SunCast Podcast

?? Industry vibes check from Intersolar 2025. Live from the Hub Stage, Nico gathered top podcasters for an honest conversation on what’s really happening in clean energy. No filters. No fluff. Just facts, frustrations & future-forward thinking. ?? Featuring: ??? Sean White (Solar Sean) ?? Chris Crowell (Solar Builder Mag) ?? Joe Ordia (Solar Surge) Here’s what they unpacked ?? ?? Rooftop storage breakthrough: Yotta Block's stealthy innovation ?? Can ultra-light solar like Bela really scale? ?? The rise of “solar service” companies post-SunPower fallout ?? Resi Solar’s identity crisis & what comes next It’s a must-watch (or listen) if you're navigating a tough Q1. ??? Watch now or catch it on the SunCast podcast: https://lnkd.in/eVeyw-sk #CleanEnergy #SolarStorage #Intersolar2025 #EnergyTransition

I recently had the pleasure to talk with NICO JOHNSON ???and SunCast Podcast the founding of Sunrock Distributed Generation and its origin within Sunstone Credit. Sunrock has been a fun ride with Claire Broido Johnson and Wilson Chang. https://lnkd.in/eiMiS5g6 There is a massive opportunity to reduce friction in the adoption of #commercialsolar for every commercial property owner in the United States, not just the Fortune 500s and rated entities. If you are a commercial solar installer or developer, you should be working with Sunstone Credit to help finance your projects with our innovative loan offerings.

?? Commercial solar is ready for primetime — but most projects still struggle to get financed. Why? Because local businesses, nonprofits, and thousands of unrated entities don’t fit into traditional financing models. But that’s all changing. Sunrock DG & Sunstone Credit are rewriting the rules for commercial solar finance. By streamlining project financing and making PPAs work for small business owners, they’re unlocking the biggest untapped market in clean energy…finally! Hear Claire Broido Johnson, co-founder of Sunrock Distributed Generation ?and ?Joshua Goldberg (CEO, Sunstone Credit) break it all down: ?? Why most commercial solar deals fail—and how to fix it ?? How Sunstone Credit built a financing model banks actually trust ?? Why permitting & local regulations are still the biggest hurdles ?? How solar EPCs can unlock more deals with the right financial tools ?? If you’re an installer, developer, or solar entrepreneur, this episode is packed with insights you can’t afford to miss. https://lnkd.in/eA-Mx2rc

Smithville, TX, epitomizes why small-towns should LOVE #SolarEnergy. This rural town of just a few thousand people is now home to a 1.4MW solar farm—and the journey to get there is packed with lessons for the clean energy industry. The project size may seem small, but the impact is real and repeatable. ?? A 25-year power purchase agreement that locks in savings ?? USDA grants covering 50% of project costs ?? How solar + agriculture (yes, sheep!) is lowering maintenance costs ?? Vendor selection as a key project advantage (hat tip to Trinasolar for the story) Rural communities often get overlooked in the clean energy transition, but projects like this prove they can be leaders, not laggards. And creative developers like Mark Rangel’s Spear Commercial & Industrial bring it all together. Want to know how? Listen to the full episode now! ?? https://lnkd.in/efnKTgme #SolarEnergy #CleanEnergy #RuralSolar #EnergyTransition #SunCastPodcast

What happens when solar + batteries become cheaper than the grid itself? Kerim Baran says we’re heading toward a future where maintaining power lines costs more than generating electricity in your own backyard (or balcony, as the case may be). Even if nuclear energy could provide “free” electrons, it still wouldn’t be able to compete! Why? Because once solar + storage drops below the cost of transmission, the economics flip forever. This shift isn’t decades away—it’s happening now. ?? What does this mean for the future of utilities? ?? Will more homeowners and businesses choose energy independence? ? How should the industry prepare for this disruption? We break it all down in the latest must-listen episode of SunCast. ?? Catch the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/eW6z5kCv

Developers, EPCs, and asset owners—don’t miss this opportunity to learn how leading experts are optimizing project performance with this game-changing technology. Register below ??

?? Community solar isn’t just about renewables—it’s about SAVINGS. Most politicians, regardless of party, love to say they’re helping people save money. And the truth is: community solar does exactly that. ?? More jobs. ?? A more reliable grid. ?? Lower energy bills for families. As more states pass legislation to support community solar, we have a massive opportunity to cut costs for consumers while driving the clean energy transition. For Aviv Shalgi of Solar Simplified, it’s simple: let’s help people save money. And if that also means more solar on the grid? Even better. Are policymakers in your state embracing community solar? Let’s discuss. ?? Catch the full episode Show Notes here: https://lnkd.in/eYE6SWUP Or listen to the episode on your podcast player of choice: https://lnkd.in/eihfteYk

50% Solar by 2035? The Data Says Yes. Solar isn’t just growing—it’s compounding. According to Andrew Birch, CEO and co-founder of OpenSolar, the S-curve of technology adoption shows that solar could power half the world’s energy in just over a decade—if we remove the roadblocks. #solarpower #renewableenergy #cleanenergy #solarenergy #sustainability

What does it take to build renewable energy projects that perform reliably for decades? As the clean energy sector scales, system longevity and operational uptime are just as critical as capacity growth. Projects need more than just cutting-edge technology—they require proactive service and engineering expertise to ensure smooth execution from commissioning to end-of-life. In a recent Solar Academy conversation, Jayson Smith, ESS Solutions Engineer at Chint Power Systems Americas emphasized the role of service in keeping utility and C&I projects running at peak performance. “From cradle to grave, we are there and we are a contact,” Smith explained, underscoring how CPS America ensures that developers and EPCs have direct access to engineers from the earliest project stages through ongoing operations. Whether it’s troubleshooting, optimizing performance, or providing technical guidance, this hands-on, engineering-led support reduces risk and improves long-term reliability. This commitment to service has earned CPS America a reputation for Tier 1 support in PV inverters, a standard they have now extended to their energy storage solutions as well. The full discussion with Kerim Baran explores how this service-driven approach is shaping the future of utility and C&I energy solutions. Catch the full episode here: https://smpl.is/a321h #SolarEnergy #Inverters #CleanEnergy #BatteryStorage

Have you heard of Atmospheric Water Generation (AWG)? As water contamination increases and aging infrastructure fails to deliver safe drinking water, new solutions are emerging. According to the EPA, 45% of U.S. water sources contain toxic contaminants, making access to clean water more uncertain. Alexander von Welczeck CEO of SkyH2O explains how AWG is already supplying ultra-pure water for hospitals, industrial sites, and communities struggling with water shortages. Listen to the full episode now: https://smpl.is/a38v0 #cleanenergy #renewable #health