SunCast

Emily Sanders Cohen talks with Nico Johnson about her 20-plus years of renewable project development, including more than 15 gigawatts of operational wind & solar projects. Emily has spent the past three years at Primergy Solar as Chief Development Officer, responsible for project development, power marketing and origination activities associated with the company's growing portfolio of North American utility-scale and distributed solar and storage assets. Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, a specialist investor in lower carbon and renewable energy infrastructure, launched Primergy in 2020 to capitalize on the increasingly important role of solar-plus-battery storage solutions in accelerating the energy transition.In today's podcast, Emily discusses Primergy's battery storage projects (Including Gemini, the largest Solar + Storage project in the US) and how the company's work is helping us transition to a cleaner, decarbonized electric grid. Before Primergy, Emily oversaw renewable activities at ENGIE North America Inc. and led that team to the number one utility-scale Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) position. She has significant experience, and this insightful conversation stems from more than two decades of earning her stripes in roles that have traditionally been held by her male peers.Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

How do you ensure people remain the priority no matter how complex your product or service — and persuade investors to overcome unconscious bias against an untraditional woman-led technical company?In today's Tactical Tuesday, Nico talks with Piper Foster Wilder, the self-described non-technical co-founder and CEO of 60Hertz Energy. The Alaska-based company offers computerized maintenance management software that enables microgrids and their managers to use their assets more effectively and efficiently. In this snippet of a more extended conversation, Nico gives you a quick look at how Piper has embraced human-centered design (HCD), confident decision-making, a clear vision and task prioritization to find solutions to move her cleantech company forward.Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

A startup spun out from Rutgers University called RenewCO₂ is rewriting the ways we make plastics and chemicals — along with the ways these industries will handle carbon emissions, regardless of the price of carbon or credits. Can we truly create carbon-negative plastics? How do we better capture and utilize the CO2 in existing chemical processes in a climate-positive way?Join Nico Johnson for an interview with RenewCO₂ Co-Founder and CTO Karin Calvinho as he breaks down the complexities behind the company's revolutionary chemical approach into understandable, sensible language. No need to break out the glossary to follow along; listen in on this fascinating chemistry lesson as Nico learns about catalysis, monomers, electrochemistry and more. Karin points out that chemical production accounts for more than 15% of global industrial greenhouse gas emissions, "so it's significant, and it's an issue worth working on."Karin’s focus on carbon-negative plastics is inspiring to all who wish to accelerate our clean energy future, and the work that she and her team are doing offers promises that we can innovate our way out of the climate crisis. Stick around.Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Mechanical engineer Shannon Miller is the CEO and co-founder of Mainspring Energy, which aims to increase grid reliability and resilience while accelerating the transition to clean fuels. She leads the design, manufacture, and commercialization of the Mainspring Linear Generator, whose fuel-agnostic design enables it to adjust dynamically for varying fuel qualities and types, including biogas, green ammonia, and green hydrogen. In today's Tactical Tuesday, Nico Johnson explores this remarkable woman’s background and motivations — and shares her practical advice on company culture, seizing opportunities and building successful climate tech careers and businesses. Her career journey is worthy of reflection, and It was a joy to get this intelligent introvert to open up a bit about her winding path to entrepreneurship in cleantech.Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Today's conversation is a deep and wonderful exploration of both the entrepreneurial journey and the built environment  — specifically, how we control it and how it controls us. My guest, Tanya Barham, is the CEO and founder of Community Energy Labs, which aims to make smart energy management and decarbonization accessible and affordable for public building (think schools, municipalities, etc).Tanya is an innovator, serial entrepreneur and self-described utility nerd, skilled in the execution of all aspects of technical service, product development, operations and commercialization from ideation through funding and growth while integrating systems and people. She has 20 years of experience developing programs and software to improve the built environment.In the early 2000s, when solar photovoltaic (PV) was still considered a largely fringe technology, she started a first-of-its-kind solar program called Solar 4R Schools for a Portland, Oregon-based foundation. More recently, she's focused on helping building managers use predictive controls