SunCast

Today we explore energy management and the customer-focused opportunities it creates to monitor, control and conserve energy. We'll examine the topic through the lens of CPower Energy Management — better known as CPower, a leading provider of commercial and industrial demand-side energy management programs.CPower is one of the most recognized load management companies servicing clients in the Distributed Energy Resources (DER) market. DER has been defined by many entities (including way back in 2002 by NREL!), but I prefer the SEPA definition circa 2017:  DERs are physical and virtual assets that are deployed across the distribution grid, typically close to load, and usually behind the meter, which can be used individually or in aggregate to provide value to the grid, individual customers, or both.If you’re totally unfamiliar, you’re in good hands, just sit back and enjoy today's conversation with Mathew Sachs, senior vice president of strategic planning and business development at CPower.Mathew is a seasoned cleantech executive with experience developing and implementing distributed and renewable growth strategies that leverage technological advances in solar, energy storage, intelligent software and other DERs. He was one of the earliest team members at Yingli Solar (where many of you might have met him) and has been a trusted voice in the sector for many years.Join us today for an interesting show and perspective on DERs from an industry leader.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

Distributed Solar Development (DSD) has grown from a stand-alone offshoot of a multinational conglomerate to a powerhouse in its own right. In the second episode of our Beyond O&M: The Future of Solar series, DSD Asset Management Director Chris Larkin explains how DSD serves as a "one-stop shop" for large-scale, custom solar PV and energy storage solutions.DSD provides customized solar PV energy and energy storage solutions — from analysis through design and finance to commercial operation — to commercial and industrial customers looking for a hedge against increasing energy costs and kilowatt-hour demand. You can learn more about their story in SunCast podcasts 338, 363 and 364.Beyond O&M: The Future of Solar is a six-part series we present to you in partnership with Omnidian. Omnidian's mission is to protect and accelerate investments in clean energy through innovative technology, passionate teams, and an amazing customer experience. It’s industry-leading service optimizes solar asset performance for projects of every size, providing end-to-end peace of mind.You can check out the series and the experts who comprise it at: www.mysuncast.com/futureofsolar. 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/

Dave Kenny, co-founder and chief operating officer of Omnidian, has spent more than 15 years building solar plants and the teams and software to keep them running. In this first episode of our Beyond O&M: The Future of Solar series, Dave discusses the evolution of solar as an asset class through his deep experience in building operations and fleet management for both utility-scale solar portfolios and national residential solar leaders such as SunRun. Dave is passionate about delivering retail-inspired excellence in customer experience (CX) to solar customers. In our conversation, he presents compelling data that underscores the need for a more robust, customer-centric experience. He also illuminates how enterprising entrepreneurs can leverage data and the evolving Internet of Things (IoT) to deliver on customer-centric experience at scale. Learn more and follow along as we unwrap this six-part series in partnership with Omnidian. You can check out the series and the experts who comprise it at: www.mysuncast.com/futureofsolar. 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/

This isn't a typical SunCast podcast episode. Today, I'm sharing my interview done by the inimitable Lee Krevat on his podcast, The Climate Champions.I became acquainted with Lee through the pandemic, and have truly come to deeply appreciate his perspective and insight into the energy transition. He’s an entrepreneur, leader, investor and speaker who has had a front-row seat to the way the energy grid is evolving. Lee is a Carnegie-Mellon grad with more than three decades of experience in the energy and technology industries. Now, he helps clean technology start-ups, utilities, regulators, legislatures, and environmentally-focused companies and communities bring clean energy and clean transportation solutions to market.It was an honor to sit down with him to reflect on the meaning of the work we do at SunCast and why I do the work that I do. I love his format. And more than that, I love Lee's candor as he explores leadership in the fight to mitigate climate change.After nearly 16 years in the solar industry and more than 500 podcasts of my own, I can tell you the greatest weapons we have to fight climate change are our voices. I hope you enjoy hearing my conversation with Lee today as I share a few more yet-to-be-told stories.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

For nearly three decades, Andy Tang has led business development, strategic planning, corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions for some of the most influential players in the energy and telecom sectors. From modernizing the electric grid with smart meters to replacing aging grids with energy storage and microgrids, Andy stands at the bleeding edge of the digital energy frontier. As vice president of energy storage and optimization for Wärtsilä's global Energy Business, he works directly with utilities and power producers to accelerate the shift toward a 100% renewable energy future. His position at Wärtsilä evolved from a role he began in 2014 at Greensmith Energy, a provider of energy storage software and integration services. Helsinki, Finland-based Wärtsilä acquired Greensmith in 2014, greenlighting Andy into a new role with full responsibility for Wärtsilä's energy storage business. In the past year, Andy has led massive growth in the Energy Business, increasing order intake more than tenfold. Tune into today's podcast to hear more about Andy's journey and his insights, observations and forecasts about power markets and the technologies that will enable them to evolve. 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

Did you know that clean energy hardware startups can benefit from millions of dollars in testing at world-class labs?Today's expert industry guide, Tenley Dalstrom, will explain everything you need to know. But don’t queue it up and forget… the next deadline is August 19th!As Director of the California Testbed Initiative (CalTestBed) at New Energy Nexus, Tenley works with all types of clean energy technologies and helps innovators and entrepreneurs bring clean energy concepts to market. CalTestBed provides $8.8 million in testing vouchers to California clean energy entrepreneurs for third-party technology testing at more than 70 facilities across nine University of California campuses and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (aka Berkley Lab) near UC Berkeley. In addition to CalTestBed, Tenley explains the American-Made Solar Prize, a multi-million-dollar U.S. Dept. of Energy competition to energize U.S. solar manufacturing for which she’s served as an advisor over the past few years. We’ve covered the AMSP here on SunCast all the way to its inception (the first Solar Prize was granted to podcast friend and past guests, Bill Nussey and Ben Damiani - Episode 200) 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

