔹 How grid fitness changes interconnection strategy

This episode offers a front-row seat to how utilities, regulators, and hyperscalers can move from cautious conversation to confident execution.

Hit play and reimagine what data centers can do.

Why are you still reading? Let’s get into it.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

What does a modern energy company actually look like?

In this episode, Nick Chaset, CEO of Octopus Energy US, joins Nico Johnson to explore a question that sits at the center of Octopus’s strategy:

Is it a utility with great technology—or a technology company operating inside energy?

Nick’s career spans California energy policy, years running East Bay Community Energy, and now scaling Octopus in the U.S. He brings an operator’s perspective on what it really takes to build and run energy businesses inside complex regulatory systems.

The conversation also digs into Kraken—the software platform Octopus built internally and later spun out into a standalone, highly successful energy tech company. Nick explains why Kraken’s separation clarified Octopus’s identity, unlocked new utility partnerships, and changed how the company thinks about scale.

AI enters the conversation not as hype, but as one of several forces reshaping demand, operations, and expectations across the grid.

Expect to learn:

🔹Why Octopus calls itself a consumer company that sells electricity

🔹How Kraken grew from an internal tool into a global energy software business

🔹Why partnering with utilities can scale faster than competing with them

🔹Why regulatory engagement should be a profit center for energy companies

🔹What energy leaders must unlearn to build companies that last

If you care about how energy companies are actually built—and rebuilt—this episode delivers a clear-eyed look behind the curtain.

🎧 Press play.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Big things come in small packages. Could something smaller than a deck of cards be instrumental in our ability to meet the needs of the energy transition?

In the ever-evolving landscape of power electronics, one material has been steadily gaining prominence due to its exceptional properties and transformative potential: Silicon Carbide (SiC). This remarkable semiconductor has revolutionized various industries, from automotive to aerospace, with its ability to operate at high temperatures, voltages and frequencies.

As data centers and energy infrastructure increasingly need higher-voltage, higher-current devices to meet the demands for AI, this technology will enable the transition to a higher voltage platform while maintaining the high-efficiency requirements for continuously running, power-intensive systems.

In today’s conversation, Josh Beck chats with Infineon Technologies’ Daniel Dalpiaz and Navid Riaz to explore the breakthrough hardware enabling the next generation of renewables, energy storage, EV charging, and high-power data centers. Infineon’s silicon carbide devices pack serious voltage into incredibly compact, rugged designs, and have become the “intel-inside” of the clean energy revolution.

In this episode, you’ll hear how Infineon’s latest innovation could shrink your cooling system, boost reliability, and push clean energy forward at scale.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why shrinking the form factor unlocks new potential for grid-connected renewables

🔹 How silicon carbide and gallium nitride are changing power electronics

🔹 The surprising sectors driving demand for Infineon’s new tech

🔹 What 20x the power cycling capability actually means for reliability

You’re about to get a front-row seat to the tiny tech making a massive impact.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

The power grid isn’t just growing (at unprecedented rates!)

It’s becoming more complex, more distributed, and harder to manage.

In this episode, Marc Spieler, who leads NVIDIA’s global Energy business, explains how AI and accelerated computing already support grid operations, solar and storage forecasting, and infrastructure planning across the energy sector.

Nico and Marc explore why electrification and data center growth are reshaping demand patterns, how software-defined infrastructure helps utilities avoid costly missteps, and where AI delivers practical value today. This conversation focuses on real workflows, real constraints, and what energy leaders need to understand as the grid evolves.

If you work in solar, storage, utilities, or grid infrastructure, this episode will sharpen how you think about the role of software in clean energy. And regardless what sector, you’ll certainly learn more about how one of the most exciting companies on the planet is enabling a cleaner and more efficient energy future! (P.S. we discuss some FREE tools you probably didn’t know exist…)

🎧 Listen now and rethink how we can us ai to shape up our aging infrastructure.

Expect to Learn

1. How NVIDIA supports grid operations beyond hardware
2. Where AI already improves solar, storage, and forecasting
3. Why grid challenges increasingly involve coordination, not capacity
4. What software-defined infrastructure means for utilities
5. How energy companies work with NVIDIA today

You don’t have to be a technologist to benefit from this conversation. Marc makes it clear that AI is not replacing humans in energy, it’s supercharging what’s possible. This one is for the builders who want to stay ahead of the curve.

Happy Building, #solarwarriors!

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

The energy grid is facing a challenge unlike anything we’ve seen before.

Think about this: one Virginia co-op has over 20 GW of demand in its queue. That’s more than the energy demand of New York City. As electrification and data center expansion accelerate, public power and electric co-ops are on the front lines of solving this surge.

Electric cooperatives and public utilities are facing a wave of electrification, data center load, and manufacturing demand that rivals the size of major cities. That’s what major power providers are up against — but they’re not backing down.

This Tactical Tuesday episode is your front-row seat to a high-stakes, high-impact conversation hosted by Sheri Givens, CEO of SEPA. She’s joined by two utility leaders tackling today’s fastest-growing energy challenges while maintaining reliability, affordability, and equity.

They deliver on active solutions - from smart customer programs to creative tariff structures and innovative infrastructure partnerships.

Expect to learn:

🔹 How utilities are planning for multi-gigawatt load growth

🔹 What it takes to avoid blackouts during grid stress events

🔹 How equity-driven programs are supporting underserved communities

🔹 Why customer relationships are the new frontier in grid reliability

If you’re in clean energy, this is the episode that explains how the game is changing - and how leaders are rising to meet the moment.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

2025 was a year of hardship for many, yet it was also a crucible for entrepreneurs, developing grit, resilience and perspective. We were able to capture some phenomenal conversations on the SunCast Podcast, and wanted to highlight a few that stand out for their vision and which also got among the most downloads of the year. In 2025, the clean energy industry was finally thinking like Amazon, building like Ford, and investing like it’s personal. Today’s episode highlights some of the key moments in the SunCast Podcast that illustrated these points through conversations with a powerhouse lineup of leaders who have been influential in bringing attention to the sector in a year where “good news” was hard to come by.

In a classic tell-all live interview, Dean Solon breaks down his revolutionary solar logistics model—equal parts fast food and supply chain genius. Jigar Shah returns with an urgent message: the energy transition will stall unless we, as an industry, stop underestimating the role of political power. And Alex Honnold (Oscar-winning extreme rock climber) offers a rare perspective on how personal ambition can align with global progress, and why he believes solar power is a great social justice tool.

Expect to learn:

🔹 How the Honnold Foundation fuels energy access in the Amazon

🔹 The case for solar distribution hubs that run like McDonald’s kitchens

🔹 Why scaling solar requires more than just tech—it takes soul

🔹 Jigar Shah on what CEOs still get wrong about growth and support

From the factory floor to the forest canopy, you’ll hear how big bets, personal values, and systems thinking are driving the next wave of impact.

Here’s to a more prosperous year ahead, hopefully with fewer hurdles & headwinds!

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

What do a struggling mom in Georgia and a solar installer named Jim have in common? Their stories can change elections and shape public perception of clean energy.

In this final episode of 2025, Aaron Nichols returns to SunCast with a mission: rescue storytelling from corporate cliché and remind us why one emotional story is worth a thousand graphs. His viral LinkedIn article Four Rules for Storytelling Corporate America Desperately Needs takes aim at how we confuse content creation with actual narrative power.

Aaron and Nico dissect why storytelling in our industry so often falls flat and how to fix it.

You’ll walk away with a practical, human-centered playbook for narrative that converts.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why “make me care before you make your case” is rule #1 in marketing

🔹 Why facts follow emotion, not the other way around

🔹 How to build a story stack that scales with your business

🔹 Why AI-generated content will never replace a real narrative

🔹 The 4 essential story types every clean energy leader should master

This episode will change how you think about marketing, leadership, and your next LinkedIn post.