to manage their carbon footprint in places like schools.In today’s podcast, she shares fascinating stories about business building, her hard-knock upbringing and even the common ground between choirs and companies. Anyone building a business, climate tech or otherwise, will enjoy the lessons we unpack here today. And yes, we also talk about things like solar, proptech — property technology — and even touch on the artificial intelligence convergences driving climate tech investment. The US Environmental Protection Agency acknowledges the built environment touches all aspects of our lives. It encompasses the buildings we live in, the distribution systems that provide us with water and electricity, and the roads, bridges, and transportation systems we use to get from place to place. These human-made or modified structures provide people with living, working, and recreational spaces — and creating all these spaces and systems requires enormous quantities of materials.Did you know 40% of greenhouse gas comes from the built environment, and 70% is from the electric grid? Even so, most (87%) commercial buildings need more controls to manage the complex solutions and software now available. Today, we're going to unpack that and more. Join us for usable insights and ideas.Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Solar veteran Dell Jones is the key account manager for TrinaPro, the all-in-one smart solar utility solution offered by Trina Solar. Since 1997, Trina has pioneered sustainable solar energy solutions, including solar modules, tracker systems, and inverters.On today's Tactical Tuesday, Dell explains how to maximize profits when installing or specifying tracker systems for utility-scale or large distributed-generation solar projects. We dive into a checklist of five ways to improve profitability by integrating trackers into your large-scale project development process.Dell has some 40 years of experience in the solar industry and deep knowledge of trackers from his work as a product manager at TerraSmart and other industry-leading companies. More than 80% of today's utility-scale projects are tracker-based, and Dell has been at the forefront during the product's rise to dominance.Join us for some insightful conversation — and get even more practical guidance by downloading Trina's whitepaper to see the many ways your decisions impact the LCOE of your project.Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.You'll find more resources and learn about SunCast's guest(s), recommendations, book links, and more than 850 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.You can learn more about partnering with SunCast here: https://mysuncast.com/sponsorsYou can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalusSubscribe to Valence, our weekly Linkedin Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

Today’s episode guest, Wenbo Shi, goes Deep with me on how he’s built his Boston-based energy startup, including detailed answers on the how, when, why and who of his fundraising strategy like I’ve rarely gotten into with a guest. Wenbo honed his interest in solar and decarbonization during an intensive academic journey stretching from undergraduate studies at Xi'an Jiaotong University in Xi'an to a Ph.D. from UCLA and post-doctoral work at Harvard. He vowed early on to NOT be in the power sector; I get him to talk about why he ultimately realized he couldn’t avoid it.At both UCLA and Harvard, he researched microgrid and smart grid management and published more than 20 peer-reviewed papers, which have received more than 1,000 citations. Two of those papers ranked among the most popular articles ever published in IEEE, the world's largest technical professional organization. So you can trust me when I say that today’s guest is a smart grid expert!Wenbo embarked on an entrepreneurial path in 2019 after completing his Harvard fellowship. His company, Singularity Energy, is a Software-as-a-Service platform that reports on carbon emissions for the electricity grid, and counts major utilities and consumer brands like Eversource and Sense as clients.  Boston-base Singularity uses advanced machine learning to help grid operators quantify their carbon footprints. It analyzes and predicts carbon emissions changes and the impacts of decarbonization measures so customers can time their energy use and trim their carbon footprints.In today's podcast, Wenbo explains how Singularity evolved to solve this carbon data problem and how leveraging that data to inform better decisions is the most direct path to decarbonization. This insightful episode is full of memorable takeaways that will act as connective tissue for problems you're solving.Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Recently in REsource Labs, we’ve been keying in on things from how to measure your carbon footprint to how to invest your hard-earned dollars into climate-tech startups.  