We’ve heard that we need to focus on workforce development.  Yet many times the workforce we’ve developed has to re-invent the wheel for lack of reliable systems to a) know what good looks like, and b) replicate it in the field with minimal oversight.   What if any solar installer had reliable, step-by-step installation guidance straight from any manufacturer? Would this improve the process?  Solar projects are custom-built each time, often with components from a range of OEMs. This means...

What if solar installers could easily integrate energy storage with any inverter on the market? LG Energy Storage Systems (ESS) makes that possible, and in an important and elegant way.  At the 2024 NABCEP Conference, Jim Brown, Senior National Sales Manager at LG ESS, highlighted  LG's new "Home 8" AC-coupled energy storage system, a game-changing product for solar installers. In today’s episode, Jim and Nico discuss AC vs. DC-coupled systems, homeowner misconceptions, and a new technology...

We often take access to electricity, refrigeration, and running water for granted. In many parts of the world, these are luxuries.  In today’s episode, Andi Kleissner and Kurt Kuhlmann, Co-founders and Co-CEOs of Amped Innovation, discuss how they’re changing lives by installing high-performance off-grid solar systems and appliances across Asia and Africa. Nico visited with the pair in their CA headquarters; Seated on two of their high-efficiency solar freezers, they share insights from...

New York set an ambitious goal for a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040. What will it take to get there?  Turns out, hydrogen may be a key component to New York's climate strategy, especially for difficult-to-electrify sectors. Haiyan Sun is the program manager and team leader for hydrogen and clean fuels at the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).  With over a decade of experience in the power sector (much of which was in GE’s gas division), she has...

Is solar plus storage magically going to fix our grid? If you listen to many of the conversations I’ve heard the last 2+ years, you’d easily assume “we got this, just throw some batteries out there and we’re well on our way to 100% RE!”  Turns out it’s not that simple.  Building hybrid power (solar+storage) projects requires a deep understanding of the unique challenges they present, from how to forecast revenue to  building integrated software solutions that can handle massive complexity. ...

How do we solve yesterday’s interconnection problems with today’s technology?  Alexina Jackson, Vice President of Strategic Development at The AES Corporation, pulls back the curtain to show us how AES is using cutting-edge technology to integrate MORE renewable energy into the grid. Because we need to add new energy fast and our current grid isn’t up to the challenge, AES is inventing solutions as they go. Expect to learn: How AES’s new technology can push more power through existing wiring...

As our Secretary of Energy says, deploy deploy deploy! It’s incredible to see how hard we’re pushing to modernize the grid, but, we also must maintain and ensure solar projects are delivering on every kilowatt hour that we promised. Today’s guest has been delivering on those promises for nearly two decades.  Josh Fraughton, a renewable energy veteran with nearly two decades of experience in the solar industry, has seen firsthand the increasing need for a stable supply chain for solar O&M....

Increasing extreme weather events year over year are forcing all energy assets to reconsider asset protection and resilience. The solar industry has been wrongly accused of grid reliability issues in the face of these extreme events, but what does the data say from operating assets that have “weathered” the storms?  Lightsource BP’s Kevin Christy is working to prove solar energy's resilience (especially during challenging weather conditions) and address misconceptions about renewable energy...

Our guest today points out that energy efficiency is actually employing MILLIONS MORE than Renewable Energy as a sector! Paula Glover, President of the Alliance to Save Energy, is fighting on the front lines to reduce energy waste. She uses her platform to champion energy efficiency as a cost-saving measure and a fundamental principle for achieving energy justice and economic growth. Paula believes that the "first fuel" is non-consumption.  Paula’s a returning guest to the show (Ep 333) but...

By 2050, around 80 million metric tons of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules will reach the end of their life globally (according to NREL). 10 million metric tons will be in the United States. But this is not an issue for a far-off future. As we transition to renewable energy, we create a massive volume of waste just from manufacturing and transporting batteries and solar panels. So, what can we do to improve this process now, rather than in 25 years?  Kelly Weger, the Director of Sustainability...

Permitting. The word is enough to send shivers down the spines of most PV professionals. Obtaining permits for solar projects, no matter the scale, is a major roadblock in the transition to renewable energy, and often causes project delays that last weeks or even months. Robin Laine, CEO & Co-founder of Transect,is working to simplify the land permitting process for solar developers. Robin, who has a background in environmental consulting, founded Transect to address the inefficiencies...

Is switching from natural gas to electricity as straightforward as flipping a switch, or are we overlooking hidden complexities? Many homeowners want to switch from gas to electricity but underestimate the challenges of making the transition. Some stop short when they learn they’ll need to completely retrofit their homes to accommodate new, clean energy sources.   Caroline Hon, Head of Gas Network Strategy and Planning for New England Gas at National Grid, one of the largest utilities in the...