Get The Story Stack PDF

Happy New Year!

Let’s get it started right.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

🎄 Pull up a chair and pour some eggnog. It’s time for the first-ever SunCast Christmas episode.

This special holiday edition brings together the full SunCast leadership crew—Nico Johnson, Jeremy Pingul, and (drumroll, please) new team member Josh Beck—for a reflective and lively roundtable you won’t want to miss.

What made 2025 so memorable? From Alex Honnold’s surprising passion for solar, to technical deep-dives and industry revelations, this episode is packed with powerful moments and bold predictions. The crew also shares what inspired them most—from tribal nations to Texas renewables.

Catch the behind-the-scenes moments, including:

🔹 Which episode took 50+ hours to produce—and why it was worth every second

🔹 Why rooftop solar is finally getting its moment

🔹 How AI and batteries are reshaping base load conversations

🔹 The backstory of a single Zoom call that could shift the industry

This isn’t just a recap. It’s a celebration of how far we’ve come—and a toast to the future. Whether you’re a longtime listener or new to the show, this episode offers a heartfelt, hopeful, and honest look at what was a trying but ultimately tremendously fruitful year.

We wish you all a Very Merry Christmas, and thank you for tuning in!

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Can the city known for oil & gas become the center of clean energy?

In this powerhouse episode, we meet Jane Stricker, SVP of Energy Transition at the Greater Houston Partnership and Executive Director of HETI (Houston Energy Transition Initiative). Jane shares a front-row view of Houston’s bold strategy to stay the energy capital of the world – not just in oil, but in all forms of energy.

Jane breaks down how Houston is scaling clean tech faster than ever before, attracting startups and corporate giants alike, and why over $95 billion has already been invested by local companies into low-carbon technologies.

You’ll hear how the city’s industrial infrastructure, diverse workforce, and “speed-to-market” culture are giving it an edge in a global race for clean energy dominance.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why 9 new clean energy factories have launched in Greater Houston

🔹 How “molecules + electrons” define Houston’s unique approach

🔹 The talent pipeline fueling both fossil and renewable energy growth

🔹 The economic case for more energy + fewer emissions

If you think Houston’s stuck in the past, think again.

Do you believe Houston can keep it’s “Energy Capital of the World” moniker as Clean Energy takes the lead?

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Solar is finally getting smarter. And faster - thanks to…robots?

Recorded live at RE+ 2025, this episode takes you behind the scenes of solar’s most advanced innovations — from automation in engineering to AI-driven O&M and digital twins. Hosts Amy Norstedt and Josh Beck sit down with some of the Industry’s most forward-thinking executives to talk real-time transformation across the project lifecycle.

Featured in this episode:

Tyler Nelson, CEO at Revamp’s outlines how their new software suite (proven on >15% of all new solar built in the US last year!) is facilitating faster project execution

Matt Campbell, CEO of Terabase, shares that on-site solar robotics is real, and finally, it’s here,

Derek Chase, CEO of OnSight Technologies (Now part of Nextpower) revelas how robotic/ai site inspection is a gamechanger for asset management, and finally

Hugh Scott, CTO at Flexgen covers how battery dispatch control is smoothing the grid and making assets more reliable

Expect to learn:

🔹 How AI is making engineers and robots more effective, not replacing them

🔹 Why automation is reducing cost, risk, and delay in construction

🔹 The role of predictive inspections in preventing asset failures

🔹 How digital twins are reshaping site visibility and performance

Is the energy transition finally getting a digital upgrade?

Tune-in, then share your thoughts with us on Linkedin!

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Most people in solar avoid the uncomfortable conversation: what happens when systems age, warranties expire, components fail, and the original installer is long gone.

Cesar Barbosa — founder of NuLife Power Services — has built a business around the part of the industry nobody wants to talk about: decommissioning, system remediation, and repowering. In this episode, Cesar breaks down why aging commercial solar is becoming a massive opportunity, the common failure points he’s seeing in the field, and why he believes repowering is the next frontier for EPCs, developers, and asset owners.

We also get into the “New Life Method,” the real economics behind end-of-life planning, the ethics of second-life solar in developing markets, and the leadership disciplines required to build a trades business that lasts — including how Cesar’s faith shapes the way he leads.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why repowering may outpace new installs as the next big services wave
• What most asset owners and EPCs get wrong about end-of-life planning
• The real-world failure points showing up in aging systems
• How contractors can pivot into repowering and remediation work
• The “3 Rs” of end-of-life PV: repurpose, refurbish, recycle

If you're in solar and not thinking about end-of-life... its time to start.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

The rules of the game have changed. Have you figured out the OB3 playbook?

From massive tax credit shifts to permitting bottlenecks and foreign entity restrictions, the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” has reshaped the future of clean energy in America. At this year’s RE+ 2025, top minds from GoodLeap, Infineon, SEIA, and Wood Mackenzie broke down what OB3 really implicates across solar, storage, and grid infrastructure.

Recorded live from the PowerUp Podcast Stage, this episode captures the pulse of an industry in motion. You’ll hear how residential solar is pivoting fast, why semiconductor companies are critical to the grid’s future, and what’s really driving policy conversations in DC.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why the 25D tax credit expiration is shaking up residential solar

🔹 How semiconductors are the unsung heroes of grid reliability

🔹 What the industry is doing about permitting and foreign entity risk

🔹 Why demand from data centers is putting stress on gas and renewables alike

Whether you’re a policy wonk, project developer, or just trying to keep up with the latest legislation, this episode delivers high-impact insights you won’t want to miss.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

AI is pushing the grid to its limits — and transformers are now the critical path for both data centers and renewable projects.

Today’s guest, Doug Banty, EVP at Forgent (and former CEO of MGM Transformers), sits at the intersection of these two worlds. Half of his week at RE+ was spent across the strip at the Yotta data center conference, where the only topic on everyone’s mind was power. In this episode, Doug explains how AI-driven rack density is rewriting the entire powertrain, why hyperscalers are treating speed like an existential priority, and what this means for developers trying to keep pace.

He also breaks down the industrial logic behind Forgent — a merger of MGM, VanTran, States, and PowerCube — and how integrated solutions are becoming essential for execution in an era where timelines matter more than price.

Expect to learn:

⚡ Why data centers are moving at crisis-level urgency

⚡ The difference between power and distribution transformers

⚡ What MGM’s 500,000 sq ft Waco factory means for lead times

⚡ How Forgent reduces execution risk through integrated packages

⚡ The single most effective way developers can avoid delays

Hit play — and see what the future of the grid really looks like.

🕒 TIMESTAMPS/Chapters

00:00 — Welcome + AI power demand framing

01:07 — MGM/VanTran history and capabilities

03:38 — Why Forgent was formed (4-company merger)

05:15 — Non-obvious advantages for customers (execution, risk reduction)

06:19 — Are transformers still the bottleneck? (nuanced answer)

07:58 — MGM’s 500,000 sq ft Waco facility ramping output

09:12 — Data center vs. renewables urgency

10:35 — Why AI demand is an existential challenge for hyperscalers

12:05 — How powertrain design is changing

14:34 — What developers need to know about speed and execution

17:24 — Rack density and rapid engineering cycles

18:52 — How developers can save weeks on their project timelines

20:29 — Why early partnership unlocks allocation

20:45 — Closing thoughts

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

What’s your plan when the power goes out?

If you think a generator is your only option, think again.Today’s conversation, live from our RE+ PowerUp Live stage, Rachel Stotts of Jackery breaks down a new category of home energy backup: flexible, modular systems that you can easily scale and take with you. Whether you're facing tornadoes or planning a weekend tailgate, portable energy solutions cover everything from your fridge to your CPAP machine, and they’re becoming increasingly popular with prosumers who don’t want the hassles of traditional energy storage.