If you’ve been following me for long, you know that I’ve been involved in a few groups working to unlock retail investor access to capital and I’ve even done a little Angel Investing myself!Kyle Cherrick is an entrepreneur, past SunCast guest, and has become a bit of a mentor in the world of climate investing. He’s the founder & lead investor for Climate Avengers, a venture capital community of more than 400 angel investors, and he’s a full-time climate tech operator at concierge marketplace platform, Electrum.He's focused his 15-year career on startups, from early-stage through the venture-funded (growth) stage and beyond, and has worked with industry leaders like First Solar, SunEdison, and Chint Power Systems. While heading business development at Electrum and its affiliate, Solar.com, in his spare time, Kyle also leads investment into climate tech startups vis-a–vis the syndicate he founded called Climate Avengers. Electrum is a managed, online bidding platform homeowners can use to find competitive offers on solar, battery storage, and electrification products, and Solar.com is an online marketplace that helps homeowners find, select and contract certified solar installers. Both are an extension of his original vision with his previous company, Solar Merchant, which was merged with PickMySolar and has become the realization of Kyle’s dream to make solar purchasing easier and faster for consumers.In today's Tactical Tuesday, I'm sharing a conversation with Kyle who joined our exclusive Discord community, REsource Labs, for its first-ever Office Hours.  The discussion centered around climate investing, and we had several community members participate in the call to provide color, questions, commentary, and counterpoints.Office Hours is a great place to ask questions and get answers. Today Kyle takes questions and shares insights on the latest trends and topics in climate investing and clean tech.He thinks the world needs to create more climate angels and grow investment in the climate space, especially in early-stage startups. It's why Climate Avengers launched its first fund in 2021 and added a rolling fund last year, which enables it to back the most promising climate startups more quickly. The syndicate has invested more than $ 1 million into a dozen promising startups, and the rolling fund writes checks in the $10,000 to $50,000 range and makes three to five investments a quarter.There's much to hear in the conversation, and I invite you to join us.Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Michael Orshan is a solar expert who has helped implement more than 10 gigawatts worldwide during the past 15 years. In that time, he’s become a trusted advisor and contributor to the growth of the global solar tracker industry. Presently, Mike serves as VP of US Sales for Valencia, Spain-based solar tracker vendor PVH and also is a founding board member at Breeze, a startup using existing oil and gas pipelines for electricity generation with compressed air pipeline systems (CAPS). In today's podcast, you'll hear his perspective on how manufacturers and utility-scale developers have evolved to address market needs, their current challenges, and their options for moving forward to overcome three critical issues in cleantech.Michael studied computer science and accounting in 1980’s, and quickly realized that converging technologies would create leapfrog opportunities for those who were prepared. His skills were put to good use in the nascent internet days for companies that changed how the telecom & broadband industries were scaled like AT&T, Verizon and VCTI. He continues to find himself at the crossroads of convergent technology and serving as a guide to those who seek to disrupt status quo industries.In 2003, he was named director of the Office of Science and Technology at the New Mexico Economic Development Department, where he pioneered some early solar laws and projects. He left in 2006 to focus on solar trackers — support structures that allow solar panels to follow the sun's path and absorb more solar radiation for increased efficiency, working for market-leading players such as ATI, P4Q, Arctech and now PVH.Breeze, a company he has helped incubate and advise, seeks to be a leader in long-duration energy storage, and in a quite unconventional way. As one of the companies represented on McKinsey Long Duration Energy Storage Council, Breeze provides a novel approach to recapturing the value in an increasingly underutilized asset - gas pipelines. Tune-in to learn how.Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Miles Braxton is a solar developer who has carved out his own path as an up and coming clean energy leader.Miles has experience in financial modeling, project development and business development and a technical background in environmental science and engineering.  When I last interviewed him, he worked for Goldman Sachs Renewable Power Group's solar energy assets, coordinating risk management (insurance and environmental health and safety). He left that role in mid-2022 to take the position at Summit Ridge.Miles has learned to reinvest his hard earned skills and upward trajectory to "send the elevator back down" and mentor others. In today's Tactical Tuesday podcast, we talk about how Miles Braxton has used his experience in the solar energy industry to start Black Oak Collective, an organization that helps to provide resources and opportunities to Black professionals and advocates interested in sustainability. He also travels to colleges and universities around the country to share his knowledge and experience with students of color. His goal is to make it easier for the next generation to get involved in the clean energy industry and make a positive impact.Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus