Suncast

I'm honored that you're joining me and pouring into this fantastic world of clean energy. Today's entrepreneur, Scott Ringlein, is the Founder and Principal of the Energy Alliance Group of North America (EAG). Scott is also a Technical Advisor to the U.S. Department of Energy and conducts technical reviews of applications for technology innovation & commercialization. We go really deep into how Scott thinks about servicing his customers. Besides that, we will discuss some of the lessons learned on his journey of the power of networking, having a mentor, accepting what you can not change and accepting that you can't do everything. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here Check out the first SunCast Clean Energy Summit You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

Welcome back, Solar Warrior! We are getting geared up for a fantastic 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. So today’s Tactical Tuesday is all about Earth Day: its history and what we are working on together. It goes without saying that tomorrow we will kick off our first SunCast Clean Energy Summit to celebrate #EarthDayTogether! More information: www.suncastsummit.com Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

Matt Bertram is the Co-Host of a decade-long podcast specifically focused on the Unknown Secrets of Internet Marketing (BestSEOPodcast.com), with over 3.6 million downloads to their credit. He is also an Amazon best-selling author and the CEO at eWebResults (EWR), a digital marketing agency. Matt does a masterful job of unpacking what SEO really is. And he also dispels myths around the different verticals that affect the performance of your website (the things that are in your control vs what you can't control).  It's so difficult to briefly explain here all of the relevant aspects of SEO he and I talked about, so the best piece of advice I can give you is to listen through the whole interview, as I'm sure you'll find significant value in Matt's words. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let

Today’s guest is Stijn Vos, CEO of ESDEC Solar Group, a company that has supplied universal mounting systems for roof-mounted PV installations on flat and pitched roofs since 2004. With over 15 years of experience and over 7GW of solar panels installed, the ESDEC folks have developed themselves from a brand new company in the U.S., into the largest residential racking manufacturer. Stijn shared his thoughts on bringing two of the most popular roofing companies, Iron Ridge and Quick Mount PV, underneath the ESDEC roof, and the back-end benefits for the ESDEC group in terms of product development. He also talked about the importance of fostering a proper feedback ecosystem amongst installers and engineers as they understand what’s happening on the roof, how stricter legislation within the U.S. impacts upon installing costs, and more! Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors fo

Today's guest is John Powers, CEO and Founder of Extensible Energy. He is an energy consultant, energy an economist and a serial entrepreneur with more than three decades of experience in technology development for energy markets. He's worked across a slew of different aspects of this industry, and has an incredible story and a stellar team. And I can't wait to unpack it here on SunCast. We're going to talk about what are all of the inputs that you want to consider as you help your customers deliver the maximum energy efficiency and transition away from their current way of thinking about using energy. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

Today we enjoy a conversation with  Vikram Aggarwal, the CEO and Founder of EnergySage, the leading online marketplace for solar energy systems in the U.S., sometimes referred to as “the Expedia of solar". Vikram founded EnergySage after more than fifteen years with a major global financial services leader, specializing in private equity investing and strategy consulting. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

I’ve asked my friend Pamela Wagner to join me to guide us through a discussion about the often mystical world of paid advertising, in particular, Google Ads. Pamela worked on the Google Ads team before branching out on her own to form Ajala Digital, a creative agency based in Europe that helps companies around the world with their digital marketing strategy and implementation. Pamela has been honored as a Forbes 30 under 30, and is one of my go-to experts when it comes to digital marketing and remote work strategies. I know you’re going to get a ton out of this episode, so make sure you have somewhere to take notes! Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

Solar energy has often been billed as a luxury item for the rich, yet as a technology it has the power to lift people out of poverty offering energy access and security to the poorest and most isolated communities. But how do we actually achieve this shift in paradigm? Today I am joined by Alexandra Wyatt, who is the policy and regulatory manager at GRID Alternatives, a nonprofit with a vision for a successful transition to clean, renewable energy that includes everyone.  As we’ve highlighted in previous episodes, GRID Alternatives has done significant work for the renewable energy industry, empowering low-income communities and investing in access to solar for all. This conversation took place in the Podcast Lounge back at SPI 2019, and was led by PV Magazine contributor, Erica Johnson. Key ideas explored: The California energy crisis Low-income solar incentive programs (Solar-For-All Program) How is policy crucial for low income solar to succeed? The importance of tangible immediate energy-burden re

Today is Part 2 of our interview with Amanda Bybee, Founder of Amicus O&M Cooperative, a company that brings together a network of independent solar companies across the U.S. to provide operations and maintenance (O&M) services for geographically distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) portfolios. Today, she will continue to share the struggles she’s gone through, how she has endured the growth curve of multiple companies, and the insight into ways you can now adapt her lens into your own career. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

I'm really, grateful for my friend Tara Doyle, who introduced me to today's guest, Amanda Bybee. Before I began conversations with Amanda, I didn't know much about her life and work. And I must tell you, I was engrossed by Amanda's story. She had such a phenomenal background and journey to get to where she is today. And we learn all about the Amicus O&M Cooperative as well as her time at Namaste Solar, and even back to the early days of Solar Austin and the early early push to get renewable energy and solar into the agenda in Texas. I am honored to be able to provide you with this Part One of the interview, and we'll be following the Part Two on Thursday. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

