Shows
SunCastOut-Innovating China in Critical Minerals: ReElement’s Bold U.S. Strategy 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...2025-08-071h 29SunCastThe New Solar Standard You Should Know About | w/Amanda Bybee & Karo Fernandez What happens when a solar technician calls themselves a “Level 2,” but no one knows what that actually means?For years, solar O&M has lacked the structure and standardization seen in other trades. The result? Confusing job titles, wage inflation, inconsistent training, and safety risks. But that’s all about to change.In this Tactical Tuesday episode, Nico Johnson is joined by Amanda Bybee, CEO of Amicus O&M Cooperative, and Karo Fernandez, Technical Training manager at AES Clean Energy. Together, they have helped create and rollout ANSI/SEIA 301, the first ANSI-accredited standard defini...2025-07-1546 minSunCastThe Real Cost of Tariffs: What’s Stalling U.S. Solar Deployment | Andrew Birch & Kerim Baran You can buy solar panels in many places around the world for around 10 cents-a-watt— so why are Americans still paying an average of about $3.70 for every watt installed?In this candid and fiery live episode, Nico Johnson sits down with long-time clean energy champions Andrew Birch and Kerim Baran to unpack what’s really slowing down solar deployment in the U.S. The verdict? Bureaucracy, bad trade policy, and a lack of open-market access are dragging us down.From SolarApp to tariffs to balcony solar, this conversation delivers a clear-eyed exploration of clean ener...2025-05-0842 minSunCastInside Texas’ Renewable Energy Boom—and the Policy Risks Ahead | Doug Lewin & Nico Johnson Texas: where oil and gas once reigned supreme—and now, renewables are rewriting the rules.In this special live episode recorded at Intersolar & Energy Storage North America 2025, Doug Lewin and Nico Johnson flip the script. Doug takes the mic to interview Nico about his biggest takeaways from the show, and the two dive deep into what’s fueling Texas' meteoric rise in solar, storage, and energy expansion.Expect a candid, behind-the-scenes conversation about why Texas has become the unexpected juggernaut of clean energy—and what risks could upend that growth if policymakers aren't carefu...2025-05-0142 minSunCastWhat 800 Episodes Taught Me About Clean Energy & Leadership, with guest Host: Lisa Ann Pinkerton 800 episodes. 1 unforgettable conversation. For the first time in years, Nico Johnson becomes the guest on his own show, interviewed by friend and fellow podcaster, Lisa Ann Pinkerton. What follows is a raw and powerful exploration of the highs, lows, and turning points behind SunCast’s success. Whether you’re building a brand, running a business, or just love clean energy—this episode has something for you.🔹 How vulnerability built SunCast’s loyal following🔹 Why podcasting is a secret weapon for industry influence🔹 Failures that almost killed the show🔹 What clean energy needs m...2025-03-271h 20SunCastThe Hidden Goldmine in Commercial Solar—And How to Tap Into It; with Claire Broido Johnson There are billions of square feet of commercial rooftops in the U.S. that should have solar—but don’t. Why? Because financing these projects has been nearly impossible… until now. For years, the thousands of unrated businesses, nonprofits, and local institutions that want to go solar are stymied by one primary roadblock - financing. One developer is finally unlocking commercial solar for the long tail of the market, and we’re here to share exactly how.Claire Broido Johnson (Sunrock DG) and Josh Goldberg (Sunstone Credit) have “cracked the code on commercial solar”, giving small busine...2025-03-201h 23SunCastCary Hayes (REC Solar) Interviews Alex Honnold - Why Corporate Philanthropy Matters (and why you should be doing it) Increasingly, it seems that corporate philanthropy (and even personal giving) are reactive rather than proactive. Today’s episode challenges that notion with an insightful look into the relationship REC Solar’s Cary Hayes has formed with Alex Honnold and his Honnold Foundation, which REC has supported for years with both cash and in-kind donations. Why does Cary believe this is a meaningful part of their annual marketing budget? Hear Cary, Alex & Nico discuss why this is an overlooked marketing line item for most companies, and consider for yourself if supporting non-profits should be more prevalent in yours or any...2025-01-1457 minSunCastThe 10 Must-Attend Energy Events of 2025: Nico Shares His Top Picks (Plus FREE Resource!) No matter how you think about marketing your product or service in clean energy in 2025, your marketing plan is incomplete until you have nailed down your events schedule! Attending the right event(s) sets the stage for networking, collaboration, innovation, and ultimately business growth. That’s why nailing your events strategy (and budget) is critical. Most of you have already gotten your head around the MAIN events (RE+, ACP, Intersolar), but are you clear on what else is happening that you should have considered? In this episode, Nico Johnson unveils the top [mostly clean...2025-01-0721 minSunCastWhat Does Responsible Solar Look Like? Lightsource bp’s Alyssa Edwards & Virginia Brown Explain Can solar projects do more than generate clean energy? How about enhance the health and diversity of local ecosystems? Sometimes viewed critically for their land use, solar farms can actually offer a unique opportunity to restore habitats and integrate agricultural practices. Lightsource bp, one of the world’s largest utility-scale solar developers, is a pioneer in what they refer to as “responsible solar”; with over 2 GW of projects contracted with farming families, Lightsource is helping to sustain rural livelihoods, revitalize ecosystems, and drive the energy transition through utility-scale solar.Alyssa Edwards is Seni...2024-12-1935 minSunCastHow Footprint Project’s Helene Response Repowered Communities When Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville and western North Carolina, it left communities with widespread power outages, overwhelmed hospitals, and destroyed critical infrastructure. Months later, many are still navigating the long road to recovery after one of the most severe natural disasters to hit the region. For Nico Johnson, who calls North Carolina home, the storm was an urgent reminder of the escalating intensity and unpredictability of extreme weather.In the immediate aftermath, organizations like the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) and Footprint Project took decisive action—mobilizing solar microgrids, portable solar generators, and atmospheric wa...2024-12-1243 minSunCastRE+ 2024 Recap: Tesla Competition? Bi-Directional EV Charging? What You Shouldn’t Have Missed… As RE+ 2024 wound to a close last Thursday, Nico Johnson sat down with three of the solar industry’s top content creators to discuss the standout innovations and key takeaways they captured from the largest clean energy event in North America. They dive into how solar is evolving beyond just panels on rooftops and into integrated home energy solutions; Each shares their insights on the products and technologies that will define the industry. It’s a first-ever collaboration of some of the solar industry’s top content creators across various platforms to get a sense of how they e...2024-09-1733 min