Wondering how your state can set and exceed lofty renewable energy targets? Today’s episode is for you.  In 2019, Maryland doubled their renewable energy target: aiming for 50% renewable energy by 2035 and net zero emissions by 2045. So, how are they doing? Stephanie Johnson, President and Founder of the Maryland Renewable Energy Alliance (MD-REA), shares her perspective from the front lines.  She discusses how she transitioned from the world of corporate compliance, recruited to a career in...

What's the value of a NABCEP certification? Since most solar companies don't require one, is it worth the time and money?  At RE+ Northeast a few weeks back, Jada Alcindor from NABCEP asked around to answer one of the industry’s key questions: “How much does a NABCEP certification help installers when it comes to designing systems accurately?” When she sat down with John Novak, the founder and CPO of Scanifly, she found a clear answer. And you get to ‘eavesdrop’ on this conversation between...

Can we build an 80% clean energy future without reliable, wide-scale energy storage? It's unlikely. So, what needs to happen? Joan White, Director of Storage and Interconnection Policy at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), has been fighting to answer that question for years.  Now that The Inflation Reduction Act has made it cheaper and easier to produce energy storage technologies domestically, we're seeing heavy investor interest in energy storage. But is it a sustainable...

How did Nextracker become the leading solar tracker manufacturer in the world in 10 years, and what was the secret sauce of one of the most successful IPO’s of 2023?  We finally have Nextracker’s Senior Vice President of Marketing, Kristan Kirsh, on the show sharing her journey of helping elevate Nextracker from 400 Megawatts to 90 Gigawatts in shipped solar trackers. With Kirsh running marketing since 2015, Nextracker has not only navigated its landmark public offering but has also cemented...

Community solar has proven a viable pathway to more affordable and equitable clean energy, but how do developers overcome one of the main hurdles to the project’s success - community engagement? Founded with a commitment to making solar energy accessible to all, Solstice has become a key player in community solar, especially in the US Northeast, emphasizing the importance of community engagement and education in expanding renewable energy access.  In this episode, Sandhya Murali, Co-founder...

Can a company thrive for over two decades in the clean energy sector by steadfastly adhering to its core values, all while refusing outside investment and navigating the highs and lows of the renewable energy market? Bob and Maria Kingery, co-founders of Southern Energy Management (SEM) in North Carolina, have demonstrated that it's not only possible but can also set a new standard for success in the industry. Founded in 2001 with a mission to improve the way people make and use energy, SEM...

Barry Reaves, serving as the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice (DEI/J), and Workforce Development at the North East Clean Energy Council (NECEC), is tackling head-on the clean energy sector's need for a more diverse workforce. This challenge expands beyond ethnic boundaries, touching on gender, sexuality, and income status, highlighting the pressing need for a more inclusive approach in the industry's workforce development. The North East Clean Energy Council (NECEC)...

Can the solar industry utilize advanced data analytics and software to address the challenges of integrating renewable energy sources into the grid, maintaining project quality, and ensuring long-term asset value? Where are there still gaps to address? As the industry matures, project developers, asset owners and grid operators are increasingly focusing on leveraging data streams from the field to enhance project performance as well as grid reliability. However, one element of data gathering...

As more frequent extreme weather events become the new normal, grid operators and project developers alike seek improved data sources and market signals to help balance their daily load forecasts. The surge in electricity demand during such crises not only escalates power costs but also exposes the vulnerabilities of our energy grid, underscoring the urgency for innovative forecasting strategies. How do we harness data technology to better prepare for and respond to these environmental...

The United States stands at a pivotal juncture in its clean energy transition, with domestic energy storage manufacturing emerging as the cornerstone of its sustainable future. John Zahurancik, President Americas at Fluence, joins Nico Johnson to discuss the future of domestic battery manufacturing in the United States at Intersolar NA. Also, this episode features an exclusive recording of  Zahurancik’s keynote address which further discusses the need for the U.S. to ramp up its production of...

Occasionally on the anniversary of an episode that really impacted us, we like to run a vignette of something we learned from such an episode to give new listeners (or those of you who just missed it originally) insight from the excellent content in our back catalog, much of which we believe is worth revisiting. As GHG emissions continue to rise, the need to understand and effectively manage carbon emissions on the grid is crucial. Yet, a significant obstacle remains: most individuals and...

Amid America's energy shift, initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act and bipartisan infrastructure bills are making clean energy more accessible and affordable, driving a 42% investment increase to $225 billion in a year. Yet, to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, an acceleration is essential. Jesse Jenkins of Princeton University, speaking at Intersolar NA, provides not just an analysis of these challenges but a practical roadmap for embracing clean electricity nationwide. He...