No permits. No permanent installs. Just plug-and-play resilience. And up to 30% federal tax credit if you act before year’s end.

Rachel and Josh Beck explore why this product category is resonating with both outdoor enthusiasts and homeowners fed up with power outages.

You’ll hear:

🔹 Why energy independence doesn’t have to mean going off-grid

🔹 How modular power systems adapt to your lifestyle and grow with you

🔹 The secret behind Jackery’s rise from camping gear to home backup leader

🔹 Simple steps to claim your federal clean energy tax credit before Dec 31

This episode will make you rethink what backup power really means. If you're looking for a simpler, smarter way to stay powered up - no matter the storm - you're in the right place. Tap in and hear how Jackery is changing the game.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

“Speed to Power” is the new race — but can the grid keep up?

Hyperscalers, AI, and industrial demand are pushing load growth from flat to vertical. Yet most projects still take five to seven years just to interconnect.

That’s the bottleneck Hugo Mena is tackling as Chief Growth Officer at Electric Power Engineers (EPE).

This live conversation addresses the forces shaping the grid of the future — and what it’ll actually take to deliver power at the speed innovation demands. Hugo shares how developers, utilities, and data centers can collaborate to unlock speed to power without sacrificing reliability or long-term vision.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why the “best available electron” isn’t always the cleanest

🔹 How hyperscalers are driving off-grid and hybrid microgrids

🔹 What Order 2023 (OB3) really means for developers

🔹 How software, siting, and partnerships define the next decade of grid planning

This is one of the most pragmatic and forward-looking conversations you’ll hear on how clean energy actually scales.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

This Giving Tuesday, SunCast brings you three powerful stories of how clean energy is transforming communities, saving lives, and unlocking local climate action.

Host Nico Johnson sits down with leaders working across three different fronts of the climate fight:

• Robin Swanhuyser — Twende Solar

Electrifying community hubs in places like rural Ghana, turning schools and clinics into resilience engines for entire villages.

• Will Heegaard — Footprint Project

Deploying portable solar microgrids after hurricanes and wildfires, from Jamaica to Western North Carolina.

• Jack Hanson — Run on Climate

Empowering local leaders to pass real climate policy—proving the most effective climate action often starts at your city council.

These are tangible, hopeful, boots-on-the-ground solutions you can support today.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why “being connected to the grid” doesn’t always mean having reliable energy

🔹 How solar-powered microgrids restore communication, water, and medical services after disasters

🔹 Why local elections and city-level policies are quiet climate superpowers

🔹 How small actions—like a $50 donation or even buying a solar-themed puzzle—can create outsized impact

Hope this episode is more than a way to pass the time; pay it forward by donating or sharing w/your community!

Listen in, get inspired, and consider giving where it matters most.

Support all three organizations here:

https://www.suncast.media/giving-tuesday-2025

Can getting a solar permit be as fast as ordering takeout?

Permitting may be the most boring part of solar, but it's also the biggest bottleneck.

That’s what Matthew McAllister is working to fix. As CEO of SolarAPP, he’s leading a quiet revolution that helps installers skip the paperwork and get to work faster with instant, automated approvals.

In this episode, we dive into Matthew’s journey from the West Wing to the frontlines of the clean energy transition. With a background in government technology and big public wins like launching Colorado’s universal preschool platform, he knows what it takes to move bureaucracy at startup speed. Now he’s using that know-how to help solar installers and local governments solve one of the industry’s oldest problems.

We explore how SolarAPP grew from a small NREL pilot into a platform adopted by more than 525 jurisdictions across the country. But the real innovation isn't just instant permits — it's about creating consistency, clarity, and confidence on both sides of the table.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Which soft costs are killing solar’s ability to scale and how SolarAPP is tackling them

🔹 How standardizing permitting helps both installers and local governments

🔹 What public sector trust-building looks like behind the scenes

🔹 Why installers should take another look at SolarAPP’s expanded capabilities

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who wants to streamline solar deployment and scale with confidence.

And for those of you in the USA who are listening to this when it publishes,

Happy Thanksgiving!

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

America’s about to make a big bet on critical minerals and rare earths. In case you missed it, the DOE just reorganized and announced a major initiative around the refining of this critical element in our energy and defense future.  Why?  Because the energy and defense sectors are dangerously dependent on China’s refining power; but, what if we could change that without opening a single new mine? 

We recently covered a company that’s rethinking rare earth and critical mineral supply chains from the ground up. Mark LaVerghetta, VP at ReElement Technologies, explained that their secret weapon is a closed-loop chromatography-based refining system that can extract and purify vital materials from recycled batteries, magnets, and even coal waste, all on U.S. soil. 

Mark shares how the leadership team pivoted from distressed coal assets to inventing a modular, small-footprint solution that could rewrite the rules of critical mineral processing and eliminate America’s reliance on toxic, capital-intensive Chinese methods and imports.  It can also liberate us from the supply constraints imposed by the ever-growing trade war between the two countries for materials that are critical path to our clean energy future.

Expect to learn:

🔹 How chromatography replaces hundreds of toxic chemical stages in rare earths refining

🔹 What rare minerals are hidden in EV batteries, coal waste, and wind turbines

🔹 Why ReElement's tech is scalable in the nation’s abandoned strip malls, not megafactories

🔹 How they’re restoring U.S. supply chain independence through innovation

This is more than a conversation about minerals. It’s about resilience, security, and a cleaner future built right here at home.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

In 2008, Fluence installed one of the first lithium-ion battery systems ever connected to the U.S. grid. Back then, the idea of a domestic battery supply chain felt distant—almost theoretical.

Today, it’s real.

John Zahurancik, now President of Fluence Americas, has spent nearly two decades pushing the storage industry from “interesting pilot projects” to critical grid infrastructure. The last time he was on SunCast, he said domestic content would happen.

This year, Fluence started shipping it.

In this episode, John breaks down how storage has quietly become the backbone of the power system—independent of renewables—and why the next wave of deployments will be bigger, faster, and more strategically important than anything we’ve seen.

We dig into:

🔹 What true U.S.-made battery content means for developers and grid operators

🔹 How AI and hyperscale data centers are reshaping grid architecture

🔹 The fire-safety testing Fluence spearheaded that is now industry standard

🔹 Why batteries are becoming the “shock absorbers” of the modern grid

If you care about project execution, energy security, or the future of grid reliability, this conversation is essential.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Most solar projects are still built the hard way—treating structure, electrical, and software as separate scopes that have to be stitched together in the field. But the teams delivering gigawatts today know something different: solar plants work best when they’re designed as systems, not parts.

In this Tactical Tuesday, Nico sits down with three of the people shaping that shift inside Nextpower:

Jake Morin (Chief Product Officer),

Ryan Schofield (VP of Electrical Systems), and

Jyoti Jain (Head of Software Product Management).

Together, they break down what actually changes when you integrate structure, eBOS, data, and software upstream—and why EPCs, developers, and owners are turning toward system-level thinking to reduce rework, prevent failures, and build faster.

Expect practical insights like:

🔹 Why early electrical integration eliminates jumpers and avoids 80% of DC field failures

🔹 How integrated tracker + foundation design removes entire construction steps

🔹 How tools like NX Pulse speed up commissioning by 50%

🔹 How robotics and fleet data are reshaping hardware design

🔹 Why “internalizing complexity” at the OEM level is becoming a competitive advantage for builders

If you're trying to build smarter and reduce surprises, this episode gives you the playbook the most experienced teams are using right now.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Batteries aren’t just supporting the grid anymore, they are defending the grid.