SunCastRE+ Day 1: Alex Honnold on Advancing Solar Access, Alex Shoer on Scaling Storage, Anne Slattery & Kristina Peterson on Trends Start each day with highlights from the Morning Show with Nico Johnson and Lisa Ann Pinkerton and then the full replay of the Daily Round Up with Nico Johnson and Josh Beck as we bring you the trends and conversations unfolding in Anaheim at the RE+ 2024 conference.If you are in Anaheim, visit us at the PowerUp Media Zone booth E100, Lobby of Hall D.You can also watch the show stream live at www.suncast.live.If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his co...2024-09-1234 minSunCastAlex Honnold on Advancing Solar Access, Alex Shoer on Scaling Storage, Anne Slattery & Kristina Peterson on Trends Start each day with highlights from the Morning Show with Nico Johnson and Lisa Ann Pinkerton and then the full replay of the Daily Round Up with Nico Johnson and Josh Beck as we bring you the trends and conversations unfolding in Anaheim at the RE+ 2024 conference.If you are in Anaheim, visit us at the PowerUp Media Zone booth E100, Lobby of Hall D.You can also watch the show stream live at www.suncast.live.If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his co...2024-09-1137 minSunCastInside Sunrun’s Customer-Led Revolution with CEO, Mary Powell Mary Powell, CEO of Sunrun, has cast the vision of the leading solar brand in North America as a clean energy lifestyle company. She recently shared with Nico how Sunrun is accelerating the transition and nearing its millionth customer despite the typical electric utilities' “no and slow” culture.Under Powell's leadership, Sunrun installed more than 1 GW of solar in 2023, maintaining its position as the nation's leading residential solar provider. Even more impressive, perhaps, is how Sunrun’s “year of energy storage” netted an unprecedented growth rate of battery attachment to solar projects. They’ve also set a few ke...2024-06-1334 minSunCastWill Maryland Fail To Meet Their RPS Targets? What Other States Can Learn, with Stephanie Johnson, President of Maryland Renewable Energy Alliance Wondering how your state can set and exceed lofty renewable energy targets? Today’s episode is for you. In 2019, Maryland doubled their renewable energy target: aiming for 50% renewable energy by 2035 and net zero emissions by 2045. So, how are they doing? Stephanie Johnson, President and Founder of the Maryland Renewable Energy Alliance (MD-REA), shares her perspective from the front lines. She discusses how she transitioned from the world of corporate compliance, recruited to a career in renewable energy advocacy by Catherine Mclean and prepared for her interview with the help of our SunCast Podcast. Step...2024-03-1447 minSunCastCan America Be THE Battery Manufacturing Leader? | John Zahurancik of Fluence Energy The United States stands at a pivotal juncture in its clean energy transition, with domestic energy storage manufacturing emerging as the cornerstone of its sustainable future. John Zahurancik, President Americas at Fluence, joins Nico Johnson to discuss the future of domestic battery manufacturing in the United States at Intersolar NA. Also, this episode features an exclusive recording of Zahurancik’s keynote address which further discusses the need for the U.S. to ramp up its production of energy storage solutions, showcasing Fluence's leading role in this critical shift.What the audience can expect to learn:2024-02-151h 11SunCastBonus: Invitation - Join me in Hawaii?! (Mastermind) Imagine starting your new year in the tropical paradise of Honolulu, Hawaii. Not just for a vacation, but to join industry leaders Nico Johnson and Joshua Porter at a 4-day mastermind event designed to supercharge your leadership skills and network. This isn't just about escaping the winter blues; it's about setting the stage for a successful year ahead. Over these four days, we'll be learning the art of storytelling, getting up-to-speed on the latest policy and market innovations, and engaging with peers in an intimate setting. So why not shake off the winter chill and jumpstart your...2023-12-2324 minSunCastWhy care about COP28? A Recap with Nathan Jovanelly, Brad Stutzman, Elizabeth Andrews, Tito Jankowski, Steve Anglin The recent wrap-up of COP28 in Dubai has catalyzed a renewed sense of urgency and reflection on the global efforts to address climate change. A key takeaway emerged from the event: the world is finally willing to say outloud “we need to chart a definitive course to wean ourselves off fossil fuels!” Moving beyond the main headlines and chatter, the real progress is found in the collective efforts of disparate stakeholders working towards a common purpose - and as the Chamber of Commerce noted, the real work will be done in the halls of private industry. Des...2023-12-221h 08SunCastTop Trends cleantech podcasters predict for 2024? End of Year Cleantech Podcasters Roundtable with David Roberts, Dana Perkins, Bill Nussey, Marie Burgquist, & Chris Caldwell, hosted by Nico Johnson and Mike Casey As we close out another transformative year for cleantech, it seems the pace of the energy transition still falls short of what will be needed to meet our global climate goals. That's the consensus from our panel of experts in our annual end-of-year Cleantech Podcasters Roundtable discussion.This semi-annual review recognizes both the triumphs and the hurdles within the global renewable energy sector in the past year. From the IRA to our favorite tech company interviews, the challenges of grid infrastructure and everything between, this roundtable takes on the bold task of critically assessing 2023 and...2023-12-191h 08SunCastMythbusting solar panel procurement, & Why India is on the rise, with Justin Redd of Emmvee Have YOU had trouble procuring modules lately? I know I’ve heard from dozens of folks that they are hurting in this specific area.If that’s you, I want to hear from you…shoot me an email “HELP ME GET MODULES NICO!” in the Subject line and we’ll get right on it. (Nico at mysuncast dot com)How are solar modular manufactures vetted? Where do buyers turn when the much sought-after Bloomberg “Tier 1” suppliers are sold out of modules, making it harder for developments under 20 MW in scale to find vetted supp...2023-12-1236 minSunCastHow to improve the lives of 2 Billion people, Green Empowerment with Andrea Johnson (Giving Tuesday) Each year we highlight one non-profit making a big impact in the world, and we ask you to join us in supporting their mission on Giving Tuesday.Nonprofits play a crucial role in international development, often solving equity gaps and civic/infrastructure gaps that for-profit, corporate and even governmental organizations are incapable of addressing. They envision a better world and strive to make it reality, particularly for the underserved and marginalized. This year’s nonprofit for our annual Giving Tuesday episode is Green Empowerment, who are bringing clean water and renewable energy to rural communities ac...2023-11-2850 minSunCastWhy Fluence Continues to Outperform the Market, with President of Americas - John Zahurancik Few companies have contributed to the progress being made toward more scalable battery storage solutions than Fluence Energy (FLNC). With a deep heritage in power and energy from its founding as a JV between AES and Siemens, the Fluence technology and leadership team has weathered the test of time better than most of their peers. However, there are still challenges that influence battery storage availability, such as global supply chain disruptions, rising demand for affordable and efficient energy storage, and safety concerns. Learn from a voice of experience how domestic battery storage manufacturing is shifting the paradigm a...2023-10-1228 minSunCastRE+ Daily Morning & Roundup Shows - Day 3 The next best thing to being at RE+ Vegas, is catching the PowerUp Live Show. Get the lowdown from Nico for the PowerUp Morning Show, LIVE with Nico Johnson & Lauren Glickman, presented by Meyer Burger, and RE+ Daily Round Up with Nico Johnson & Josh Porter, presented by Modern Energy to share their experiences of Day 3 at RE+ Vegas. If you want to catch the whole PowerUp Live show, make sure to visit suncast.live to hear from some of the top voices speaking on the state of the industry today.If you...2023-09-151h 13SunCastRE+ Daily Morning & Roundup Shows - Day 2 The next best thing to being at RE+ Vegas, is catching the PowerUp Live Show. Get the lowdown from Nico and Lisa Ann Pinkerton for the PowerUp Morning Show, LIVE with Nico Johnson & Lisa Ann, presented by Meyer Burger, and RE+ Daily Round Up with Nico Johnson & Josh Porter, presented by Modern Energy to share their experiences of Day 2 at RE+ Vegas. If you want to catch the whole PowerUp Live show, make sure to visit suncast.live to hear from some of the top voices speaking on the state of the industry today...2023-09-141h 03SunCastRE+ Daily Morning & Roundup Shows - Day 1 The next best thing to being at RE+ Vegas, is catching the PowerUp Live Show. Get the lowdown from Nico and Lisa Ann Pinkerton for the PowerUp Morning Show, LIVE with Nico Johnson & Lisa Ann, presented by Meyer Burger, and RE+ Daily Round Up with Nico Johnson & Josh Porter, presented by Modern Energy to share their experiences of Day 1 at RE+ Vegas. If you want to catch the whole PowerUp Live show, make sure to visit suncast.live to hear from some of the top voices speaking on the state of the industry today...2023-09-131h 02SunCastEngaging Your Audience with New Media (Do Podcasts, TikTok, etc actually work?!?) LIVE with VPs from Nextracker, Shoals, EDPR, Sungrow & More Welcome to a special edition of Tactical Tuesday, featuring practical insights to propel your company and your career. This episode comes straight from our live