Suncast

I’ve gotta give NASA credit.  It turns out the space program has delivered many many more terrestrial benefits and innovations than might be assumed at first observation. There’ve been a few folks lately on the show who’s original pursuits & passions took them closer to the moon than the average person. Today’s guest is among that elite group, having spent time in deep research for NASA’s space-walking astronauts; his co-founder worked for SpaceX. You can say these guys are used to shooting for the stars. Nikhil Vadhavkar is the CEO and co-founder of Raptor Maps, solar lifecycle management software that they refer to as “The Slack for Solar” where collaboration between asset owners & stakeholders has truly become a data and software-driven obsession.   Today we cover: his “climate wakeup” moment,  parlaying a $100k investment from Y-Combinator  leveraging SpaceX, Gates Foundation, Accenture and NASA to build Raptor Maps what “System of Record” & “Digital Twin” mean & w

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-powers-9445641/ (Jon Powers), is a true [Solar]Warrior. From serving the US Army in Iraq, to becoming the first-ever Chief Sustainability Officer under the Obama administration, Jon has demonstrated passion & leadership in renewables. He was able to parlay that expertise into a strong brand and portfolio in the clean economy vis a vis his company, Clean Capital. Since I first interviewed him way back in https://www.mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/181 (Episode 181), Jon and team have grown to become one of the largest C&I developers & asset owners in the US market. And during they pandemic they parlayed their operating asset experience downstream to provide greenfield development support to their partners. Hear how his development capital is perhaps different from what you’ve come to understand as dev capital. In this Live interview at RE+ Northeast, Jon and I discuss the value of in-person events & meetings in this new landscape we find ourselves in. Jon also dis

A year ago, the industry was mildly shocked to learn that Jigar Shah, Industry Icon, Entrepreneur, Investor & Visionary would be joining the US Department of Energy to head the infamous Loan Program office(LPO). The LPO is notably responsible for the Title XVII program that invested in companies like Tesla, Ford, Nissan and a large number of solar energy companies/projects. A year on, I wanted to check-in with Jigar to learn how his first year went, where he’s seeing the trends for 2022 & beyond, and how the solar industry would fare in the portfolio for the remainder of his tenure. We touch on 3 key areas (and a few other 1st-heard-on-SunCast moments): A Portfolio Summary Report  Is there still a place for Solar at LPO? Jigar’s Journey to Federal Service & what the job opportunities look like You didn’t click on this episode to read a bunch, likely you need no convincing, so get to listening. ;-) If you want to connect to today's guest or find links to all the research I drew from or Jigar

Piper Wilder has been working with electric cooperatives for decades and has keen insight into how to partner with (and sell to) them compared with the functional process with the more traditional utility structure.  How many electric cooperatives there are in the United States?  What percentage of the total (of electric utilities) that represents? What differences exist between working with Cooperatives versus traditional Utilities?  And how might you position yourself or identify how to work with Cooperative Electric Utilities based on what you learn today?  Piper breaks down these 5 key areas that will help you better understand how to work with a rural electric cooperative: What are the 2 flavors of electric cooperative and how does each work?  What are the structural operational differences between electric cooperatives and traditional utilities? What if any Strategic and Planning differences exist that influence their decision-making? Who should a solar developer approach within

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 founder Solar 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 mission Join us as we dig into this incredibly engaging episode! Tune in now.  If you want to connect to today's guest, check out the https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/ (show notes) over on the blog. SunCast is presented by https://www.mysuncast.com/sungrow (Sungrow), the world’s most bankable inverter brand.

Suncast is a decidedly better show because of today’s guest. I mean that in all sincerity. In 2018, sitting with Tara Doyle over a beer at SF’s Thirsty Bear brewery, I was challenged to diversify the then very-white-very-male interview guest roster of the fledgling show (still under 100 episodes!!). That day I pledged to get SunCast to at least a 30% representation of female guests (the % of female to male team members in the industry at the time). And, to kick off Women’s History Month in 2019, we did a 2-part interview with Tara (which I highly encourage you to listen to in its entirety) which has begun a tradition on SunCast of dedicating the podcast roster to an all-female lineup every March these last 4 yrs.  In honor of that initial kick in the pants by Tara (and bc her episode was, in fact, amazing), I’m delighted to bring you this abridged version of that episode. For those unfamiliar, Tara Doyle is the Chief Commercial Officer at PV Evolution Labs (now officially “PVEL”) and has worked nearly ev

Meghan Nutting's work speaks for itself; She has advocated for and contributed to numerous Solar policies and solutions over the past decade-plus. Additionally, she cut her teeth in public affairs, has worked as a Legislative Director for New York State Assembly member Linda Rosenthal, and as a Press Secretary for former U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe. She then served at SolarCity as the Director of Policy and Electricity Markets as the industry pulled out of the last recession way back in 2009. Presently, Meghan serves as the Executive Vice President of Government & Regulatory Affairs at Sunnova Energy Corporation (a leading U.S. residential solar and storage services provider.) Her background displays the considerable breadth of her experience, which lends her the unique lens to evaluate the Clean Energy industry and chart a way forward using policies that foster and secure a sustainable business environment for Solar electricity generation. It also makes for a particularly stellar episode as she is well-ve

