On the next episode of Probably True Solar Stories, we continue with  Part 7 of The Solar Heist, or How I Got Into the Solar Business. When an intruder breaks in and holds a gun to the head of Mazz's wife, Mazz, Charlie, and Beth come to the rescue. But doing so risks blowing Charlie's cover and the entire DOE intelligence operation. Listen to the previous episode here: The Solar Heist, Part 6: Trust Listen to all six previous chapters in a single episode here: The Solar Heist, Parts...

Welcome, solar fiction fans to the Season 3 preview of Probably True Solar Stories! Last season's theme was "Solar Noir." For Season 3, it's a presidential election year, so our stories are going to explore politics and the #EnergyDeepState. Listen to this episode to hear about the next ten solar stories.   Note: The first five episodes will mark the conclusion of "The Solar Heist, or How I Got Into The Solar Business." Listen to The Solar Heist, Part 6 to refresh your memory about last...

On the next Probably True Solar Stories, twenty homes on the same cul de sac decide to go solar on the day after a Halloween night blackout. It’s a simple story, but when a young reporter looks into it, he gets the Halloween scoop of his short lifetime. True Solar Takeaways Going solar is "contagious." That is, several studies have shown that when one person in a neighborhood goes solar, nearby homes follow.Blackouts often happen during a heatwave when energy-intensive air conditioning...

For those solar fiction fans who prefer the longer formats, we've combined all six episodes of "The Solar Heist" into a single two-hour version, including chapter headings. Two neighbors meet unexpectedly at an Oakland, California coffee shop specializing in dark, rich coffee. Mazz owns a trucking business by day and is a thief at night. Charlie is a solar project developer by day and a guy with an international solar problem that can only be solved by Mazz. As the two grow to be friends,...

Today's Probably True Solar Stories mini-story is about one solar installer's expectations. It's also tangentially about a moose... ("The Story Behind the Solar Panel" is a new Prbably True Solar Stories mini-story series that is supported by sponsors. The stories are still fun and original fictional solar stories, but they're shorter and written in collaboration with the episode's sponsors.) True Solar Takeaways Learn more about Maxeon Solar Technologies' solar panels.If you're a solar...

Today's Probably True Solar Stories episode is about a solar superhero that you may already know... ("The Story Behind the Solar Panel" is a new Prbably True Solar Stories mini-story series that is supported by sponsors. The stories are still fun and original fictional solar stories, but they're shorter and written in collaboration with the episode's sponsors.)  True Solar Takeaways Learn more about Maxeon Solar Technologies' solar panels.If you're a solar installer, learn about Maxeon's...

On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we’re bringing together our previously published solar dragon story, "The Red Knight and the Dawn of the Solar Dragon." It’s the same Season 2 story, but instead of three 20-minute episodes, we’re telling this dragon tale in a single hour-long version for those who prefer a longer audio-novella version. -- Once upon a time, there were honest and friendly dragons who heated the boilers for steam-powered electric turbines. The dragons enjoyed the job...

On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we end our Solar Noir season where we began. We continue the ongoing story of "The Solar Heist, or How I Got Into the Solar Business." In this next chapter, it’s all about Trust. Charlie finally comes clean about who he is and what his goals are. But will Mazz help? Or will he run? Or worse. There's also another reveal at the end, so if you haven't listened to the previous Solar Hiest episodes, here's where you can catch up here: Part 1: The...

On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we conclude the Red Knight and the Dawn of the Solar Dragon. The evil King Maxwell and his Red Knight, Goran, have started the Second Dragon War, trying to replace the moody, but docile energy dragons with fossil fuels. The dragons fight back with their fire breath. But can they win the war without the help of solar power? True Solar Takeaways The world needs more solar and clean energy workers. Transitioning to clean energy will create more jobs...

On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we continue with part 2 of The Red Knight and the Dawn of the Solar Dragon. Gorin, The Red Knight has invented a technology to replace dragon power with short-sighted fossil fuel power. But can Gorin quietly replace hundreds of fire-breathing dragons without getting burned and starting a Second Dragon War? Maybe not... True Solar Takeaways Unions are truly a part of our utility energy operations and construction. They bargain for good prevailing wages...

Once upon a time, there were honest and friendly dragons who heated the boilers for steam-powered electric turbines. The dragons enjoyed the job and were paid good union wages. But due to the high cost of dragon energy, the King decided that the dragons needed to be replaced and sparked a bloody dragon war that led to the invention of solar power... FYI, this is a three-part episode.  True Solar Takeaways Fossil fuel-based generators work by burning fossil fuels, which boil water to high...

Rufus, the pet and mascot of a solar installer, is dognapped out of the installer's truck while on the job.  A chase ensues, but we learn that the dog, the solar installer, and the dog napper aren't quite what they seem. True Solar Takeaways As of 2020, there are 20,000 military veterans in the solar industry, making up about 9% of the solar workforce.IREC, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, supports veteran training programs. Get more information on these programs here.The Solar...

A solar installer thinks he hears a gunshot while performing a drone solar site survey. The shot--if it was a shot--came from the ranch house of his ex-fiancé. Can the solar installer’s drone footage solve the gunshot mystery? And even if it does, will anyone believe him? True Solar Takeaways Drones are an increasingly common tool for inspecting and designing residential solar systems.A "POI" is an acronym for a drone circling program. It stands for "Point of Interest."Solar design software...