stage at RE+ in 2022 and we’ve weaved together a rich collection of strategies for audience growth, brand building, and engaging your audience effectively in the dynamic landscape of new media.The first segment delves into the role of platforms such as LinkedIn and TikTok, emphasizing their potential to bolster brand visibility and engagement, particularly in B2B markets. Our speakers caution against diving into trending platforms without strategic forethought, il...2023-08-0225 minSunCastDevin Hampton is Unlocking MORE than Utility Data at UtilityAPI UtilityAPI is transforming the energy industry by making utility customer bill and interval data accessible & useful. In today’s conversation, Devin explains the complexities of developing a platform that ensures safe and secure data sharing among various energy stakeholders, as well as what it was like becoming the CEO of a revenue-positive climate tech startup and taking it through its next round of funding. This episode was first aired on our climate tech investment podcast, Climate Avengers, and Nico considered it so good that he is foregoing doing a typical “SunCast-style” interview with Devin and instead just cross...2023-07-061h 04SunCast60 minutes to summarize the 1st Half of 2023: David Roberts & Bloomberg join the Cleantech Podcasters Roundtable! This is our highly anticipated quarterly podcasters' roundtable, where the cleantech sector's top podcasters converge to share their expertise and unravel the complexities of the clean energy landscape. Listen as they opine on the view from their respective podcast booths on what’s happening in Cleantech & Clean Energy in 2023! We’re joined this round by David Roberts of "Volts," Dana Perkins of "Bloomberg Switched ON," Amy Simpkins of "Power Flow," Bill Nussey of "Freeing Energy," Josh Porter of "Solar Coaster”, and our regular hosts, Nico Johnson of “SunCast” and Mike Casey of “Scaling Clean”. The panel addresses...2023-07-041h 10SunCastWhy Did Sunnova Co-founder Jordan Frugé Leave To Start Fastrac Energy Services? Jordan Frugé, president of Fastrac Energy Services, challenges the common misconception that solar installations are "a bunch of people running around on rooftops." He dives into the solar industry's intricate details and behind-the-scenes operations, emphasizing the significance of meticulous planning, efficient execution, and customer-centric growth while predicting the market's future.Jordan founded Fastrac, a Gulf Coast Regional solar sales, project management, and installation company, in 2019. With a wealth of experience in the residential solar market and a deep-rooted understanding of the industry's value chain, he has spearheaded Fastrac's emphasis on execution and fulfillment. Before Fastrac, h...2023-06-221h 14SunCastAndy McCarthy built one of Australia’s leading Solar companies; what can we learn from the land Down Under? Join host Nico Johnson on the SunCast podcast as guest Andy McCarthy shares an incredible story of determination and resilience that led to the creation of one of Australia's largest solar companies.Andy relied on his ADHD-driven ability to hyperfocus and his natural curiosity to navigate the renewable energy industry. He founded Gippsland Solar in 2010, which was acquired by RACV Solar in 2019.Despite his lack of knowledge about solar technology, he humbly sought guidance from experts, learning and growing every step of the way. In this episode, Andy shares his entrepreneurial journey with...2023-06-151h 19SunCastPublic Utilities Can Turbo Charge Clean Energy And People Power, with Eric Williams of Omaha Public Power District Is it possible to keep an electricity grid fueled by renewable energy stable every minute of every day, given the variability of wind and sunlight? Eric Williams, a clean energy advocate and board member of one of the nation's largest publicly owned electric utilities, thinks it is.In a conversation with Nico Johnson, Eric explains his role as one of eight elected directors overseeing the Omaha Public Power District (OPPD), which serves 855,000 people in Omaha and 13 surrounding counties in southeast Nebraska. He clarifies how and why public power benefits the energy transition and s...2023-06-081h 05SunCastHouston’s Committed to becoming the Capital of the Energy Transition Houston, often touted as the Energy Capital of the world, is rapidly transforming into the clean energy capital of the United States, spearheading the renewable revolution. In this special Tactical Tuesday, Nico engages in insightful conversations with industry leaders who shed light on the city's transformative initiatives. Jeff Tolnar, President & interim CEO of Shoals Technologies Group, shares his unique perspective on the energy transition, gained from attending the oil and gas-centric conference, CERAWeek, as well as his past experience from previous industries such as telecom and the similarities he sees within Renewables today. They highlight t...2023-06-0622 minSunCastLIFE Lessons from 600 EPISODES, with Guest Host, Sean Tanabe Nico Johnson, the visionary entrepreneur behind SunCast Media, discusses the insights & lessons learned through achieving the milestone of 600 episodes. Guest host, Sean Tanabe, pulls threads that he feels longtime listeners and newbies to SunCast alike would seek to know about Nico, his Mission, and what 600 episodes may have revealed. Many themes emerge as the conversation unfolds, ranging from dedication, consistency, and mentorship to the challenges of growth, accessibility, and the Power of saying “No”.Nico, founder and host of the SunCast podcast, shares his perspective on podcasting as a medium for knowledge sharing, emphasizing consistency as a...2023-06-011h 49SunCastKatherine Hamilton on Bridging Technology & Clean Energy Policy Welcome to today's podcast, where SunCast Host Nico Johnson interviews entrepreneur and clean energy advocate Katherine Hamilton. As chair and co-founder of 38 North Solutions, a public affairs firm specializing in clean energy and innovation, Katherine has a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Her influential voice has earned her a trusted position within the industry, solidified by more than eight years as co-host of the highly acclaimed "Energy Gang" podcast.Katherine actively contributes to various industry journals and organizations and mentors aspiring energy leaders to foster talent and drive positive change. She holds a p...2023-05-251h 28SunCastHow Google empowers climate innovation SunCast Host Nico Johnson and Bodhi CEO Scott Nguyen host three expert panelists for a wide-ranging discussion on tackling climate change through investments and technology. Our panelists — Mark Tomasovic, Principal at Energize Ventures and two Google executives, Caroline Golin, Global Head of Energy Market Development and Policy and Sonal Somaiya, Sustainability Investments and Corporate Development — offer practical ways individuals can support clean energy initiatives, emphasizing collective action, informed decision-making, and increased awareness. They also encourage individuals to live the change they want to see, engage in conversations with others, and stay updated with climat...2023-05-181h 00SunCastSollega Racks up Wins With Unique Flat-Roof Solar Solutions, with CEO Elie Rothschild Sollega founder and CEO Elie Rothschild talks with Suncast host Nico Johnson about the innovation and founding story behind the company’s category-defining approach to ballasted rooftop solar racking.The San Francisco-based commercial flat-roof PV solar racking manufacturer is a unique company that solves universal issues in a solar niche known for low margins and intense competition. Elie launched it in 2008 to find an easier way to install solar panels on notoriously frustrating commercial flat roofs, and his approach has garnered serious fans and accolades for form & function.Their roof mounting sys...2023-05-111h 08SunCastEPRI's Arshad Mansoor on Resiliency as the Crucial Factor in Sustainable Energy Systems Today we talk with Arshad Mansoor, President and CEO of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), about the crucial link between resiliency and decarbonization.Reducing our carbon footprint and transitioning to a low-carbon economy is essential for combating climate change. However, before we can achieve these goals, we need to ensure that our systems are resilient enough to cope with the impacts of climate change.Arshad Mansoor defines resiliency as "the tip of the spear to get to decarbonization."EPRI is an independent, nonprofit energy