Chris Finley, CCO of TruGrid, joins Nico on stage at PowerUp Live to explain how battery storage has shifted from a “nice-to-have” to a mission-critical asset class. Whether it’s enabling arbitrage in ERCOT or powering hyperscale data centers, battery systems are now leading the charge, literally.

From the complexities of supply chains to the myths about lithium tech, Chris shares a practical, from-the-field perspective on what it takes to deliver large-scale battery projects in today’s challenging market. He also breaks down how policy shifts and interconnection delays are forcing EPCs to rethink how they plan and execute storage projects.

Expect to learn:

🔹 What developers get wrong about battery risk profiles

🔹 How TruGrid streamlines integration from EMS to commissioning

🔹 The hidden economics behind data center battery deployment

🔹 Why project standardization remains elusive, and what to do about it

Today’s convo is must-listen material if you’re building in the battery sector.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

A Powerwall delivery truck flipped. No fire. No smoke. Seemed safe.

They tossed those Powerwalls into a landfill. Four days later—explosion!

That incident didn’t just make headlines; it changed Tesla’s fire strategy. In this Tactical Tuesday, retired Battalion Chief Kathleen McCaffery explains how that one mistake led Tesla to create a Global Fire Liaison role—and why every developer, EPC, and AHJ should borrow the playbook.

Kathleen walks through the real science of lithium-ion incidents and the simple operational changes that stop projects from turning into disasters. It’s short, practical, and built for people who build.

This episode is a rare peek behind the curtain of Tesla Energy’s fire safety strategy—and a must-listen for developers, installers, and fire safety professionals building battery storage projects in 2025 and beyond.

You’ll learn:

🔹 Why lithium-ion fires can reignite days later (delayed thermal runaway)

🔹 Why the old rule “big fire, big water” fails—and what to do instead

🔹 How misting/cooling tactics cut water use and cleanup time

🔹 What Tesla got right (and what most companies still get wrong)

🔹 A real-world miss that destroyed a facility—and how to prevent it

From Australia’s mega sites to small-town stations, Kathleen’s job was to bridge battery tech and fire ops. Steal the lessons—and save yourself time, money, and a lot of risk.

Quick Links / Timestamps (16:00)

00:00 Landfill explosion: what really happened

01:33 Why Tesla built a Global Fire Liaison

04:05 “I thought I’d seen it all”—the hazmat wake-up call

07:37 Global pushback on EVs/BESS & how training changed it

10:16 Fire Triangle: why lithium-ion “creates its own oxygen”

12:55 Misting > Big water (cooling beats smothering)

13:52 Dev mistake that drives Kathleen nuts (and the fix)

PSA: If you build solar + storage, share this with your safety lead and your local fire chief. Then listen to the full episode for the deeper playbook.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

This episode marks ten years of SunCast - and the return of its very first guest.

In 2015, a young GTM Research analyst named Adam James joined host Nico Johnson for the debut episode exploring the rise of solar in Latin America.

A decade later, Adam is a Partner at Energy Impact Partners and Chair of the Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI). Together, he and Nico reflect on how far both they—and the clean energy industry—have come.

This isn’t just a reunion; it’s a conversation about how work, leadership, and life evolve over time. Adam shares what he’s learned about managing people, building systems that scale, and staying grounded through seasons of growth and fatherhood.

They explore:

🔹 What it takes to build great teams and sustainable systems inside fast-growing organizations

🔹 How to hire for responsibility, not just experience

🔹 The lessons fatherhood teaches about leadership and presence

🔹 Why consistency—and showing up—is the real differentiator in both parenting and management

Whether you’ve been listening since that first episode or you’re just discovering SunCast today, this 10-year anniversary conversation captures the heart of what the show has always been about: how we grow—personally, professionally, and collectively—in the work of powering a better future.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

“Is your project really compliant?”

That’s the billion-dollar question developers across the U.S. are asking as Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) rules tighten their grip on clean energy tax credits. If you are(were) banking on the ITC, PTC, or 45X, you can’t afford to miss this Tactical Tuesday deep-dive.

The rules are shifting. Supply chains are murky. And guidance is still evolving. Host Nico Johnson pulls together an expert panel to decode how FEOC is reshaping the way projects are sourced, engineered, financed, and papered across the U.S. solar and storage market.

You’ll hear from:

• Christian Roselund (Clean Energy Associates) — decoding ownership, material assistance, and effective control
• 
  
• Raj Pawar (EVS) — revealing how inverter-level definitions trigger real engineering redesigns
• 
  
• Aaron Gomolak (Ampt) — showing how string-level optimization keeps projects on schedule and compliant
• 
  
• Mona Dajani (Baker Botts) — outlining how to structure deals and mitigate legal risk while guidance evolves

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why Treasury’s guidance on "qualified facility" could force developers to rethink procurement

🔹 How to vet supplier self-certifications and avoid “phantom compliance”

🔹 How top counsel advise clients when regulations are still in flux

🔹 The engineering tradeoffs and cost-neutral approaches developers are taking to stay bankable

The FEOC clock is ticking — this episode gives you the clarity (and tactics) to stay compliant, on schedule, and in control.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

What happens when a builder and a coder decide to fix solar’s biggest disconnect?

In this episode, SunCast host Nico Johnson sits down with Maksim Markevich and Ben Callam, the co-founders of PV Farm—a platform born from frustration with designs that look perfect on screen but fall apart in the field.

Maksim, a self-taught engineer from Belarus, learned to code his way out of rebar spreadsheets and into a global following on YouTube. Ben, an architect who traded drawings for job sites across Africa and the Middle East, discovered what buildability really means when you have to fabricate every part yourself.

Their paths couldn’t have been more different, yet both led to the same realization: most solar design tools fail the buildability test. PV Farm grew out of that shared conviction—bridging the gap between upstream creativity and downstream execution.

You’ll hear:

🔹 Why most solar software misses what EPCs actually need

🔹 How collaboration—not just automation—is key to solar scale

🔹 What “starting downstream” in software really looks like

🔹 The early sparks that shaped PV Farm’s engineering DNA

🔹 Why better feedback loops between civil and electrical teams can change everything

A story of code, construction, and the craft of making clean energy truly buildable.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Roofers are entering solar. Solar pros are adding roofing. 

How are these trades getting the training & resources required to level up and provide the appropriate level of service to homeowners? Is the future of residential solar trades consolidating int a new kind of contractor?

In this RE+ 2025 live session, Nico sits down with James Mason, VP of Renewable Energy at ABC Supply, to explore the once-in-a-generation convergence of two massive industries—and why the right strategy (and the right partner) makes all the difference.

From short-term wins to 30-year vision, James unpacks the lessons ABC Supply has learned over 40+ years of helping contractors grow and adapt. This conversation is loaded with honest advice, bold warnings, and real success stories from the field. If your business is stuck in survival mode—or if you’re planning your next big move—you’ll want to hear this.

Expect to Learn:

🔹 The top blind spots keeping contractors stuck in survival mode

🔹 How to scale roofing + solar without falling into costly traps

🔹 What the best contractors are doing to prepare for future policy shifts

🔹 Why simplicity beats strategy - when done right

Hit play to learn how to thrive in a volatile market—and why ABC Supply might be the partner you didn’t know you needed.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Did you know that more than 185,000 solar customers in the US have been abandoned by their installers? How will we take care of these “Orphaned” solar systems? Is this a golden opportunity or fool’s gold?

Nick Sherman sees opportunity where most see chaos. As CEO of Energy Aid, he’s building a national brand in solar service—scaling faster than any of his installer-focused peers. While others race for new installs, Nick is scooping up orphaned systems and building trust with a unique(to this industry at least) membership model.

He’s betting the future of residential solar is about service, not installs—and it’s working, marvelously.