This week’s tactical Tuesday features Britta von Oesen, longtime #Solar Warrior and Clean Energy maven who currently serves as Managing Director with CohnReznick Capital where she opened the W. Coast (SF) Office. She has over a decade of experience with everything from investment banking to tax equity and development in the environmental sector and she’s done BILLIONS of dollars in transactions. Not surprisingly, we recently revealed that her 2020 episode is one of our top listened-to episodes on the show! There are back-to-back gems found all throughout, so much so that I decided to bring it back for an abridged Tactical Tuesday.  As the Managing Director of an investment firm specifically geared towards serving the Renewable Energy sector, Britta has developed an eye for what opportunities attract investors and have the potential to maximize returns.  Today you’ll learn - What are key elements developers should consider when getting an energy storage deal financed? - Where do new off-take models

Shaun Keegan co-founded Solar Landscape with a childhood friend in 2012, personally developing each side of the business from design and build to legal and policy.  In 2020, his sister, Kate Gold joined the company to lead their community engagement & workforce development initiatives. Kate joins the interview today to provide some color into Shaun’s background and this truly family-run business. You can also check out her interview last year, https://www.mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/408 (episode 408), where we highlighted Kate as Solar Power World’s “Top Solar Changemaker” for 2021!  We talk about the crucial role of family and community that has contributed to Solar Landscape’s success over the years, and I get a little insight about what it was like to grow up with Shaun, who, as Kate puts it, “has been a CEO since he was three.” You’ll love the stories and life lessons shared in today’s episode #SolarWarriors. I sure did. You can check out Kate’s interview from 2021: https://mysuncast.com/

Just a few weeks ago (Feb 2022), I was live and in person at the RE+NorthEast Trade Show. I LOVE in person interviews!!  Especially this one with Nadia Pabst, VP of the newly created Public Affairs Practice, a notable expansion of Antenna Group who is so well known for Marketing and PR.  From storage to solar fleets to self driving vehicles, Nadia brings a surprising breadth of experience and subject matter expertise to the political acumen clients would expect from a Public Affairs expert. So, what’s the difference between Public Relations and Public Affairs?  How does that change the picture for the client and the industry?  Nadia explains how Public Affairs takes a holistic perspective of clean energy entrepreneurship, grid sustainability, and policy to promote and secure real growth in this fast moving industry.    Special thanks to the folks at RE+ for setting aside a dedicated room for us at the show to be able to accommodate interviews. There will be more forthcoming

We are kicking off Women’s History Month with Mary Powell, the Chief Executive Officer of Sunrun, the Nation’s leading home solar, battery storage, and energy services company.  You may also recall that Mary served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Green Mountain Power Corporation (2008-2019), an electric services company that serves 75 percent of the State of Vermont’s residential and business customers. During her tenure, Mary delivered on an ambitious energy vision to provide low-carbon, low-cost and highly reliable power to Vermont residents, and positioned the company as a leading energy transformation business. She is a force within the industry and I am honored to have her featured as our 450th Podcast Episode Guest!  This episode captures our enlivening discussion as we cover her path from a very art-inspired family background where she admittedly, “did not grow up with any orientation towards business nor towards the world of energy,” to coming into her own as an executive in

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 Partner at I Squared Capital. “We are now delighted to work closely with Goldman’s Sustainable Investing Group and Shell Ventures in this next, important chapter of GridPoint’s growth.” Listen in as Nico discusses both the nature of the investment and the new GridPoint that is set to emerge with Peter Corsell. How will the existing

Warning this is a 2-hour life course that you don't want to miss! Queue it up and set aside the time. You will be rewarded Ever meet someone and stand in awe of their genius?  Well, have we got a show for you!  This week’s episode features Michael Burz, CEO and Co-Founder of Enzinc, a green energy startup developing a revolutionary type of battery based on zinc. While most stories illustrate a slow and steady upward journey toward success, Michael’s story is one mind-blowing achievement after another. Get this: He’s pretty much a rocket scientist. Graduated with a masters in aerospace engineering and before becoming an entrepreneur, he designed cruise missiles, was part of Nissan’s Design Studio in the United States, where he worked on an eco-car for the Tokyo Auto Show and was program manager for Nissan’s all-carbon composite Group C car to race at Le Mans. He led the team that took a racecar from a blank page to the track in record time and under budget. And that’s not all. Michael Burz is still a

