Andrew “Birchy” Birch

Andrew Birch, 25-year solar veteran and co-founder of Solar App, and Nick Josefowicz, nonprofit leader at Permit Power, tackle US rooftop solar’s “paperwork tax.” They explain how automated permitting, standardized interconnection, and flexible grid rules can slash soft costs. Short stories of permitting absurdities and real-world scaling show bureaucratic fixes could unlock much cheaper rooftop solar for households.

Join Andrew Birch, founder of Open Solar and a longtime advocate for the solar industry, and Kerim Baran, a clean energy champion, as they tackle the real costs of solar tariffs stalling deployment in the U.S. They discuss why Americans pay significantly more for solar installations and how bureaucracy and trade policies are impeding progress. Learn about smarter permitting solutions, the success of Australia’s solar market, and hear intriguing insights on how tariffs hinder innovation and job creation in the industry.

Andrew 'Birchy' Birch, CEO of OpenSolar and a solar pioneer, discusses the future of solar energy, predicting that it could account for 50% of global primary energy by 2035. He explains the S-curve model of adoption, highlighting how current forecasts fall short. Birch emphasizes the need for policy changes and streamlined permitting to unlock residential solar. He also tackles the impact of tariffs on the market and shares how AI is revolutionizing solar design and project management. His insights reveal a bright future for solar energy.