Expect to learn:

🔹 The $9/month model that could change how homeowners buy all-things-electrification

🔹 How Energy Aid scaled by acquiring bankrupt installer customer data

🔹 Why orphaned systems are a hidden goldmine in the solar market

🔹 The HVAC-inspired model Nick is applying to clean energy

This is more than a startup story—it’s a blueprint for unlocking overlooked value in clean energy. If you’re trying to stand out in a crowded market or future-proof your solar business, Nick’s strategy will challenge how you think about growth, service, and sustainability. Don’t sleep on this one.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Storage Isn’t Backup—It’s Infrastructure

Wildfires, heat waves, and AI-fueled data centers are pushing our grid to the edge. The question is no longer whether we need storage—it's whether we're going to unlock its full potential.

In this live episode from RE+, Nico is joined by two global leaders from Wärtsilä Energy—Tamara de Gruyter, President of Energy Storage, and David Hebert, VP of Global Sales & Strategy. Together, we unpack the evolution of batteries from “nice toys” to essential grid infrastructure.

Tamara brings her international lens to the US market, highlighting both the growing sophistication of customers and the urgent need for flexible, software-driven solutions. Meanwhile, Dave draws on a decade of global storage deployments—from Australia to Saudi Arabia—to explain how the U.S. can broaden focus on revenue models, regulation, and system design.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why grid operators now treat batteries like substations

🔹 How data centers and AI are changing the storage equation

🔹 What “virtual inertia” really means—and why it matters

🔹 How US developers can learn from global storage markets

If you want to understand how batteries are shaping the future of energy reliability, this episode delivers both vision and practical insight.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Why are millions of apartment rooftops still empty while single-family homes cash in on solar savings?

Turns out it’s an accounting problem – a technicality known in industry jargon as the “split-incentive” and it’s keeping renters and property owners sidelined from benefiting from distributed generation on-site.

In this episode, we sit down with Dover Janis, co-founder and CEO of Ivy Energy, to explore the split incentive that’s held multifamily solar back for years. Dover and his team are building the software backbone that makes solar pencil for both property owners and renters - and their traction is accelerating.

You’ll hear how Dover went from boots-on-roof solar tradesman to leading a team solving one of the most persistent challenges in the clean energy transition. If you’ve ever wondered why multifamily solar adoption has been so sluggish—or how to unlock a massive untapped market—this is your blueprint.

🔹 The “last mile” problem stopping solar on apartments

🔹 How Ivy’s platform makes energy equity bankable for landlords

🔹 The hidden policy battles shaping the multifamily solar market

🔹 What it takes to scale hundreds of megawatts with just a few customers

Expect bold insights, regulatory war stories, and a rare look at how Ivy Energy could transform real estate owners into a new class of clean energy providers.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

From firehouses to jails to major manufacturing hubs, Cherry Street Energy is redefining what it means to build a distributed power plant—and they’re just getting started.

CEO Michael Chanin returns to SunCast to unpack Cherry Street’s explosive growth across the Southeast, including why customers trust them more than their actual local utilities, how hybrid systems are becoming the norm, and what it takes to build a 100-year business in solar.

With deep roots in culture and customer service, Cherry Street is proving that the future of power isn’t just clean—it’s branded, local, and built to last. If you’re wondering what leadership looks like in this phase of the energy transition, you can look no further than Michael and the enduring business he and his team are building.

You’ll discover:

🔹 The mindset that sets Cherry Street apart from the competition

🔹 How they’re expanding from schools to Fortune 500 clients

🔹 Why culture is the most important differentiator in business

🔹 What it takes to be the trusted power provider—even without solar on-site

Your forever customers are waiting. Build something they can’t ignore.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Landfill explosions, lithium-ion firestorms, and CIA briefings—today’s guest has seen it all - or so she thought!

Kathleen McCaffery’s illustrious firefighting career includes crawling through rubble in Haiti, leading battalions as one of the first female fire chiefs in North America, and even rewriting Tesla’s global fire safety strategy. This episode takes us into uncharted territory as Tesla recruits a retired firefighter to address global concerns over battery [fire] safety.

Most solar companies are woefully underprepared to interact with firefighting agencies, and that’s increasingly going to create friction and unnecessary limitations. Kathleen spent her entire career breaking down barriers (when she wasn’t breaking down doors!) and has even been in the situation room of more than a few CIA operation briefs! To say she is battle-tested is putting it mildly. She answered the call to serve the country (CIA) and those in need (disaster relief), but could not have been prepared for the call she received post-retirement that pulled her back into active duty, this time taking her halfway ‘round the world to help solve battery fires in Australia!

This is one of the most fun and wild conversations we’ve published all year.

Expect to learn:

🔹 The hidden dangers of damaged lithium-ion batteries (and why we don’t just bury them)

🔹 Why the age-old truism “big fire, big water” doesn’t work for Batteries

🔹 How Tesla created a new role just to fix their fire communication gap

🔹 Why every developer needs to build relationships with local fire operators, not just permit offices

From Pentagon rescue missions on 9/11 to training Tesla teams, Kathleen’s insights are not only fun and eye-opening—they’re critical for every solar professional adding batteries to their portfolio.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

More batter density = more value, right? Not so fast.

In this episode, we challenge the hype around energy storage density—and reveal what really drives value for battery storage assets.

At RE+ 2025, Nico Johnson got to connect with two powerhouse product leaders from Wärtsilä Energy Storage: Neha Sinha, Head of Hardware Portfolio, and Ruchira Shah, Lead for Software Product Management. Together, they’re crystal clear about how hardware and software integration impacts performance, revenue, and long-term viability in energy storage projects. And how that translates to strategic value for battery operators.

If you think “more megawatt-hours per box” is the endgame, you might be oversizing your system—and leaving cash on the table. Neha and Ruchira explain why “usable energy,” not just nameplate capacity, is the real metric investors should care about. And why that’s not solely defined by  the MWH you can stuff inside a container.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why density ≠ value (and when high-density enclosures actually hurt your ROI)

🔹 How software helps unlock stranded energy and accurate bidding

🔹 The surprising role of chillers in degradation—and how to optimize them

🔹 How to navigate site constraints, noise ordinances, and permitting barriers

If you're bidding into markets or scaling storage assets, this episode is your wake-up call: performance, not just packaging, determines profits.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

1 in 5 solar panels are failing—and it’s not because of hail.

A quiet reliability crisis is cracking open across the industry, and it starts with glass.

In this eye-opening conversation, Nico Johnson sits down with Tristan Erion-Lorico (Kiwa PVEL) and Dr. Teresa Barnes (NREL) to uncover why glass breakage has become the #1 cause of solar module failure. Backed by PVEL’s latest reliability data, they expose how design shortcuts, material stress, and quality-control lapses are pushing failure rates to an alarming 20%.

You’ll learn:

🔹 Why “tempered” glass isn’t always truly tempered

🔹 How glass is allergic to metal, actually

🔹 Why thinner, lighter glass can mean bigger, costlier failures

🔹 What manufacturers, EPCs, and buyers must do now to prevent losses

If you build, buy, or bank on solar panels, this episode could save your next project from shattering—literally.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Is the world’s most powerful energy data set hiding in plain sight?

Justin Locke, former RMI leader and now Executive Director of Global Energy Monitor, joins Nico to uncover how real data—not just rhetoric—is shaping the future of global energy. If you've ever looked at a chart on coal retirements, gas pipelines, or solar growth, chances are it came from GEM. Or at least, the person who created it was likely using this little-known FREE Open-source data set.

In this episode, we go deep into the data warehouse purpose-built to help illuminate what’s really happening behind the curtain of the energy transition.  We also spotlight a massive—but little discussed—spike in U.S. natural gas development. What’s behind it? AI-driven demand from hyperscale data centers.

Why is this a warning sign? It’s quietly tipping the energy scales in ways we didn’t predict.

