Solar Power World podcasts

In this special edition of Contractors Corner, solar mounting manufacturer Preformed Line Products (PLP) talks about the advantages of using uniform, building-block-style solar carport designs on all projects. Sponsored by PLP.

Veregy is a newish energy services company (ESCO) with a much longer history. The company started in 2019 after six regional ESCOs merged to offer energy optimization and performance contracting to commercial clients nationwide. One of those companies was a commercial solar installer out of Arizona, and the new Veregy now focuses on a holistic energy package for customers — with energy efficiency,...

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Top Solar Contractors list this year, Solar Power World was joined by representatives at McCarthy Building Companies, Inovateus Solar, RPCS and Renu Robotics to discuss the utility-scale market. The utility-scale solar market may seem like an assembly line of tried-and-true installation methods, but most of the industry’s technology advances first arri...

In this special edition of Contractor’s Corner, solar structure manufacturer and installer M Bar C talks about how the company has adapted to new construction markets and solar technologies over the years. Sponsored by M Bar C.

In this special edition of Contractor’s Corner, solar mounting and racking manufacturer SnapNrack talks about its new, Miami-Dade-approved mounting solution that does away with cumbersome metal flashing. Sponsored by SnapNrack.

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Top Solar Contractors list this year, Solar Power World was joined by representatives at Standard Solar, Nexamp and Pivot Energy to discuss the community solar market. One of the fastest growing solar segments involves the community solar model. Instead of one end-user, many customers are involved with the unique solar projects on landfills, townhomes...

It's no secret that utilities are having a difficult time in California right now. With wildfires increasing in intensity each year, more utilities are having to shut down power to save their grids. It's pushing even more people to consider solar and storage to create their own microgrids to keep emergency services online. So it's not especially surprising that the state's investor-owned utilities...

The term "off-grid" is often associated with small energy projects located off the beaten path, and while Derrick Zearley's home is remote, it's no small project. He teamed up with South Carolina contractor Firefly Solar to take his new home construction project off the grid with solar + storage technologies after utilities left the site without power. In the second episode of The Case for Solar,...

What started as being a nice neighbor to a regenerative farm has turned into a whole new way of building and maintaining solar projects for Silicon Ranch. With close to 1 GW of installed projects, the utility-scale solar developer and owner was seeing the real impact of using herbicides and pesticides to manage vegetation growth. After siting a new project next to one of the larger regenerative ra...

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Top Solar Contractors list this year, Solar Power World was joined by representatives at Mortenson, GenPro Energy Solutions and SUNation to discuss solar + storage installations across all markets. The rise of extreme weather has many homeowners concerned about keeping the lights and refrigerators on through extended power outages. And with more utilit...

In this special edition of Contractors Corner, solar mounting product manufacturer K2 Systems talks about the evolution of solar roof flashings from “goop and a prayer” to tried-and-true metal solutions and new plastic solutions. Sponsored by K2 Systems.

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Top Solar Contractors list this year, Solar Power World was joined by representatives at LightWave Solar, ReVision Energy and Semper Solaris to discuss the current residential solar market. Panelists discussed best business practices the installation community has adopted for the residential solar + storage market. While COVID-19 sent many in the Unite...

Solar + storage technologies are a growing option for homeowners seeking additional energy security, especially in areas where grid outages are commonplace. Daren Goldin, CEO of Goldin Solar, a contractor based in Miami, Florida, has a solar + storage system installed at his home where he often invites prospective customers to see how it all works. For a state like Florida, where residents endure...

A Generation180 report released in 2020 found that 7,332 public and private K-12 schools in the United States had solar power. Seems like a lot, but that's only 5.5% of schools across the country. Educational institutions are a segment of the commercial solar market ripe with opportunity. In this episode of the Contractor's Corner podcast, Solar Power World talks with the leadership at Sunrise Pow...

In this special edition of Contractors Corner, solar carport manufacturer Quest Renewables talks about emerging trends in the market, including accommodating larger or bifacial panels, incorporating ancillary features like water management and much more. Sponsored by Quest Renewables.

In this special edition of Contractors Corner, Baja Carports talks about design considerations for solar carports from coast to coast. Sponsored by Baja Carports.

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Top Solar Contractors list this year, Solar Power World was joined by representatives at CS Energy, Borrego, Freedom Solar Power and Scanifly to discuss how the last year affected the solar industry. Panelists discuss lessons learned in 2020 that have changed and improved business going forward. As the world transitioned to online and contact-free inte...

In this special edition of Contractors Corner, Fortress Power explains the importance of correctly sizing lithium batteries for residential and commercial solar projects. Sponsored by Fortress Power.

Arkansas is an expanding solar market. Ranked 36th in the nation for installed solar in 2019, the state climbed to 25th in 2020. Some of that growth can be attributed to Shine Solar, a five-year-old installer headquartered in the state's northwest corner. CEO Nick Gorden has approached the Arkansas market with education first, and it's paid off. In this episode of the Contractors Corner podcast, w...

The Georgia solar market is fairly dependable. Consistently in the Top 10 states by installed solar capacity, Georgia has a strong utility-scale pipeline, mostly fueled by large arrays that support major corporations. But the residential and commercial markets are just as strong, said Russell Seifert, CEO of local installer Creative Solar USA. In this episode of the Contractors Corner podcast, Sol...

Working on utility-scale solar projects requires a lot of hands, and, depending on the region, it may be difficult to find enough help. Construction firm Primoris Renewable Energy has been able to hire skilled workers formerly in the oil and gas industries on its large solar projects in West Texas, but senior VP Kent James said it is more difficult to find people for foreman and other supervising...

More women are entering the solar workforce every day, but some areas of the industry are still underrepresented. According to The Solar Foundation, women only make up 26% of the solar workforce. In a largely mechanical and construction-related field, it is nice to hear of a woman-led solar installation subcontractor out of Georgia: Sunshine Solar. In this episode of the Contractors Corner podcast...

With a name like Simple Solar, the going-solar process has to be as easy as possible for new customers. And that's what the Missouri installer has done for its residential clients since 2017. Luke Arthur started Simple Solar after working at other installation companies and wanting to pare down all the extra noise. Sales calls are quick, product choices are limited to only what works best, and ser...

As a comprehensive energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions company, Ameresco is dedicated to meeting its clients' energy needs. From school districts to municipalities to healthcare customers, the company approaches each portfolio holistically to ensure load is reduced before suggesting distributed generation options. In this episode of the Contractors Corner podcast, we talk with Dave An...

Barely whisper the name "Sandy" on Long Island and PTSD sets in for many residents. The 2012 hurricane cost New York $41.9 billion in recovery and mitigation expenses, and millions in the Northeast were without power for almost two weeks. When Hurricane Isaias hit earlier this month in the middle of a pandemic, concern was high. Calls for energy storage systems increased significantly for Long Isl...