Solar Power World

Four brothers started Paradise Energy Solutions 10 years ago to help farmers reduce energy costs in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The company has since grown into six additional states and expanded into the residential and commercial markets. Paradise Energy views its mission as building trusting relationships within its communities. In this episode of the Contractors Corner podcast, Solar Power World editor-in-chief Kelly Pickerel talks with Dale Good, president and CEO of Paradise Energy Solutions, about the company's beginnings in Pennsylvania Dutch Country and its transition into larger markets. https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2020/03/contractors-corner-paradise-energy-solutions

We have a special podcast for Contractors Corner listeners this week! In this sponsored Solar Spotlight podcast, RBI Solar talks about manufacturing solar trackers in house from start to finish using mostly Made-in-America materials. Thanks to RBI Solar for supporting solar installers across the country!

Nexamp has established itself as a leader in community solar development across the Northeast, but the company is not just a one-note band. Nexamp is also involved with behind-the-meter, small utility-scale and storage projects and is spreading its footprint across the country. Community solar, though, is the star of Nexamp's portfolio. In this episode of the Contractors Corner podcast Solar Power World editor-in-chief Kelly Pickerel talks with Zaid Ashai, chairman and CEO of Nexamp, about the company's involvement in the community solar market and beyond. Plus, solar sheep. We're always down to talk about solar sheep. https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2020/02/contractors-corner-nexamp/

With more than 30 years in the roofing business, Citadel Roofing & Solar has also established a niche in the Northern California region for careful solar installations. Since the company is so experienced in roofing and has relationships with home builders, Citadel expects to capitalize on California's mandate that all new homes be equipped with solar arrays.   In this Contractors Corner podcast  Solar Power World editor-in-chief Kelly Pickerel talks with Aaron Nitzkin, Citadel's executive VP, about the company's reputation in the roofing and solar industries. https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2020/01/contractors-corner-citadel-roofing-solar

After more than 12 years in the military serving overseas, Troy Van Beek founded Ideal Energy in 2009 in Fairfield, Iowa, to continue serving others, this time down a path of sustainability. Today the company primarily works on commercial and industrial solar installations under 1 MW. Ideal Energy excels at providing C&I customers with a competitive advantage — whether through good PR, attracting vendors and employees or reducing operating costs, all through solar. In this Contractors Corner podcast, Solar Power World editor-in-chief Kelly Pickerel talks with Troy, Amy Van Beek and Aurelien Windenberger about Ideal Energy's work in Iowa. https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/12/contractors-corner-ideal-energy/

Happy Thanksgiving! This month we're discussing the PG&E power outages with California solar installer Allterra Solar. They're saying the phone's been ringing a lot more with people wanting solar+storage projects. What's been your own experience with the public safety power shutoffs? Read the full story: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/11/contractors-corner-allterra-solar/

Let's go to the southern tier of central New York this month and check in with John Mills Electric. The 75-year-old electrical company also completes residential solar projects and subcontracts on large-scale installs. We talk about the difficulty in finding skilled electricians and why being involved in solar actually gets young people interested in the electrician career. Read the story: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/10/contractors-corner-john-mills-electric

We recently talked with O3 Energy about the company's work in the C&I solar market. O3 has an office in Guam, and we talk a little about the logistical benefits of being in the Pacific. Are PPAs still king? Find out on this podcast! Read our story here: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/09/contractors-corner-o3-energy/

Preformed Line Products (PLP) has a vast portfolio of mounting products for the solar industry, but it has carved out a specific niche within long-span commercial rooftop projects. The company's POWER RAIL product optimizes roof space to include more solar in tricky areas, like over roof obstructions. In this Solar Speaks podcast, we talk with John Markiewicz and Dustin Graef of PLP about how installers can best work on commercial rooftop solar projects, including why PLP mounting solutions are ideal on projects requiring long spans.  See more: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/09/solar-speaks-commercial-solar-projects-long-spans-plp

We head south this month, talking with South Carolina's Palmetto State Solar. The audio is a little shaky at the beginning, and we sincerely apologize, but it does get better! Kelly enjoyed talking with PSS about the competitive Carolinas market and the steps it takes to stand out. Read more: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/08/contractors-corner-palmetto-state-solar

We go big this week, talking to large-scale solar developer Community Energy about its 20 years of work in the fight against climate change. The company first started in wind and eventually transitioned to solar, so we talk about the energy markets in the early 2000s, how PPAs have evolved over the past two decades, and what else needs to be done to get 80% reduction of carbon emissions by 2030. Will we make a difference? KP hopes so. It's so hot in the Midwest right now, we can't ignore the effects of climate change any more. Read the full story: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/07/contractors-corner-community-energy/

Racial disparity in rooftop solar PV deployment has historically been attributed to income or home ownership inequality in communities of color. But a study found the problem goes much deeper than that. Read the story that's part of Solar Power World's #TopSolar19 issue at https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/07/installers-racial-disparity-rooftop-solar/

This is one of Kelly's favorite interviews! Join her as she talks with Phil and Nancy Brodhagen, co-owners of Colorado's Peak View Solar. The company has been installing mainly residential solar systems since 2008, but it has seen such a recent uptick in projects that the whole Brodhagen family came on board to help out. We have a frank conversation about U.S. solar panel companies and how batteries are being used in markets outside of California. Read the extended story (and see a picture of a llama, or maybe an alpaca (?), with solar panels): https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/06/contractors-corner-peak-view-solar/

Kelly talks this month with Florida's A1A Solar Contracting. Although electricity prices aren't too bad in Northern Florida, the solar installer still has a big demand for renewable energy projects. We talk SunPower, Tesla and ITC. Read the story: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/05/contractors-corner-a1a-solar-contracting/

This month we head to Delaware to talk to Green Street Solar. Like a lot of residential installers, Green Street is promoting the ITC stepdown to get more fence-sitters to go solar now. Russell Pfaller, Green Street's installation manager, also tells us why his team isn't installing batteries. Check out the story: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/04/contractors-corner-green-street-solar/

KP is a history buff, so this month's interview is super exciting! Rosendin Electric is celebrating 100 years of electrical contracting this year, and the company has morphed into one of the largest solar EPCs in the business. We talk about how that 100 years of electrical experience has helped Rosendin make some big moves in both utility-scale and C&I solar. There's even a discussion about how labor shortages might affect utility-scale solar in remote areas. Read our story: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/03/contractors-corner-rosendin/

February 2019: This month we talked with large-scale EPC Conti Solar about its work across the country. So many landfill installations! Read our full story: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/02/contractors-corner-conti-solar/

January 2019: Super duper excited to talk with RPCS this month about the company's exclusive tracker installation focus. Let's talk utility-scale solar for a little while, OK? Be sure to read the full story: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/01/contractors-corner-rpcs/

Nuance Energy Group applied a mounting technology used in other industries to solar with its proprietary Osprey PowerPlatform. The all-in-one ground mount/racking solution comes with ease of use for install, using only simple tools, and has been deployed in utility-scale projects. In this episode of Solar Speaks, we talked to Nuance Energy co-founder and CEO Brian Boguess about the Osprey PowerPlatform, and how it can save installers time, controls cash flow and works in a range of soil types. This podcast is sponsored by Nuance Energy Group

What a fun way to close out 2018! Kells talks to Green Solar Technologies, the only U.S. solar installer to testify in favor of tariffs on solar panels. Does the company regret its decision? And we talk about unique energy storage offerings. GST likes to push natural gas generators. Is that green enough? Read the story: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2018/12/contractors-corner-green-solar-technologies/