You’ll hear why Justin left RMI to lead this critical watchdog organization, how GEM tracks infrastructure across 26 energy sectors, and why Southeast Asia and Africa are at a clean energy crossroads.

Expect to Learn:

🔹 Why the U.S. is now leading global gas plant development

🔹 The off-grid data centers powering AI—and burning more gas

🔹 How renewables are still growing fast… even amid fossil resurgence

🔹 Why the Global South is the key to solving the climate crisis

The energy transition is messy—but the data doesn’t lie. Find out what’s really going on.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

The $2/Watt Challenge: Can We Get There?

Is $2/watt solar a pipe dream—or a real target we can hit in the next few years?

Patrick Crane, Global Head of Growth at OpenSolar (and solar pioneer since Sungevity), says not only is it possible, but we already know how to get there. In this conversation, Patrick breaks down the most bloated parts of the cost stack—from customer acquisition to permitting delays to clunky tech stacks—and lays out a clear path to radically cheaper solar installs.

Drawing on two decades in solar and his time as CMO for LinkedIn, Patrick shares how smarter software, better referral systems, and AI-driven tools could change the economics of solar forever. If you’re serious about scaling solar and building a profitable, future-ready business, this one’s required listening.

Expect to learn:

🔹Why CAC is still solar’s biggest cost lever (and how to fix it)

🔹How AI-powered design tools are slashing sales timelines

🔹What SolarApp is doing to eliminate permitting bottlenecks

🔹Why simplifying your tech stack could unlock 40+ cents/watt in savings

🎧 Hit play to hear how Patrick and the OpenSolar team are helping the industry move from “solar sold” to “solar bought.”

Not convinced we can get to $2/W for US Resi solar?  Sound off - what are we missing?

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Why is solar so expensive in the U.S.?

Nick Josefowitz has the receipts—and a plan to fix it.

In this episode, we dig into one of the largest hidden reasons rooftop solar costs $35,000+ for the average American homeowner (while in Australia it's closer to $6K). Spoiler: It’s not the panels—it’s the paperwork.

Nick is the founder of Permit Power, a nonprofit laser-focused on making solar faster, cheaper, and easier to install by tackling the bottlenecks that most people overlook: permitting and interconnection. Drawing from his experience as both a C&I developer and public infrastructure policy leader, Nick shares how America’s red tape turned rooftop solar into a bespoke luxury—and why that’s about to change.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated by utility interconnection delays, permit backlogs, or unnecessary installation costs, this is the episode that gives you hope—and tools.

🎧 Expect to learn:

🔹 Why U.S. rooftop solar is 5x more expensive than in other countries

🔹 The hidden costs of permitting delays—and how they drive up CAC

🔹 How smart policies in CA, TX & FL are changing the game

🔹 Why Nick chose to build a nonprofit to fix a for-profit industry problem

📣 Whether you're a solar installer or policy nerd, this one’s for you. Listen in and get inspired to fix solar from the inside out.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Planning to attend NYC Climate Week?

Already there!? 

When Nico realized he had to make a last-minute trip to NYC this week during climate week, he reached out to two friends who could give him a solid education on what to expect (and where to focus) for this week’s NYC Week. 

Whether you’re flying in from the West Coast or crossing borough lines, this episode is your essential survival guide to one of the most chaotic, inspiring, and decentralized climate events on the planet.

Nico did a live stream last week with Silas Mähner, co-host of the Cleantechies Podcast, and Steven Zhang, the resource genius behind ClimateTechList and Interconnection.FYI. Together, they unpack the who, what, where and of course the WHEN of Climate Week—from invite-only rooftop dinners to jam-packed founder meetups and satellite panels hosted in every corner of Manhattan.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why NYC Climate Week is no longer just a “side event” to the UN General Assembly

🔹 Where job seekers and climate founders go to actually get hired or funded

🔹 The must-know digital tools and maps for navigating events (without losing your mind)

🔹 How to prep, pitch, and stand out—even if you don’t have a ticket to anything yet

If you’re attending—or just curious what all the LinkedIn buzz is about—this episode gives you the inside scoop you won’t find on any official agenda.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Nearly 1 billion people still live without reliable electricity. Nedjip Tozun co-founded d.light to change that—starting with a $10 solar lantern and growing into one of the world’s most influential off-grid solar companies.

Today, d.light has already impacted hundreds of millions of lives and aspires to reach 1 billion by 2030, bringing affordable, clean energy to the people and places traditional grids overlook.

In this conversation, Nedjip shares the spark that launched d.light, the toughest hurdles they faced, and the financial and leadership innovations that helped them scale globally. A masterclass in entrepreneurship, energy access, and climate impact.

Expect to learn:

🔹 How toxic kerosen lanterns inspired a decade-long global solar campaign

🔹 Why rural trust was harder to build than the product itself

🔹 Why early failures were key to building rugged, low-cost solar products

🔹 How "Pay-Go" solar financing unlocked ownership and scale in Africa

🔹 What it takes to scale across 70+ countries without traditional marketing

You’ll hear how Nedjip moved to China to manage manufacturing himself, and how d.light pioneered a business model that became a blueprint for the solar industry in rural development. If you’ve ever wondered how social impact and innovation collide—this is the episode for you.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

The Wake-Up Call We Can’t Ignore

Clean energy isn’t losing the economics game—it’s losing the political one.

Jigar Shah returns to SunCast live at RE+ 2025 with an urgent message: the energy transition will stall unless we, as an industry, stop underestimating the role of political power. The economics are there. The technology is there. What’s missing? Unity, speed, and ground-level influence.

This isn’t just another policy chat—Jigar breaks down:

🔹How residential solar can reach $2.50/watt (including storage!)

🔹Why storage-first thinking is flipping the solar script

🔹The staggering $4B political spend from oil & gas—and our paltry $150M

🔹How 70,000 boots on the ground could change everything

You’ll come away from this episode with clarity, conviction, and a checklist for action. “The Oracle” delivers again in a rousing episode live from Las Vegas.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Nico Johnson, Lisa Ann Pinkerton, and Sylvia Leyva Martinez close out the final day with bold takeaways, surprising perspectives, and a few laughs. From the future of tribal energy to the flow of investment capital and the race to build a domestic supply chain, this finale captures the urgency and optimism powering clean tech.

Brendan Bell – Aligned Climate Capital

• Why clean tech keeps winning despite policy headwinds

• The global lesson: thriving without tax credits

• Where investor money is flowing in today’s market

Chéri Smith – Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy

• Pathways to Trust program

• Bringing renewable energy and equity to Native American tribes

Seira Kamei – Furukawa Electric Co

• Winner of the 2025 Swag Contest

Dean Solon – Create Energy (formerly Shoals)

• Manufacturing inverters in America today

• What it will take to complete the domestic supply chain

Daily Round Up

• Nico Johnson & Sylvia Leyva Martinez highlight the biggest takeaways of the week

• Derek Mast (derek the solarboi) recaps the show floor and closes with the final “Would You Rather” quiz

Thank you to everyone who joined us at this years RE+, and thank you to those of you who kept up to date with what was happening at the show through our episodes! See you next year! 

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Nico Johnson, Lisa Ann Pinkerton, and Sylvia Martinez welcome industry voices who share fresh perspectives on the policies, technologies, and strategies pushing renewable energy forward. From SEIA’s advocacy work to storage breakthroughs and how homes can become part of the grid, this episode captures the fast-moving conversation in Las Vegas.