Bob is a winemaker who is having a mid-life crisis. Trying to pull it together, he converts the oldest part of his vineyard into a solar farm, adopts a lost dog, and tries to make great wine. But nothing goes as planned, so he decides to take a psychedelic trip that takes him on a solar magical mystery tour that sparks joy in everyone—especially the dog. True Solar Takeaways Vineyards use a tremendous amount of energy for irrigation pumps, refrigeration, bottling operations, and resort...

Happy July 4th. I decided to do a quick, Probably True Solar Story by asking ChatGPT to write a version of the Declaration of Independence for solar power. The result was pretty good, so I wanted to share it.  "When in the course of human development, it becomes necessary for individuals and communities to break free from the dependence on unsustainable and finite sources of energy, and to embrace the abundance of renewable solar power, a respect for the laws of nature and sustainability...

Two teenagers are having a private moment in the hills above a utility substation when suddenly they happen upon a terrorist intent on bringing down their local grid. Will the teens escape and defeat the terrorist? Yes, but only with the help of some very modern and very real solar and smart electric resources. True Solar Takeaways Terrorists have been attempting to disrupt the grid by firing rifle shots at the transformers of utility substations. Here are some news clips about these...

On the next Probably True  Solar Stories, a semi-sweet retired teacher gets inspired by Greta Thunberg to advocate for solar energy. But when her neighbors make excuses for not getting a solar quote, she starts a radical social media campaign that almost gets her arrested by the local sheriff... who happens to be her grandson. True Solar Takeaways This story is fiction, but Greta Thunberg is very real and a true climate action activist. You can follow her on Twitter and on Instagram, and you...

After almost being shot by a crime syndicate enforcer, Charlie and Mazz go to confront Richard Prout about who really owns the utility solar project. But Richard won’t talk. Worse, he attempts a daring escape that frustrates the hell out of Mazz and Charlie and attempts to split them apart. True Solar Takeaways Brownfields and landfills are ideal locations for utility solar projects because they're near grid infrastructure. Brownfields and landfills are also ideal because they typically...

Season 2's theme is "Solar Noir," and we start off with a darkly comedic Part 4 of our Solar Heist series.  (Catch up to Parts 1-3 here.)  In Part 4, Mazz and Charlie are forced by Richard Prout, a crime syndicate boss, to dig up some CATs  (Certain Awful Things) under Charlie's solar project, which used to be a landfill.  As Charlie and Mazz dig, an unexpected visitor arrives to give Charlie a dangerous pop quiz. Will Charlie pass the test? True Solar Takeaways Thanks to the Inflation...

We're back for Season 2 of Probably True Solar Stories. This season, the theme is "Solar Noir." You know, like film noir, except our twisted thrillers, murder, mysteries, and petty crime stories will all have something to do with solar energy.    Why solar noir? Well, when I look at today's hit TV shows and films, many are thrillers and murder mysteries. And since our main goal for creating the podcast is to get solar into mainstream pop culture, there's no reason why fictional solar stories...

In preparation for launching Season 2 of Probably True Solar Stories, we've combined all three parts of "The Solar Heist, or How I Got Into the Solar Business" into a single 53-minute episode. Two neighbors meet unexpectedly at an Oakland, California coffee shop that specializes in dark, rich coffee. Mazz owns a trucking business by day and is a thief at night. Charlie is a solar project developer by day and a guy with an international solar problem that can only be solved by Mazz. After a...

In the next episode of Probably True Solar Stories, we continue the story of two neighbors who are part of the solar industry. Charlie is a large-scale utility solar developer while Mazz is a medium-scale thief who successfully "liberated" Charlie's solar panel shipment from a U.S. customs warehouse in Part 1 and Part 2. Now,  in Part 3, it's a year later. Mazz has invested in a home solar company and trying to go legit. Meanwhile, Charlie's big solar project is almost complete... but...

Gather around the fireplace, solar friends. Pull up a seat at the bar. On the next, Probably True Solar Stories, we're going to tell the first-ever solar fable. It's a fairytale. A hero's journey sort of thing. With a Texas accent. (Forgive me in advance.) This story may be a familiar one to people inside and outside the solar industry.  It's about a young, ambitious solar installer who seeks her fortune to be the most successful solar installer in all the land.  And like many fables, our...

In this episode of Probably True Solar Stories, a feisty senior citizen is determined to haggle with a solar salesman to buy the solar system of her dreams. But her haggling plans fall through when an honest salesperson refuses to sell an installation at any price. Can they find the solar win-win? True Solar Takeaways Not every home is a good fit for solar. The home may have too many trees or other obstacles that block the sun--and solar production. The home may need a new roof. The home's...

There's a new superhero in town. His name is Solar Man, and he's here to help the world, but not in the way you might think. To defeat his arch-nemesis,  Solar Man reluctantly decides to join the Ultra League of Super Defenders,  a band of superheroes that are beyond the law.  But will Solar Man be able to show his Super Solar strengths and pass the audition? True Solar Takeaways The U.S. solar industry installs the equivalent of a residential solar installation every 60 seconds. All solar...