research and development organization that has...2023-05-0456 minSunCastDominion Energy Plans to Become the Most Sustainable Energy Company in the US, w/Bob Blue, CEO of Dominion Dominion Energy Chair, President, and CEO Robert "Bob" Blue explains how his company plans to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and become the most sustainable energy company in the country on today’s podcast.Bob shares his vision of a cleaner, greener future with SunCast Host Nico Johnson, while explaining how the realities of reliability, affordability, and reasonable regulation play into Dominion’s plans.Dominion is one of the largest regulated electric utilities in the United States, servicing more than 7 million customers in 16 states. The company has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 40% sinc...2023-04-271h 08SunCastSaving the Planet & Making Money, Elena Foukes, host of Climate Avengers Podcast! Elena Foukes is an investor, advisor and climate entrepreneur who upgraded her career from a low-level analyst at a public utility to co-founder and CEO of a climate-tech startup. Now she develops programs to help others build purpose-filled climate careers, stressing, "You can make money and save the world at the same time." Elena was reared in a Midwest family steeped in automotive tradition, has been in climate work her entire career, and even had a stint paying homage to the family heritage when she joined Tesla.In today's podcast, Nico Jo...2023-04-201h 14SunCastCrowdfunding Climate Solutions For Healthy Returns & A Better Future, with co-founders of Raise Green, Franz Hochstrasser & Jackie Logan Raise Green is a platform that allows people with as little as $100 to invest in projects that promote clean energy and climate solutions in their local communities. It relies on crowdfunding, so you don't have to be a solar finance guru or a billionaire to join those building a better tomorrow — and gain an opportunity to earn a healthy return.In the words of CEO and Co-Founder Franz Hochstrasser, "Invest today and make an impact you can see."In today's podcast, Host Nico Johnson talks with Franz and Raise Green Co-Founder Jackie Logan, th...2023-04-131h 16SunCastA Primer on Risk Taking, Book Writing & Personal Branding, with Tom Weirich of EDPR How does one write a book on the history of renewables and make it a fruitful and engaging experience for all types of readers? Tom Weirich, author of the award-winning book “We Took the Risk” did exactly that in 2022, and he shares How and Why with Nico. Tom Weirich has had the privilege of watching (and helping) titans in the Renewables industry from the front lines build the core skeleton of what we now call a thriving and scalable Trillion-dollar sector. His proximity to the early leaders in the sector forms the foundation of his recen...2023-04-1138 minSunCastEmilie O’Leary on Recycling and Best Practices for Cleaning up Solar Sites Host Nico Johnson speaks with Emilie Oxel O'Leary, CEO of Green Clean Solar, about the utility-scale solar industry's waste challenges in today's podcast. The US Dept. of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) estimates 80 million metric tons of solar photovoltaics (PV) could reach end of life by 2050. Many million tons of additional waste are generated during the construction and installation of solar projects.Emilie shares how her Marietta-based commercial waste management and landfill diversion business partners with recycling companies to recover and reuse components from broken solar panels and related debris, reducing waste a...2023-03-301h 17SunCastThe Energy Transition Needs All of Us; Abby Hopper, Claire Broido Johnson, and Meghan Nutting on why we ALL should be at CERAweek! On today's Tactical Tuesday, Nico Johnson leads a conversation on the growing presence of renewables at CERAWeek, the world's leading annual global energy conference. Nico delves into the language surrounding the energy transition conversation and talks with three solar industry leaders about the importance of attending this event, held annually in Houston. You'll hear from Meghan Nutting, EVP of Government and Regulatory Affairs at Sunnova Energy, Abigail (Abby) Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), and Claire Broido Johnson, COO of Fermata Energy.CERAWeek, organized by S&P G...2023-03-2849 minSunCastGov. Christine Todd Whitman calls for a Forward approach to Politics, and Energy Christine Todd Whitman gained prominence as the 50th person — and the only woman — to serve as a New Jersey governor. When her eight years in office ended in 2001, she spent two years as head of the Environmental Protection Agency in the administration of President George W. Bush.Now the former Republican is working with ex-Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang and others on a new political party called Forward — an option, she says, for the politically homeless. In addition to her political activities, Christie is an author and founder, and president of The Whitman Strateg...2023-03-2345 minSunCastEmily Cohen Has Delivered 15GW+ Of Solar & Wind; Chief Development Officer of Primergy Emily Sanders Cohen talks with Nico Johnson about her 20-plus years of renewable project development, including more than 15 gigawatts of operational wind & solar projects. Emily has spent the past three years at Primergy Solar as Chief Development Officer, responsible for project development, power marketing and origination activities associated with the company's growing portfolio of North American utility-scale and distributed solar and storage assets. Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, a specialist investor in lower carbon and renewable energy infrastructure, launched Primergy in 2020 to capitalize on the increasingly important role of solar-plus-battery storage solutions in accelerating the en...2023-03-161h 15SunCastSystems thinking, Human-centered design, Lessons from a Non-technical founder, with Piper Wilder, 60 Hertz Energy How do you ensure people remain the priority no matter how complex your product or service — and persuade investors to overcome unconscious bias against an untraditional woman-led technical company?In today's Tactical Tuesday, Nico talks with Piper Foster Wilder, the self-described non-technical co-founder and CEO of 60Hertz Energy. The Alaska-based company offers computerized maintenance management software that enables microgrids and their managers to use their assets more effectively and efficiently. In this snippet of a more extended conversation, Nico gives you a quick look at how Piper has embraced human-centered design (HCD), confident dec...2023-03-1424 minSunCastRenewCO2 Wants to Transform the Way Plastics Are Made - co-founder, Karin Calvinho A startup spun out from Rutgers University called RenewCO₂ is rewriting the ways we make plastics and chemicals — along with the ways these industries will handle carbon emissions, regardless of the price of carbon or credits. Can we truly create carbon-negative plastics? How do we better capture and utilize the CO2 in existing chemical processes in a climate-positive way?Join Nico Johnson for an interview with RenewCO₂ Co-Founder and CTO Karin Calvinho as he breaks down the complexities behind the company's revolutionary chemical approach into understandable, sensible language. No need to break out the glossary to fol...2023-03-091h 09SunCastShannon Miller left Tesla to build a new category of generator! Mechanical engineer Shannon Miller is the CEO and co-founder of Mainspring Energy, which aims to increase grid reliability and resilience while accelerating the transition to clean fuels. She leads the design, manufacture, and commercialization of the Mainspring Linear Generator, whose fuel-agnostic design enables it to adjust dynamically for varying fuel qualities and types, including biogas, green ammonia, and green hydrogen. In today's Tactical Tuesday, Nico Johnson explores this remarkable woman’s background and motivations — and shares her practical advice on company culture, seizing opportunities and building successful climate tech careers and businesses. Her career...2023-03-0729 minSunCast2022 Special Year-end Cleantech Podcaster's Roundtable Roundup Each quarter, Tigercomm & SunCast Media convene the brightest stars in cleantech podcasting to discuss what they have been observing vis-a-vis their podcast and industry research. This is the 7th such gathering, and it proved an eventful hour of insights, differing opinions and more than a few laughs. Join hosts Mike Casey & Nico Johnson, along