• Stephanie Bosh – SEIA
• • How clean energy leaders can shift the political balance of power
• 
  
• Daniel Dus – Cleantech Industry Resources
• • Development-as-a-Service for solar + storage
• • Solar Fight Night — the wildest debate in renewables
• 
  
• Molly Bales – Wood
• • Long-duration storage’s rise beyond lithium-ion
• • How Trump-era policies reshaped the supply chain
• 
  
• Laura Cornish – Uplight
• • What it takes to turn every home into a mini power plant
• 
  
• Melissa Baldwin – Tigercomm
• • The mistakes developers can’t afford to keep making
• 
  
• Derek Mast – derek the solarboi
• • A cheeky quiz on oil, Trump, and the future of energy
• 
  
• Pier LaFarge – Sparkfund
• • Why utilities are ditching generation for procurement power
• 
  
• Bryan Wagner – CPS America
• • Why string inverters could outpace central in the U.S. market

This isn’t just a recap — it’s a front-row seat to the debates and ideas driving clean energy’s next chapter.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Nico Johnson, Lisa Ann Pinkerton and Sylvia Martinez welcome leaders, influencers and clean tech podcasters onto the stage. Here is who you can expect to hear from in this episode, straight from Day 1 at RE+ 2025:

• Jigar Shah - Multiplier
• Ethan Ehlers - NextWave Energy Monitoring
• Chanel Parson - Southern California Edison
• Gary Kessinger - Attala Steel
• Daily Round Up
• Ben Kuisle - Burns & McDonnell
• Kevin Lin - TeraHive
• Derek Mast - Derek the solarboi
• Nick Sangermano - GP Power Partners
• Ryan Harty - Honda

For more conversations like this, be sure to come visit us at the PowerUp Live Stage this week at RE+ in Las Vegas!

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

“Storage Was Never Just an Add-On”

What if we’ve been thinking too small about batteries?

In this rebroadcast from RE+, Kiran Kumaraswamy, former VP of Growth at Fluence, makes a bold case for reimagining energy storage—not just as a renewable add-on, but as a foundational tool for grid transformation. Kiran breaks down how the energy storage sector evolved from supporting solar to replacing gas peakers, enhancing transmission, and becoming central to resiliency planning.  Long before the IRA supercharged the market, he was urging utilities and regulators to rethink what batteries could do—and now, we’re seeing those ideas implemented at scale.

From the Inflation Reduction Act’s massive market tailwinds to the rise of virtual transmission, this conversation is loaded with strategy, foresight, and tactical insight for storage developers, grid planners, and policy leaders alike.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why peaker replacement was the battery industry’s first killer app

🔹 How Fluence is positioning storage as critical transmission infrastructure

🔹 What the IRA’s standalone ITC means for decoupling storage from solar

🔹 How domestic manufacturing and supply diversification are shaping the next phase of growth

For more conversations like this, be sure to come visit us at the PowerUp Live Stage next week at RE+ in Las Vegas!

Whether you’re deep in the weeds of development or just curious about the future of grid reliability, this is one of those “listen again” episodes.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Heading to Las Vegas for RE+ 2025? This episode is your ultimate field guide.

We’ve got the inside scoop from SunCast host Nico Johnson and some of the industry leaders shaping this year’s event—from Abby Hopper’s optimistic industry outlook to Jigar Shah’s no-nonsense advice for finding your tribe in the midst of uncertainty. You’ll also hear from RE+ content architect Kathy Schott, social media guide Derek Mast, sales pro Ethan Ehlers, and Daily Morning Show co-host Lisa Ann Pinkerton as they break down how to navigate the largest clean energy show in North America.

This episode will help you make the most of your time on—and off—the show floor whether a first-time visitor or a returning veteran.

Expect to Learn:

🔹 The mindset shift leaders like Hopper and Shah want you to embrace post-OB3

🔹 What’s included in the Full Conference Pass (spoiler: it’s worth it this year)

🔹 The best networking spots and new layout features like the RE+ Bridge

🔹 And how the new RE+ app will [almost] literally walk you to your destination

RE+ isn’t just a tradeshow—it’s a moment of reconnection, recalibration, and reinvention. Don’t go in blind. Listen now and show up ready.

See you under the bright lights!  And do come see us at the PowerUp Live Stage!

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

"You're not in the solar industry anymore."

That bold declaration from Jigar Shah at RE+ 2023 sparked debate, shifted mindsets—and now, two years later, is being realized.

Nico Johnson recently revisited the discussion with Jigar for a current-day check-in before diving into the full, original conversation that started it all. As the then-Director of the DOE Loan Programs Office, Jigar laid out a compelling case: the future for solar installers is not solar at all. It’s storage, VPPs, and full-blown grid integration.

If you think you’re just in solar, you’re falling behind. This episode lays out why storage, grid services, and demand response are becoming the real business of clean energy—and what you need to do now to stay relevant. Jigar explains why the business model is evolving faster than most realize—and how those who embrace the shifts afoot stand to win big.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why VPPs are the new normal (and why the utilities are finally playing ball)

🔹 How entrepreneurs are flipping the solar+storage business model on its head

🔹 Why the utilities finally care—and what they need from you

🔹 Why installers must pivot from LTV/CAC to circuit-specific problem solving

Whether you're running a solar company or rethinking your clean energy strategy, this episode is a key to unlock the next decade.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Is the U.S. solar manufacturing boom standing on a hollow foundation?

In this live episode from PV ModuleTech USA, Nico sits down with solar industry veteran Arndt E. Lutz, a global exec who’s seen it all—from Germany’s early solar rise to hydrogen innovation and now leading EliTe Solar’s manufacturing efforts.

Despite America’s massive build-out of module assembly plants, there's a gaping hole in the supply chain: solar cell manufacturing. Arndt lays out the challenge with clarity—and urgency. It's not just about economics. It’s water, power, permitting, and a chemical process no one’s quite ready for.

If we’'re serious about reshoring manufacturing, this is critical path.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why 50GW of module assembly in the U.S. means little without more cell fabs

🔹 How Germany’s “right to interconnect” flipped the solar game

🔹 Why permitting delays are crushing U.S. manufacturing timelines

🔹 The surprising reason Texas leads in solar deployment & manufacturing

This is your front-row seat to the real challenges (and solutions) shaping the future of solar in America.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Heat pumps are the EVs of HVAC—so why aren’t we all using them?

Stephen Lake, a highly successful engineer turned climate-tech entrepreneur, is here to explain why heating and cooling is the most overlooked piece of the decarbonization puzzle.

After selling his last company to Google, Stephen founded Jetson to tackle one of the biggest—and slowest-moving—sectors of home energy: HVAC. From cold-weather performance to noise, he busts the myths about heat pumps and outlines why they haven’t hit mass adoption in North America.

Spoiler: it’s not the tech. It’s everything else—price, friction, contractors, complexity.

Expect a crash course in sector disruption, including Jetson’s decision to build everything in-house and cut install costs by half through full-stack operations. If Tesla built HVAC, it’d look like this.

🔹 What makes heat pumps 300% efficient (and why it’s not magic)

🔹 The hidden friction points that stall heat pump adoption

🔹 Why cold-climate performance is no longer a dealbreaker

🔹 Lessons from scaling a vertically integrated climate tech startup

If you’ve ever wondered why heat pumps haven’t gone mainstream—or whether it should be part of your electrification journey—this is a conversation you can’t miss.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

A new wave of power demand is here. Is the grid ready? And can States keep up?

Doug Scott, now in his second term as Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission, joins Nico to share how Illinois is navigating the accelerating pace of the energy transition. From integrating energy storage to regulating gigawatt-scale data centers, the ICC isn’t moving at glacial speed anymore—it’s sprinting.

Does Illinois provide a glimpse into the agency that individual States have in managing their way through this energy transition? Doug reveals the behind-the-scenes challenges of regulating clean energy deployment while keeping costs in check and reliability rock-solid. In this conversation, we unpack how Illinois plans to balance electrification, equity, and economic growth—all while trying to avoid ratepayer whiplash.  Plus, we dig into the legislation that almost passed and what’s still on the table for 2025. 

