SunCast

What does it take to build a 100-year business? How does one expand beyond integration of off-the-shelf products to branding power plants as a unique identifiable product? What does it take to secure an entire City’s rooftops…like Atlanta?  Michael Chanin, the CEO and founder of Cherry Street Energy, is bringing this ambitious vision to fruition. Chanin's team is embracing the power of renewa...

Every growth story has roots in finding scalable and duplicatable processes. From a Big Mac to the Macintosh, the capacity to create products people want and galvanize a team around delivering them is what sets true market leaders apart from their peers.  However, in the more than 700 interviews we’ve done at SunCast, we know that the path to the top is not linear nor is it free from failure....

Imagine a Roomba on a solar farm with a camera that can automatically inspect modules, wiring, even hot-spots, and report all that information back instantaneously to the asset manager. That level of computer vision and automation is finally possible, and it looks a Lot like a fun Disney character you’d recognize! Derek Chase, founder and CEO of OnSight, is revolutionizing solar asset management t...

Perhaps the best way to scale your company is by investing in your people!   If knowledge is wealth, then upskilling your workers (and indeed yourself) could be the best return on your investment. Brittany Heller, Director of Program Management at HeatSpring, explains how training programs are not just essential for attracting and developing new talent, they’re also how growing companies...

I’m going to argue that procurement (buyer OR seller) negotiations are just like hostage negotiations. Hear me out. Effective negotiations are crucial for uncovering hidden opportunities, maintaining control without aggression, and closing better deals. Mastering these skills can significantly impact business outcomes, ensuring more favorable terms and stronger relationships. And in procurement, t...

Electrify Everything!  Ok, we’ve heard that “Electrification” is coming, but beyond our Automobiles what else can be electrified?  Did you know that cleaning up our built environment is one of the biggest clean energy opportunities today? In the U.S., buildings are the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, representing 35% of total energy-related emissions. There are meaningfu...

Energy isn't a battle of fossil fuels vs renewables; it's about figuring out the energy transition together. As a North Carolina State Representative (GOP), John Szoka was once dismissive of renewables, as many might expect.  Yet, after serving five terms in the legislature , Szoka transitioned from a renewable energy skeptic to a champion, thanks in large part to his open-mindedness when pre...

Finally, a feel-good story of independence and triumph!  There’s little more patriotic and American than the dream of starting out on your own and building a business that supports your family, serves your neighbors and builds a durable legacy. And we even have a “He left med school for this?” to pull your heart strings too.  The true-life story of the rise of Summit Energy as one of the...

Have you ever wondered why clean energy is not only surviving, but thriving in RED states here in the USA?  Despite the common perception that Republicans are against clean energy, states like Georgia (and AL, SC, and FL, not to mention TX!) are seeing significant solar growth.  Republican Tim Echols, Vice Chairman of the Georgia Public Service Commission, discusses Georgia’s journey to...

In 50 short years, solar energy transformed from a niche interest to a key driver of the global energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.  The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has been at the forefront of this transformation, advocating for policies, fostering innovation, and driving growth in the industry. Founded in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis, SEIA has worked t...

The United States just surpassed 5 million solar installations, but as excited as Abby Hopper is to shout that from the rooftops, she agrees we’re just getting started. While the last 50 years was about building a solid foundation (fighting for every inch), the next 50 actually has a lot more at stake. The Solar Energy Industries Association celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, marking half...

How can we meet the growing demands for renewable energy without losing precious agricultural land?  Agrivoltaics! It’s one of the most exciting growth sectors in solar energy! This approach leverages solar photovoltaic (PV) systems without losing the property’s agricultural capabilities, thus unlocking fertile and scarce land’s dual-use potential.  Few have done as much to proliferate e...

I learned a staggering statistic recently: Almost 90% of solar panels are thrown away when they reach the end of their useful life.   In 2016, The International Renewable Energy Agency projected that 78 million tons of solar waste would be created by 2050. Within that waste sits a goldmine of opportunity: $15 billion in recyclable materials that most of the industry is simply ignoring. O...