with a lineup of all-star podcasters from across the cleantech spectrum for the Year-end Holiday Special!Our expert panel of cleantech podcasters shared thoughts on what to expect in the clean energy industry in 2023, and what they've been learning from their...2023-01-101h 06SunCastPodcast Guesting Is Still The Best Kept Marketing Secret, with Josh Porter and Nico Johnson Josh Porter and Nico Johnson, both veterans of the solar industry and long-time podcasters, discuss the evolution of the medium and its popularity. They both started their own podcasts at a time when podcasting was still in its infancy, and emphasize how the medium fosters genuinely authentic conversations and storytelling. In this live discussion, Josh & NIco talk about their experiences with starting and growing their own businesses (on the back of podcasts). One of the elements they both experience via their show is the importance of understanding the nuance of the interview process and how a podcast...2022-12-3041 minSunCastMarketing Experts on How to Raise Brand Awareness, Lauren Glickman, Tor Valenza and Nico talk details It’s a holiday weekend, so I’ll keep the reading short for you.Every so often, I try to convene my close friends who are working in the trenches doing the guerilla and grass roots marketing helping our industry grow. Two-such folks are Tor “Solar Fred” Valenza, and Lauren “Windy Glick” Glickman, and I’ve truly come to admire and respect them both. I ask them a ton of questions in this conversation all about how they help their clients navigate the world of new media, social, podcasts, etc, and get more than a handful of tac...2022-12-2341 minSunCastRnd 5 American Made Challenge Winners Announced! Live from RE+ Media Zone The American-Made program is your fast track to the clean energy revolution. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, it incentivizes innovation through prizes, training, teaming, and mentoring, connecting the nation’s entrepreneurs and innovators to America’s national labs and the private sector. The prize, now in its 6th round, recently awarded the 5th round of innovators with millions of dollars to help bring their startup ideas to the world.James Nagel and David Penalva, Co-Founders of HelioVolta were two of the American-Made Solar Prize winners. They joined Nico Johnson and Sarah Gomach on t...2022-10-0519 minSunCastYour VOICE is a powerful weapon…Climate Champions pod interview of Nico This isn't a typical SunCast podcast episode. Today, I'm sharing my interview done by the inimitable Lee Krevat on his podcast, The Climate Champions.I became acquainted with Lee through the pandemic, and have truly come to deeply appreciate his perspective and insight into the energy transition. He’s an entrepreneur, leader, investor and speaker who has had a front-row seat to the way the energy grid is evolving. Lee is a Carnegie-Mellon grad with more than three decades of experience in the energy and technology industries. Now, he helps clean technology start-ups, utilities, regulators, le...2022-08-1259 minSunCastHow do we STOP these BATTERY Fires?!If your mobile phone or laptop has ever become uncomfortably hot, you have first-hand experience with a concept called thermal runaway. It's one of the primary risks related to lithium-ion batteries, and it happens when the lithium-ion cell enters an uncontrollable, self-heating state. Catherine Von Burg, CEO of SimpliPhi Power, recently returned from the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) conference. A key observation by Catherine and her team is that fire-safety in energy storage systems was a seemingly foreign topic [at the conference] with little-to-no knowledge or expertise on energy storage chemistry, form factors, risks, and mitigation mea...2022-08-0240 minSunCastBonus: Introducing "Factor This!"There’s so much good content (especially right here on SunCast) but I always get asked "what podcasts to you listen to, Nico?" This week, we’d like to introduce you to one podcast I’ve been really enjoying - it’s a new deep-dive podcast for the solar industry called "Factor This". Host John Engel from Renewable Energy World breaks down the biggest stories in solar with leaders who move the needle. I was really impressed with his four-part, in-depth series on the Auxin Solar tariff petition, featuring an exclusive interview with Auxin's CEO Mamun Rash...2022-07-2504 minSunCast"They" said she should resign! Catherine Von Burg on scaling SimpliPhi against all odds When VCs told Catherine Von Burg that she probably wasn’t cut out to run (or raise money for) the kind of business that she had mapped out for SimpliPhi, she could have capitulated and sacrificed her personal dignity & self worth on the altar of company mission & vision. Except, the company mission & vision was something that carried her DNA, her blood, sweat & tears. And, ultimately, she believed that it wasn’t a race to be won (ie, “the exit” is not the destination) but a journey that takes more than 1000 miles and more than one person’s determinat...2022-06-161h 08
SunCastCommunity Solar Series TrailerSunCast Media has partnered with EDP Renewables to produce a special 5-part series focused on the fundamentals of the fastest growing segment of the solar industry - Community Solar. If you’re a participant in the solar industry, or even if you’re considering where & how to make the plunge into solar, or more specifically, Community Solar, then you’ve no doubt contemplated “What is Community Solar & does it make sense for me?” The Community Solar vertical is complex, but in this series, Host Nico Johnson helps break down the fundamental knowledge you need to know in order to determine w...2022-06-1302 minSunCastResi & Commercial finance is evolving w/Doug Pierce of Sungage Financial Today's guest, Doug Pierce, is Director of Sales for Sungage Financial, a platform I know many of you use to offer financing to your resi & commercial customers. Today, we get insight from Doug on what’s trending for 2022 and where he sees opportunity for growth, as well as the lightbulb moment for him in his sales journey with most customers. If you haven’t heard Doug’s take on financing before, I’d recommend you queue up our Great Debate from last year, (episode 375 of SunCast) or, even better, go over and watch it on our Youtu...2022-05-2417 minSunCastPodcasters Roundtable (Q1, 2022) Time for #FlashbackFriday!Each quarter, Mike Casey (CEO, Tigercomm) and I convene the top podcasters covering cleantech sectors for a rich, one-hour discussion of trends, developments, challenges and opportunities.Join us in hearing from the people who help shape the view of your company and your sector for investors, markets, and policymakers! This was our 4th Quarterly podcaster’s roundtable. Nico is joined by: Mike Casey (Tigercomm), Tim Montague (Clean Power Hour), Marie Burgquist (GRNE Solar), Gil Jenkins (Hanon Armstrong) and Josh Porter (SolarCoaster)This episode in particular featured heav...2022-05-0659 minSunCastCareer Profile: Solar Project Manager, Isha Rege of New Energy Equity Have you been wondering how to get into the booming solar industry? Curious about the path that someone might take who’s currently doing the job you’d like to have? Where if that job is in solar project development or management then take notes today! My guest, Isha Rege, has risen through the ranks at one of the leading solar development companies in the US, New Energy Equity. In today’s career profile breakdown, we get details from Isha all about how she made the transition from erstwhile student to happily employed in the solar industry.A...2022-05-0339 minSunCastHow to integrate Social Equity into Renewable Energy Credits(REC), Dana Clare Redden, Founder of Solar Stewards Dana Clare Redden is the founder and CEO of Solar Stewards, a social enterprise connecting corporate social responsibility initiatives with schools and universities, affordable and senior housing, places of worship, and nonprofits in marginalized communities.Today, Dana and Nico discuss: What is energy burden? (And how might we best work towards alleviating it?) The challenges of entrepreneurship as a female founderSolar Stewards’ role in bringing solar solutions and accessibility to historically excluded communities Solar Stewards’ model for integrating Environmental Justice + Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) & how, precisely, they secure funding to support their missionJoin...2022-03-241h 12SunCastInside Goldman Sachs & Shell Ventures $75M bet on GridPoint, with Peter Corsell (Chairman) & Melissa Blanken (CMO) In this audio-exclusive, host Nico Johnson gets unique behind-the-scenes insight into the strategic investment by two industry giants, Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Shell Ventures, into one of the more well-established building energy management platforms in climatetech - GridPoint. GridPoint today announced it has closed a $75 million strategic capital raise led by the Sustainable Investing Group within Goldman Sachs Asset Management (Goldman Sachs), with additional participation by Shell Ventures . “Goldman Sachs has been a strong supporter of GridPoint since the company's early days,” said Peter L. Corsell, Chairman & Founder of GridPoint and Global InfraTech Fund Partn...2022-03-0120 min