Today's Tactical Tuesday features Derick Lila, the founder of PV Buzz (a platform focused on the North American Solar industry.) Recently, he made an interesting post on LinkedIn about Black History month and its emphasis on "black awesomeness" while overlooking issues related to black wellness. The post was particularly notable as the theme of this year's Black History Month is centered around Black health and wellness.  I commented as I am prone to do, and it struck a chord, so I asked Derick to come on SunCast and let’s discuss it. Truth be told: It is relatively easy to fall into "celebrating" Black History by solely focusing upon the accomplishments of the past. In contrast, true celebration seems to encompass the whole of the culture, including considering the present struggles of black communities.  In light of this, today's Tactical Tuesday discussion focuses on exploring the mental health side of entrepreneurship, through the lens of a fellow entrepreneur, who happens to be Black. We also f

Miles Braxton went to UVA specifically to study in the lab of Mool Gupta, the Father of Photonics. He should have been a prime candidate for the booming solar industry: a black engineer, young and ambitious, ready to put his boots on and earn his stripes. Then, he couldn’t find a job. Anywhere. He now leads Risk Management for the Goldman Sachs Renewable Power Group, and is Co-founder and Director of Strategic Partnerships at the BlackOak Collective. Not a bad turn turn in his luck, but as you’ll hear today, it had more to do with persistence, patience and a clear vision for what he wanted to accomplish along the way. He also had some really great mentors along the way. (You can https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/446 (Read More) about Miles’ story over on the https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/446 (blog post)) This episode covers his remarkable journey with the following defining themes marking his rise to success: — Initiative (fearless follow-up and creating opportunities for himself instead of wait

Happy Tuesday, Solar Warriors!  If you've been keeping up with our podcast, then you'll remember Alex Williams, CEO of Solar Energy Partners, who appeared on the show at the beginning of this month. In that episode, we talked at length about his company and his success in mobilizing over 1000 people into high-performing solar sales.  And while his success is undoubtedly inspiring, too often, we can fixate on trying to replicate results without sufficiently investigating the habits, mindsets, or other tools that were instrumental on the road to success. Well, on today's Tactical Tuesday, we cover personal development and how it positively impacted Alex Williams along his upward journey.  Alex Williams is a strong proponent for personal development and its potential utility in business and beyond. Personal development is an area that generally encompasses skills and activities to increase self-awareness, improve life skills, and facilitate unlocking potential. Specifically here, Alex attests to t

This week we’re excited to welcome our guest, John Farrell, to Suncast. John Farrell is an author, a podcaster, co-director of the Institute of Self Reliance, and leads the Energy Democracy Initiative. He has also been featured in the New York Times and is widely known as a “guru of distributed energy.”  On this week’s episode, we were able to get some deeper insights from him specifically focused around:  1.) The Institute of Self Reliance, their mission, and how that fits in to address the needs of marginalized communities 2.) Empowering local energy through his current work and spotlighting additional programs like the “Our Power Maine” campaign 3.) His predictions on the next shift in the market including what he finds to be a “one-in-a-generation” opportunity  From his writing of “Energy Self Reliant States” to his present work and outlook on Energy Democracy, John Farrell is a force and voice that champions local communities and their power to decide and structure their energy future. And

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 industry at-large. We had a special group of panelists help deliver the stories (and some levity): Mark Culpepper from Dronebase, Kathy Heilmann from Shoals Technology Group and Stan Pipkin from Lighthouse Solar.  You are going to love the stories, and I hope it leaves you laughing, or at least wanting more! Join us for a fun and interesting time and play along to see how well you would have done on the show. Should we do more like this? Shoot me a LinkedIn Message and l

Alex Williams is a problem-solver. That, and he loves to recruit high-performing sales people. He loves watching people transform into what they think they can be. And through the pandemic he got his perfect chance. His company, Solar Energy Partners, hired and trained over 1000 sales people over the last 18 months, all focused on knocking residential homeowner’s doors and consulting them to “go solar”. And it appears they’re very good at it. Since Alex was a teen, he’s looked for disparities in markets and tried to come up with a way to insert himself into the cash cycle by solving this or that missing element. That’s how he found himself in the Shale Fields of North Dakota, and ultimately its his curiosity and keen sense of opportunity that got him out of Oil & Gas and into Solar. From building the fastest growth sales org at Vivint (we discuss how) to now building one of the largest independent solar sales rep organizations, Alex quickly discovered his unique gifting for recruiting and building systems

Can Energy Storage unlock a “Solar-Plus-Storage-Powered Future” for the largely yet-to-be-disrupted Commercial and Industrial segment of solar? Today’s guest, Yotta Energy’s CEO, Omeed Badkoobeh, believes it can, and we get into the innovative storage technology they’ve created to address this behemoth and largely untapped market. Of the more than 22 GW of corporate renewable energy deals announced since 2008, more than 15 GW of these deals were announced since 2018, according to the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA) Corporate Renewable Energy Deal Tracker. Further, projections show that just within the Fortune 1000, C&I customers will need up to 85 GW of renewable energy through 2030.  Many developers & Installers today agree with REBA that solar growth in the U.S. and globally will come not from huge Utility segment, but from expansion in this commercial and industrial segment. So, if this is the case, how do these developers add energy storage capacity in an environment  where real