If you’ve ever pulled yourself up by the bootstrings, ever worked hard-as-hell just to get on a level playing field, ever kept at something b/c it was simply worth doing, then today’s episode is for you. Today’s Energy executive is my longtime friend and true #SolarWarrior, Kendra Hubbard. Kendra and I met in 2011 in Philly at a regional solar conference, the way I’ve met so many of you. She earned and kept my respect for her tenacity and ingenuity from the first moment we met. Today I share with you some of the ways she’s become a thought leader in the solar industry, and how she manufactured her ascension to become one of the general assembly elected members of the board of SEIA. She’s an inspiration, and I’m honored to know her. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you thi

Today's guest is Rosana Francescato, Communications Director at Clean Coalition, a non-profit organization that drives policy innovation to remove barriers to procurement and interconnection of Distributed Energy Resources (DER), and also collaborates with utilities and municipalities to create near-term deployment opportunities that prove the technical and financial viability of local renewables and other DER. This conversation took place in the Podcast Lounge back at SPI 2019, and was led by PV Magazine contributors, Christian Roselund and Erica Johnson. Hear Rosana separate fact from dicromato about an often confusing electricity topic: Microgrids! Much has been said about the traditional power grid, but their smaller versions offer viable solutions due to independent control capability, better known as "Island Mode". Rosana covered this and other benefits that this approach has to offer in supporting our savings grid infrastructure, from phasing out diesel generators, to mitigating risks in the face of na

Today’s guest does not consider herself an entrepreneur, so I’ll give her some other titles. Whether she would be self-referential or not, Mona Dajani is a deal machine. She’s also the only woman ever to be head of energy and infrastructure of a major law firm, and The only lawyer on the board for ACORE. In short, she’s a trusted advisor and has been the steady hand in nearly $100B in renewables transactions.  Mona unpacks for me the 3 key elements of a ‘good deal’ - Reliable pathway, Risk mitigation, and the reality of the macro-environment. We also unpack where deals get stuck, what Mona does to relax, and as you’ll hear, she has an infectious laugh. I like to think that contributes greatly to the appeal of this self-proclaimed network-aholic. At times, she appears superhuman, but rest assured, I get Mona comfortable enough to reveal her secrets to success and a life well lived. I know you’ll love seeing the corners she’s peering around. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode he

PV recycling is something that our industry has been working on for at least four years, maybe longer. Many question marks gravitate around recycling solar PV modules, one of them being the final destination of these assets if not recycled properly, often associated to increase the world’s pollution levels. Today we're joined by Evelyn Butler from Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Garvin Heath of the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Garvin himself has been very entrenched in the efforts with a lot of his other research activities. It's an area near and dear to his heart, so I'm excited to share both his and Evelyn’s insights about this topic. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email  Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

Today’s the second in our Women’s History Month lineup of all-star clean energy leaders. Britta von Oesen is a longtime Solar Warrior. The story about her entry into the industry is fascinating. Britta is a Managing Director with CohnReznick Capital and leads the San Francisco Office.  She has 10+ years of experience in investment banking, tax equity, corporate strategy, and development in the wind, solar, and broader environmental sector. She has directly advised on over 5GW of solar, wind and battery storage projects, and contributed to the financing or sale of $20B+ worth of projects with CohnReznick Capital. Hear how she turned from financial crisis to financial dealmaker during The Great Recession. Britta has been responsible for 5GW and some of the biggest transactions in the last decade of the solar boom. But that’s not the whole story - she’s a dedicated mother and a sterling example that you can lead at home and the office without compromise. As we continue our all-female lineup during this Women’s H

We are joined today by Erika Myers, Principal of Transportation Electrification at Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA). She has 16 years of experience in the clean energy sector and specializes in the nexus between the grid, electric vehicles, and renewable energy. Key ideas explored: Distribution System Infrastructure and Planning to support optimized charging and Electric Vehicles (EVs) Trends in EV infrastructure Charging amount for medium and heavy-duty trucks What are the challenges of long haul trucking electrification? How to help fleets? Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email  Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

This Sunday, you can watch Rocky Mountain Institute on CBS’ 60 Minutes. Justin Locke and Chris Burgess from the Islands Energy Program will be featured with partners from Bahamas Power and Light and the Government of The Bahamas discussing the power of distributed renewable energy to build a more resilient future for the islands and set an example for the world grappling with climate change. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email  Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

When former guest and industry pioneer, Jim Spano, introduced me to Joe Tassone, I never could have imagined how much I’d go on to learn from him, but I’m grateful for the introduction. Joe has been developing projects and leading teams since his twenties, and has seen the boom years come and go in the Telecom industry. We explored the path that led him to ultimately founding his own company in the telecom space, and his eventual transition to the solar energy industry. Joe impressed upon me not only the fundamental and transferable skills of development, but also the value of being a giver, a networking, and a customer-focused zealot! Joe is one of the best I’ve met at followup, and he credits much of his success to an insatiable desire to meet people and connect the dots. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email  Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please

Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email  Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

Today’s Entrepreneur, Andrew Eisenberg, has been building a business for more than 15 years serving the renewables industry and reducing risk for his clients. His company, Green IT Energy Applications, provides a comprehensive suite of products that help renewable energy portfolio owners mitigate risk, analyze data and manage portfolios of assets around the world. He calls it “an Operating System for renewables”. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email  Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!