SunCastWait, Wait Don't Tell Me - Solar Edition! (Live @Intersolar’22)Many will instantly recognize the popular NPR Quiz show “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me!”If you don’t, you really have missed one of the all-time-great NPR staples.Well, at Intersolar North America last month, Scott Nguyen, CEO of Bodhi Solar, and I hosted a very special version [Scott’s brainchild] of WWDTM - the Solar Edition!Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me is a very entertaining quiz show built off real life stories from current events; as you might suspect, the solar edition draws from real (and hard-to-believe) stories curated from the solar indu...2022-02-0827 minSunCastAndrew Birch, Nem3.0, Save our Solar Jobs!, Live @Intersolar N.A.’22 Andrew Birch, affectionately referred to by many as simply “Birchy”, joins Nico in this live interview [rebroadcast] from the Intersolar N. America expo hall floor from Thursday January 13, 2022. Birchy is the Godfather of online solar sales (you may remember him as the co-founder and CEO of Sungevity), and always has keen insight into what’s trending and what to consider within the fast-growing distributed solar arena.Birchy had just come from the CALSSA “Save our Solar Jobs Rally” in LA, and gives an update on the state of the industry in light of the recent negative p...2022-01-1819 minSunCastA comprehensive SaaS suite for utility-scale solar? Andrea Barber, CEO RatedPower You probably assume that the Utility-scale solar market, having deployed hundreds of GW globally, has surely by now figured out the necessary software suite to manage projects. It’s hard to imagine how everybody would just keep building novel tools in silos like it’s still 1998 and Salesforce still doesn’t exist!Well today’s guest, Andrea Barber, founded RatedPower to solve the same challenges she noticed many of her colleagues were struggling with, including her former employer and their customers.In today’s episode, we get into the details of how and why this po...2022-01-0657 min
SunCastDrones or manned aircraft for site data? Maybe both? Mark Culpepper, GM Solar, Drone BaseMark Culpepper, who heads up global solar for Drone Base, is on a mission to simplify the process and amplify the importance of solar site data gathering with aerial methods. As the name might imply, Drone Base has built an entire business around aerial thermographic inspection. They’re on a role, hot off a $20M round of investment and acquisition of India-based Airprobe to add a sophisticated A.I. engine to their platform of global data analysis. And Mark is the guy who’s bringing them into the Solar industry at-scale. While at SunEdison, Mark created the solar...2022-01-0441 min
SunCastGreen Hydrogen (Mini-series) Ep 4 - The Role of New Technologies with Raffi Garbedian, Co-founder of Electric Hydrogen (formerly CTO of First Solar)If you’ve been around the solar industry for long, you might recognize the name, Raffi Garabedian. If you don’t, however, it’s probably because you haven’t studied the rise of one of the largest solar manufacturing brands in the world, First Solar, or perhaps you didn’t sell against First Solar for years like Nico did in his past life! Raffi was the Chief Technology Officer at First Solar for the better part of the last decade, and recently retired to pursue “other interests”. When he came out if stealth this year, we were surprised, and pleased, that i...2021-12-211h 13SunCast421: Freeing Energy, Bill Nussey's education on the Clean Energy Transition The transition to clean energy is moving far too slowly. Trapped by a century of fossil fuel investments and politicians that struggle to plan beyond the next election, the “Big Grid” that powers our modern world is outdated and in dire need of an upgrade. Bill Nussey is on a mission to understand how this transition will benefit us all, especially with regard to what he refers to as “Local Energy”. In his brilliant forthcoming book, “Freeing Energy”, Nussey explores the history and future of the Grid, why the coming infrastructure and investment wave is the biggest we’ve ever s...2021-12-032h 13SunCastCleanTech Podcaster's Roundtable Q3-'21 Welcome back, Solar Warrior. This is a SunCast Rewind that’s also a Tactical Tuesday, typically a short form conversation with subject matter experts designed to give you the practical tools, tips, and advice for building your solar business or career.Today is a special collaboration with Mike Casey from Tigercomm as host of our Quarterly Podcasters Roundtable. Originally recorded live as a video interview (watch it on youtube!), this idea was inspired by Tigercomm's quarterly Cleantech Editor's Roundtable series, which has grown in popularity during the pandemic. As it progressed, we kept hearing from pe...2021-10-1357 minSunCastFriends Don’t Let Friends Use 8760s, with Dr. Jennifer Newman of REsurety Despite their widespread use in the renewable energy industry, using an 8760 to project financial performance can lead to significant errors in revenue models. In particular, revenue models that pair an 8760 with historical prices miss the impact of hourly renewable energy generation on hourly power prices. Because wind and solar plants are relatively inexpensive sources of generation, there tends to be a negative correlation between generation and power price in markets with high renewable penetration.Not quite sure what all that means?Well, we've gotcha covered on today's Tactical Tuesday.Join Nico...2021-09-2831 minSunCastCelebrating 400!!! w/ Mike Silvestrini, CEO - Energea Today, Nico shares his 400th conversation with clean energy experts on Suncast. Each episode investigates a small piece of the big puzzle by asking CEO's, founders, entrepreneurs and thought-leaders to share their story and answer questions like "how did you get here?" and "where are you going?" One by one, these intimate conversations help unite a tribe of energy professionals from all sectors, walks of life and stages in their careers, recognizing that we have so far to go and many, many more people to integrate into the #CleanEnergyRevolution.Episode 400 brings back past guest and...2021-09-161h 10SunCastSPI is Cancelled, What to do Now? (with Danielle Danko & Jake Rozmaryn) Solar Power International was officially cancelled last Friday. 😩 Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are suffering and in the arduous process of Rebuilding that great city, yet again.In today's Tactical Tuesday Nico chats w/Danielle Danko of Solar Power Events (the org that produces SPI) about how we can support the NOLA community, and what the next events are that you can get ready for (assuming we can still meet in person in the near future). Next, Nico has Jake Rozmaryn back to share ideas about how you can level up your biz...2021-09-0732 minSunCastHow to disrupt a $19B market? Erthos' Daniel Flanigan (CMO) & Charles Pimentel (CCO) What does it look to disrupt an industry? What does it take to make a career of it? And as Jim Collins suggested, WHO do you need to get on the bus?In Today's episode Nico gets into these details with Solar pioneers Daniel Flanigan and Charles Pimentel as we navigate their clean energy career paths through Offgrid solar, Hydrogen (Plug Power), Solar modules & Development (Canadian Solar, Solar Frontier), Installation & Construction (Zep Solar, Solar City, Tesla, Depcom) & more! Along the way, we discover how & why they have come together for a second time to upend...2021-09-031h 34