Expect to learn:

🔹 The ripple effects of data centers on local and regional grid planning

🔹 What the “beneficial electrification” agenda really means for consumers

🔹 Why energy storage and VPPs are at the center of Illinois’ grid playbook

🔹 How the ICC is adapting to a faster, more decentralized energy landscape

Get the full picture of Illinois’ clean energy momentum and what it means for the rest of the country. If you’ve been waiting for policy to catch up to innovation—this is the episode for you.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

So what’s the secret to building influence in a Trillion-dollar industry?

Perhaps it’s “start when it’s only a Billion-dollar industry!”

But in today’s episode a few more “secrets” are discussed. 

In this rare role-reversal, Nico Johnson—the voice behind SunCast—is interviewed by solar industry legend (and fellow podcaster), Barry Cinnamon. It’s a full-circle moment packed with lessons on storytelling, scaling influence, and building a media brand that moves the clean energy industry forward.

Nico shares how podcasting became his outlet for deeper industry insight—and how a single conversation with a GreenTech Media analyst changed his life. He reveals how he turned curiosity and connection into a flywheel for audience growth, impact, and eventually revenue.

If you’ve ever wondered how to build influence, tell better stories, or scale a niche media company in a fast-changing industry—this one’s for you.

We also discuss:

🔹 Why the best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing

🔹 The “3-legged” stool of any media company

🔹 How SunCast attracted early sponsors even with a relatively small audience

🔹 Why great storytelling is still the ultimate clean energy recruiting tool

Ready to turn insight into action? Listen now (or watch on SunCast Media), share it with one person who’ll benefit, and tap follow/leave a quick review so we can keep bringing you the playbooks that move our industry forward.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Most warranties aren’t worth the paper they’re written on.

In a solar market defined by price pressure and disappearing installers, consumers are more skeptical than ever—and they’re asking smarter questions. Who’s responsible when something breaks? Will anyone answer the phone in 10 years? 5 years?

In this live session, Nico Johnson sits down with Dean Chiaravallotti of Solar Insure at NABCEP 2025 to unpack how modern solar companies are rethinking service, liability, and the real value of a system warranty. Dean outlines the pitfalls of relying solely on manufacturer coverage—and why smart contractors are shifting to a proactive, financially backed model that keeps them competitive and customer-centric.

This isn’t just about insurance. It’s about building trust at scale—and protecting your business in the long haul.

Expect to learn:

🔹 The warranty models installers are using (and where each one fails)

🔹 How to turn your service department from cost center to profit driver

🔹 The real impact of workmanship warranties when companies go under

🔹 What criteria sets top-performing partners apart?

Warranties aren’t just fine print—they’re your reputation on the line. Whether you’re scaling your solar company or just trying to avoid costly callbacks, this episode gives you the insights and tools to build a smarter service model. Dean brings years of experience and hard-won lessons to the mic—and you’ll walk away with ideas you can implement immediately.

Hit play and learn how to turn warranties into a winning advantage.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Why is residential solar still so hard in the US? Andrew McGuigan will wager an answer.

After 13 years in the solar trenches—from knocking doors at Sungevity to leading OpenSolar’s global expansion—Andrew has seen every twist of the solar coaster. Now at OpenSolar, he’s got a front row seat to helping 25,000+ installers worldwide streamline their businesses and survive the industry’s many curveballs.

In this live conversation from the NABCEP 2025 stage, Andrew unpacks the economic and operational bottlenecks plaguing U.S. residential solar—and how he’s helping contractors fight back. From permitting nightmares to bloated sales commissions, the U.S. market still carries some of the highest soft costs on Earth.

But there’s a shift underway—one driven by smart workflows, instant permitting, embedded finance, and a deep understanding of the homeowner journey.

💥 Expect to learn

🔹 Why US solar costs 2-3x more than global markets—and how to fix it

🔹 The hidden costs of permitting and how SolarAPP is changing the game

🔹 How OpenSolar’s “cash flow” feature is replacing QuickBooks for installers

🔹 Why consultative sales and storage are reshaping the residential pitch

Whether you’re a new installer or an industry veteran, this episode will give you a behind-the-scenes look at what’s working—and what’s broken—in residential solar right now. Andrew’s practical insights and global perspective make this a must-listen for anyone navigating today’s market.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Are Coal and clean energy still at odds??

It might sound like a contradiction, but today’s guest is proving that innovation often comes from the most unexpected places - in this case, Coal Mines.

Listen in as Nico sits down with Mark LaVerghetta, co-founder of ReElement Technologies, a company turning the coal industry on its head by extracting critical minerals from coal’s waste stream — and doing it cleaner and cheaper than China. Born from a contrarian bet on distressed coal assets, ReElement is now on the frontlines of the U.S. effort to onshore mineral refining and reduce our dependence on geopolitically fragile supply chains.

We were all skeptical about this episode.  “Should we bring on a coal industry executive? Is this really a clean energy technology, or just greenwashing?” Nico was very intentional about learning as much as possible to guide the discussion, and as a result our Producer said “This Is The Most Interesting Episode of the Year!” 

Mark reveals how his team transformed environmental liabilities into valuable resources, using patented tech to separate rare earth metals with unprecedented efficiency—and far less environmental harm.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why metallurgical coal still matters in the clean energy economy

🔹 How ReElement is beating China at its own game—without toxic waste

🔹 What makes critical minerals “critical” (and how the U.S. can produce them)

🔹 How entrepreneurial risk-taking turned coal waste into national security assets

This one’s dense—but powerful. If you’re a visual thinker, head to our YouTube version with added visuals to better understand the process.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

What if the tools you use to sell solar are setting you up to fail?

That’s the uncomfortable truth Jason Steinberg, CEO of Scanifly, is tackling head-on.

In this episode recorded live at NABCEP 2025, Jason and Nico dig into the disconnect between sales and operations in solar—where remote designs sell the dream, but outdated imagery and manual measurements leave teams scrambling on install day.

Jason shares how his team is transforming the design process by putting drones and data at the center of solar workflows. The result? Fewer change orders, faster permitting, and a safer, smarter job site.

Expect to learn:

🔹 How Scanifly slashed permitting timelines from 3 weeks to just 3 days

🔹 The business case for getting your crew off the roof (hint: it's not just about safety)

🔹 Why AI-generated designs can actually worsen accuracy—unless you do this

🔹 Why faster design = faster payment in a milestone-based finance world

🔹 The surprising ROI of drone tech—via lower insurance premiums

If you want to future-proof your workflow, boost close rates, and build trust with homeowners, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

In a market flooded with cheap imports and geopolitical risk, one company is standing its ground.

Did you know there’s only one North American battery management system (BMS) provider at utility scale—despite growing pressure from subsidized Chinese competitors offering systems at zero cost?

Michael Worry, CEO of Nuvation Energy, joins Nico to share how his company became that lone provider. 

But the core of this episode brings a critical warning: what happens when over 80% of the U.S. battery infrastructure is owned or influenced by foreign governments? And how should engineers and lawmakers respond?

Michael takes us on a wild entrepreneurial ride: from building EVs before Tesla was cool to deploying robot kegerators at Burning Man. Nuvation’s “garage projects” aren’t just PR stunts—they’re real-world user acceptance test platforms that prove product reliability under extreme conditions.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why Nuvation rejected deals to white-label Chinese BMS tech

🔹 The loopholes foreign firms use to bypass U.S. battery bans

🔹 How garage innovation became a proving ground for serious tech

🔹 What’s at stake if supply chain security isn’t taken seriously

This episode is a wake-up call, a founder story, and a blueprint for building mission-critical tech without venture capital. Don’t miss it.

Are we sleeping on supply chain security?

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