When it comes to certifications and training in the solar industry, one name (or label) stands out and is recognized as the gold standard: NABCEP.  The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners is the certifying body for Solar PV and Battery Installers here in North America, and I’ve been told that the NABCEP certification test is as hard as the Professional Engineering (PE) exam...

Mary Powell, CEO of Sunrun, has cast the vision of the leading solar brand in North America as a clean energy lifestyle company. She recently shared with Nico how Sunrun is accelerating the transition and nearing its millionth customer despite the typical electric utilities' “no and slow” culture. Under Powell's leadership, Sunrun installed more than 1 GW of solar in 2023, maintaining its position...

Anti-dumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) are nothing new; they have plagued US-based solar developers and decision-makers since 2011. These duties, aimed at preventing unfair trade practices, greatly impact pricing and timelines of solar projects and generally seed uncertainty in the marketplace (at the outset, at least).  We now have a new round of trade investigations being undertake...

In the solar industry, we’re often building the plane as we fly it, as it were.  This is ever-moreso evident in commercial and industrial (C&I) solar, a relatively untapped market with unique challenges. One of the key areas of failure is a lack of funding.  And, often, the culprit that leads to failed projects or lack of funding (ie, un-interested buyers) is poor processes.  So...

Ever get annoyed when you order takeout and they give you the obligatory plastic wrapped napkin and plastic cutlery? If you’re like me, you politely decline, but most just take them and dispose of them directly in the waste bin. The world is drowning in plastic waste, and current solutions to a useful alternative aren't cutting it.  PlantSwitch, a North Carolina-based startup co-founded by Di...

If we’re going to address climate change through capitalism, we’ll need about $10 Trillion.  The growing climate crisis demands that we take urgent action, but early-stage climate entrepreneurs still face significant barriers in finding the funding to bring their innovations to market.  CEO and co-founder of Enduring Planet, Dimitry Gershenson, offers a solution to a critical funding gap...

Struggling with imposter syndrome? You're not alone.  Returning guest (Ep 333, 687) Paula Glover, President of the Alliance to Save Energy, delves into one of the most common emotional challenges faced by leaders and entrepreneurs. Paula gets real about the self-doubt leaders face and the importance of authenticity in leadership. It’s rare to get this kind of honesty in a b2b podcast conversa...

He came to America with ten thousand dollars and a dream of making it big. A few years later, he was a legitimate rock star, rocking arenas with Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osborne.  So why did this British rocker who achieved the height of music stardom give it all up and start an EV charging business? How did that turn into not 1 but 3 successful exits (his most recent for north of $80M to Enpha...

US manufacturing is back!  We were recently invited to a ceremony to celebrate the expansion of Nextracker’s dedicated steel torque tube manufacturing lines at JM Steel’s Leetsdale facility in Pittsburgh. This historic site, formerly Bethlehem Steel(the company that produced the landing craft for Normandy during World War II) now manufactures low-carbon steel tubes for solar trackers. Among t...

It only took me 8 years and 699 episodes to finally land today’s guest! But the wait was WELL worth it. You’re in for a treat. And it was recorded in-person at Strata’s HQ, so you might enjoy some of the extra footage included in the YT video version of this episode.  Markus Wilhelm founded Strata Clean Energy in 2009, but readily admits that he didn’t have the right initial vision for the co...

265,000!  That’s how many of you/us work in Solar Energy so far (and rapidly growing!) Yet, with 4 million solar installations in the U.S alone, Solar Energy is rarely featured in mainstream media. WHY? Probably True Solar Stories , a podcast created by Tor Valenza, also known as Solar Fred, aims to bridge this content gap with engaging solar-themed fictional tales. Valenza, once a Hollywood...

Many of us working in clean energy forget that access to clean power is still a privilege, not a right. Millions of Americans still don’t have the freedom to choose clean energy.  People all over the country want to fight climate change by choosing renewable energy sources for their homes and businesses. But, in monopolized electricity markets, consumers are forced  to purchase power fro...