SunCastShould Net Metering Still Exist? The Great Debate Part 3Today's Tactical Tuesday is the latest installment of our GREAT SOLAR DEBATE series, featuring two industry experts - Brian Potts, Partner at Perkins Coie and Karl Rábago, Principal at Rábago Energy. Brian and Karl debate the value of Net Energy Metering (NEM) in the residential market. Should it change to encourage more investment? Or should it remain a high value for residential solar? Join hosts Nico Johnson and Tor Valenza in this lively debate and see who won at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodesYou'll find more resources and learn about SunCast's guest(s), recommendations, book links...2021-08-241h 11
SunCastAurora acquired Helioscope! Hot take w/ "The Paul's" on what it means for Customers & IndustryUnless you were under a rock last week, you prob noticed that two Solar industry SAAS titans have joined forces. Aurora Solar, hot off the heels of raising a giant $250M Round of funding, announced their first acquisition from that war chest - none other than Folsom Labs - makers of pioneering commercial solar design tool many of you use: Helioscope! Listen as Nico chats with our special guests - Paul Gibbs and Paul Grana, the co-founders of Folsom Labs. We get their ‘Hot Take’ on one of the hottest acquisitions in the industry this red-hot year of M...2021-08-2016 minSunCastStrategies to ask for the salary you deserve (and GET IT), with Karima Ladhani, Suparna Kadam, Tara Doyle, and Glenda Johnson What you are about to hear is content from our Career Summit, a fantastic series of conversations all about not only how to find your dream job, the perfect opportunity to transition into clean energy as a career but also how as an industry we can improve the concepts of hiring with justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.Do you get nervous when you have to engage in conversations to negotiate your salary? You’re not alone. In today’s episode, we have Karima Ladhani, Suparna Kadam, Tara Doyle, and Glenda Johnson sharing and discussing experiences of a...2021-03-301h 09SunCastThe story behind crowdfunding $1M on StartEngine, with Arnold Leitner On Thanksgiving, you might have missed our excellent interview with Solar+ Storage entrepreneur and solar pioneer Arnold Leitner. Well in that episode, which I highly recommend you revisit clicking here, we glossed over a fun fact that his company YouSolar, Inc. is among the only 13% of companies that have launched a regulated crowdfunding campaign on a website called StartEngine and raised more than a million dollars, which helped to keep you solar alive during the pandemic, no less.Today we’re chatting again with Arnold to dig a bit deeper into exactly what this entailed an...2020-12-1822 minSunCastHow do medium to large scale solar projects get done? with Jesse Grossman of Soltage Today we have a repeating guest, Jesse Grossman, Co-Founder & CEO of Soltage. We already had Jesse on the show in episode 283, where we dropped the replay of the webinar we had back in June: Solar Project Finance & Acquisitions in the Post-COVID Era.The webinar included valuable insights around not only how Soltage has grown to be one of the leaders in developing solar assets in the United States, but also advice and insight from Jesse’s 10+ years since the last recession.Today, we’re going to drill down on one of the topics that...2020-09-1524 minSunCastA golden opportunity in the Sunshine State, with Daren Goldin I’m honored you’re joining me for another fantastic foray into the world of solar energy. Today’s guest, Daren Goldin, is the Co-Founder and CEO of Goldin Solar, one of Florida's leading solar energy contractors with over 1,000 active installations throughout the state.Daren founded Goldin Solar in 2014 to bring the best solar technology available to Floridians to help them save money and protect the planet.Remember you can always find the resources and learn more about today’s guest, recommendations, book links and more than 290 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.Gain access to all the show notes...2020-09-1157 minSunCastSelling residential solar with real data, Brian Lynch of LG Solar USA If you have been building a residential solar installation business, then today’s episode is for you. Are you on the front lines trying to convince homeowners for value over price, and trying to help them understand how this investment is going to improve their overall well-being and life?Grab a seat and listen to this conversation with LG Electronic’s Brian Lynch, the Director of Solar and Storage. Working closely with industry contacts and partners, Brian has been involved in hundreds of megawatts of solar projects that are generating clean energy around the world.2020-09-0824 minSunCastThe QB Sneak: The Journey from Pro Football to Renewable Energy What do the Chicago Bears, United Airlines, and the solar industry have in common? Well, the particularly quick mind, feet, and contributions of today’s guest. Eric Peterman, the CEO of GRNE Solar has such a transformative and interesting story.Eric and I knew each other preparing for a Midwest Solar Expo panel that you’ve probably already heard. If you haven’t, I invite you to go back and listen to that one about O&M.Eric impressed me and I had to get to know more about his story, and is such a...2020-09-041h 13SunCastCybersecurity in the era of distributed energy, with Tom Tansy of SunSpec If you listened to our previous episode with Tom Tansy, then you are aware that we left off with unfinished conversations around cybersecurity, which itself is a very hot topic. Today we are digging deeper into some of the implications of the “internet of energy” concept that we are creating, and that the next decade is absolutely certain to cement and expand upon exponentially for our industry.Remember you can always find the resources and learn more about today’s guest, recommendations, book links and more than 290 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysunc...2020-09-0118 minSunCastHow SunSpec is advancing rapid shutdown for Solar, with Tom Tansy of SunSpec We have a returning SunCast guest: Tom Tansy. Having first appeared in episode 111, his entrepreneurial story is remarkable (you can listen to episode 111 clicking here).Tom unfolded how he broke into clean energy, and how he parlayed one opportunity after the other, translating into a successful entrepreneurial career. He has found a home for himself as one of the arbiters of how regulatory policy in solar and internet energy makes its way to us: the practitioners.Remember you can always find the resources and learn more about today’s guest, recommendations, book links an...2020-09-0120 minSunCastAruba - Caribbean’s First 100% Renewable Commitment Welcome to Episode 138, Solar Warrior! In October 2009, Mike Eman was sworn in as Prime Minister of the small island state of Aruba, a dutch territory in the Caribbean, and over the course of 8 years established a leadership position in championing renewables. Aruba became the first Caribbean island to declare a 100% renewable target, way back in 2012, long before the recent fanfare we’ve covered here on the US cities also taking up that banner. He partnered with Sir Richard Branson & Jigar Shah via their Carbon War Room, and created the 10-island challenge, a call to other Ca...2019-01-2457 minSunCastAndrew Beebe, Obvious Ventures Welcome to Episode 137 of SunCast! In ’02, Andrew Beebe took a much-needed sabbatical from tech after selling his startup Big Step, in order to find new direction. Ignoring advice from solar legend Dick Swanson, he scaled a solar EPC business long before being an EPC subcontractor was a popular model, and was still able to sell his solar company to then-market-leader, Suntech, going on to run Global Sales for that company. You can find Andrew's story and more great founder stories and solar startup advice in the other 136 episodes archived over at www.mysuncast.com. Thanks to our partners, H...2019-01-1750 minSunCastYear In Review (2018) Welcome to Episode 135 of SunCast!Do you prefer New Year’s Resolutions, or Goals? At SunCast, we are resolved to continue bringing you, solar warriors, quality content that will improve your lives and businesses. In this episode, host Nico Johnson looks back at some key moments from the podcast throughout 2018. Tune in for highlights from the wide array of fascinating guests and topics covered this year, and a preview of the first two episodes that kickoff 2019!For resources from today's episode and more information on how you can support Suncast, head over to www...2019-01-0834 minSunCast100 Episodes! Wow - Nico is interviewed by Scott Sullivan Welcome to this milestone episode of SunCast, Episode 100!Wow, thank you! SunCast doesn't exist with amazing and dedicated listeners. You've helped make this all possible - thank you.THIS episode, Nico gets the microphoned turned on him by good friend and fellow podcaster, Scott Sullivan. Tune-in to learn more about the creator, host and voice of SunCast - Nico Johnson!Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/me...2018-07-261h 06SunCastJeff Spies, Solar Pioneer Parties, and Evolution of Solar Contracting Welcome to Episode 46 of SunCast. I'm your host, Nico Johnson, and I'm so glad you're back with me again this week! My friend, and fellow podcaster, Jeff Spies, has been in the solar industry for nearly exactly the same amount of time I have (that's 11 yrs and counting!) and I don't think Anybody has spent as much time as he has thinking about how to tell the story of the dawn of the Solar PV Industry and the vanguards who ushered it out of obscurity and into mainstream. His Solar Pioneer parties are legendary, so s...2017-09-161h 17SunCastJing Tian is the Boss You Wish You Had Welcome to Episode 41 of SunCast.Today we'll chat with a friend who has done some pioneering work in solar R&D and in setting the bar for Women in Solar. I had the privilege to work with Jing Tian when she first got to Trina Solar in 2014, and have been impressed from day One. She was recently promoted as President of Trina's North America business unit. And I think that you'll understand after today's episode exactly why she has been able to achieve the great heights she presently enjoys. In today's episode, we get into d...2017-08-0545 minSunCastCory Vaughan, From Solar Cowboyz to SunEdison Wow, Episode 40 of SunCast! And you're gonna love it.This is a long-ish intro, for a longer episode, so settle in for what I hope you'll agree is a fun and fact-filled episode.Today we're continuing what I have dubbed the Solar Pioneers series.I have chosen to use the term Pioneers primarily because the folks in this SunCast interview series have indeed been pioneers of business models and companies contributing to what might be called the modern Solar PV Growth era, beginning around the mid 1990's and into the 2000's g...2017-07-291h 06SunCastMicrogrids are the Future, with Pablo Astorga of ABB Host Nico Johnson and ABB Global Manager of Microgrids, Pablo Astorga. Join in as Nico and Pablo discuss the global microgrid market.We talk about definition of microgrid, where microgrids are growing, projections for the global microgrid markets and more. Pablo has had a nearly decade-long career at ABB, and is leading the effort at ABB to address what could soon be a fast-growing market which is often at the bleeding edge of power delivery and technology development.We really hope you get massive value from this next episode of SunCast!If...2016-02-1157 minSunCast008 Your Network is Your Net Worth with Jeff Atkin of Foley & Lardner Host Nico Johnson and Foley & Lardner Partner, Jeff Atkin. Join in as Nico and Jeff discuss how their mutual time serving in volunteerism in Latin America (in particular, Guatemala) has informed their professional decisions.We talk about the Horus solar project in Guatemala, one which Jeff’s team at Foley was responsible for structuring; if you’re unfamiliar with this project, it was the first major tender-awarded and utility-scale project in Central America, and it’s one of the largest in the region now at about 75MW AC.Jeff gives his opinion on lessons...2016-01-1353 minSunCast4 Tips for Standing Out as a Good Local Partner, Recap of SunCast Launch Episodes & Strategic Planning for 2016 Host Nico Johnson does a solo round this week providing a recap of the past few weeks episodes that constitutes the SunCast launch. We take a look at 4 tips for positioning yourself as (or finding) a good local partner in Latin America. And Nico discusses some of the ways he looks at planning for the new year as well as the main tool he uses to keep it all straight - meditation! We believe today’s episode is value-packed, and trust you will too.If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links t...2015-12-0329 minSunCastHow to Pivot from Product to Projects, with Lamberto Camacho of SolaireDirect Host Nico Johnson and SolaireDirect Managing Director for Mexico & Central America, Lamberto Camacho. Join in as Nico and Lamberto discuss the similarities of International development between Africa and Latin America, and go deep on how Lamberto positioned SolaireDirect to win the Panama Solar PV Tender last year. Lamberto has been involved in solar development for a decade, and has personally developed >200MW of projects on 3 continents. Nico pulls a lot of tips and insights out of Lamberto to share with the SunCast audience, so listen carefully and probably multiple times, as they discuss Mexico, Central America and the...2015-11-2556 minSunCastQ&A with Nico - Episodes in Spanish, Conference Planning & Finding Good Development Partners Host Nico Johnson takes some time today in this first Question and Answer episode to respond to some questions received from the audience the past few weeks. There are a lot of requests for whether the show will ever be in Spanish. The short answer is "maybe" and "it depends". Nico unpacks it a bit further.In our inaugural episode, there was quite a bit of data and market trend info shared between Nico and Adam James, and many really enjoyed this style approach for the show. We'll definitely be bringing more of this...2015-11-1726 minSunCastSolar Tenders, Storage & Perspectives of an IPP, with Edgar Arvizu of sPower Host Nico Johnson and sPower VP for Latin America, Edgar Arvizu. Join in as Nico and Edgar discuss the in-detail one of Edgar’s first projects in the region, the 5MW Puerto Rico Convention Center carport project. Edgar and his team have developed some of the first and largest solar projects in the region, from Puerto Rico to Peru, and this Mexican-born devleper has a deep understanding of both the development and banking aspects of the business. In this episode, Edgar touches on the variability of the solar tender process, bankability of solar+storage, and volatility in excha...2015-10-2750 minSunCastWhen will Solar Energy be FREE, with Camilo Patrignani of Greenwood Energy Host Nico Johnson meets with Greenwood Energy CEO, Camilo Patrignani, live from Solar Power International 2015. Join in as Nico and Camilo discuss the hard parts of developing one of the largest private solar PPAs in Latin America. We also cover the decisions behind Greenwood’s JV with Illios in Mexico, and the art of letting go when your partner is courted by deeper pockets. Camilo gives a little insight as well into Greenwood’s master plan to pivot away from the Utility markets and move towards what he sees as the burgeoning and more cash-cycle-friendly rooftop distributed generat...2015-10-2046 minSunCastAnatomy of a Winning Market Entry Strategy, with Marco Garcia of Nextracker Host Nico Johnson and Nextracker COO, Marco Garcia, dive deep into Marco's global experience developing solar energy projects with Powerlight, SunPower, and now Nextracker as he has lived through multiple emerging market growth cycles. Marco and his team have been present at the birth of most of today's largest solar market booms, and Latin America is no different. We dig into exactly how they won some of the largest supply deals in the Latin America region, and what Marco has learned over the years about how to get in early and dominate a new market.The...2015-10-1342 minSunCastLatin America Solar Update Oct 2015 with Adam James of GTM Research Host Nico Johnson and GTM Sr. Analyst Adam James dig deep into the various solar markets in Latin America that are, or are not, ready for prime time. Adam provides sweeping perspectives from energy reform in Mexico to Commercial & Industrial solar in Central America, Capacity payments for solar, and the Chilean Auctions. Near that end, Adam highlights some of the markets he feels are Hot, and some that are Not, along with commentary on success markers in each.If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the...2015-10-0641 minSunCastWhat is SunCast? Who I am and Why You Care. Host Nico Johnson discusses in detail the research, tools and strategies you need to succeed as a solar professional in the Latin America market. Through regular contributors like Adam James of Greentech Media and interviews with Industry Executives from leading companies like SolarCity, Nextracker, Conergy and others, Nico shares what's hot, what's working, and how you can be a cut above the rest as you take your company into the fastest growing solar market in the world.If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the sho...2015-10-0606 min