Entrepreneur and community builder, Steph Speirs, aims to unlock the possibility of solar power for the roughly 90 million households that are locked out of the solar market in the US. Some rent their homes, others have less than optimal credit scores, or their roof is too shaded or otherwise unsuited to a solar array.  Steph is the co-founder and CEO of Solstice, which wants to turbocharge access to clean energy through community solar and "make the clean energy revolution work for everyone in America."We've talked a lot lately on SunCast about the need for a more equitable and inclusive approach to solar for all households. In today's discussion, Steph and I explore this theme through innovations like the Solstice energy score, a proprietary underwriting standard for solar customers. It's more accurate in predicting who will pay their utility bill and more inclusive of low-income Americans than traditional FICO credit scores, those three-digit numbers used to assess creditworthiness. Steph believes "the role of power and privilege is to use it to open up doors for other folks to access that same power" and shares that perspective in a most engaging exchange today. Steph’s private market innovation & entrepreneurship has been recognized and lauded. Yet, it’s her public sector work that is really eye-catching. She developed Middle East policy as the youngest policy director at the White House National Security Council, served as a special assistant to the Office of the Secretary in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and managed field operations in seven states for the first Obama presidential campaign. "The number one job that prepared me to do what I do today is being a community organizer with the Obama campaign," she said.I hope you tune into today's podcast to hear Steph explain how from that experience Solstice was born, in which she and her team set out to find a better, more inclusive qualification standard than FICO scores for helping more people go solar. She helps me better understand Solstice's new community solar qualification metric, the EnergyScore. Leveraging data from nearly 875,000 customer records, the EnergyScore aims to predict future payment behavior more accurately than FICO credit scores while simultaneously including a more significant proportion of qualified low-to-moderate income customers.Trust me when I tell you it's worth your time to listen to everything Steph says in today's very enlightening and uplifting show.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

This solar industry is crossing the chasm, and the consumers at the “table” today, while they look similar, are much different from those consumers before who were predisposed to taking higher risks, trying technology in advance. We're now moving to the early mass market, and they're going to be more risk averse. The way we sold to the early adopters to get our first 3 million solar installations won’t get us the next 3 millionAnd, let’s be honest, solar has a dirty little secret: It's not "set it and forget it; no moving parts." When you step back and look at the 3 million solar assets in the field, there are assets that break every single day; the challenge is in finding them, surfacing them and responding to them.For too long the industry has ignored the post-installation experience, and the future of solar is actually dependent on changing this narrative and keeping the promises we’ve made, so we can scale to that next million consumers, and beyond.This is our latest educational series, and it’s focused on how we can leverage the post-installation customer experience to move beyond overpromising sales hype and lackluster service response, and find meaningful ways to delight & entice the next wave of clean energy enthusiasts through proactive engagement.Starting August 15th, we’ll debut a six-part mini-series, in partnership with Omnidian, where we explore how successful companies across the nation and across business sectors are taking a proactive approach to asset management and client satisfaction. From midwest residential to big-city Commercial & Industrial, leading solar experts will tell us how they’ve built successful business models that leverage technology and strategic partnerships for scale. And they also explain how building a strong culture has been foundational to their business. Whether you are experiencing the pains of a growing solar business or are just starting out and want to learn from the pros, I hope you’ll subscribe to the show & join in this important conversation as we explore the future of solar.If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info (linked, twitter, etc) in the show notes over on the blog.This Series is created with the input & support of Omnidian.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/

If your mobile phone or laptop has ever become uncomfortably hot, you have first-hand experience with a concept called thermal runaway. It's one of the primary risks related to lithium-ion batteries, and it happens when the lithium-ion cell enters an uncontrollable, self-heating state.  Catherine Von Burg, CEO of SimpliPhi Power, recently returned from the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) conference.  A key observation by Catherine and her team is that fire-safety in energy storage systems was a seemingly foreign topic [at the conference] with little-to-no knowledge or expertise on energy storage chemistry, form factors, risks, and mitigation measures. There was ample opportunity to educate the attendees of the conference on this important topic but there is still much more of the story that needs to be told. In today’s Tactical Tuesday, Nico & Catherine unpack the underlying philosophy behind the testing standards and protocols associated with the oft-confusing UL 9540 & 9540a. Why is UL 9540A fire-safety testing so critical for the energy storage industry today?What are the differences in Battery Chemistry, Form Factor, and Manufacturing Processes that affect how a battery behaves in thermal runaway?How can 9540a testing be a differentiator? And what is at stake if the testing is avoided or the results obfuscated?Learn why Catherine says, “This is the quintessential thing in Energy Storage that needs to be discussed before the industry gets a black eye from another explosion or recall”You’ll come away from this Tactical Tuesday with practical insight you can apply immediately to your battery selection process!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/

Showing up is half the battle.“Wow, 500! How did you do it, Nico?”Seems a lot of folks had this question on their mind as the date drew nearer to hit this milestone on the pod.And, when I asked you listeners “what can I do that’s special for Episode 500?”, time and time again I got a common reply, “Have someone interview you, Nico! We want to know what you’ve learned!”The answer to “How I got here” is really boring and simple. One foot in front of the other, following my intuition, and reaching out to every hero, founder, leader who inspired me in the solar industry. It’s the tried and true formula for consistent progress that Most (all?) of the over 400 entrepreneurs & Executives interviewed on SunCast have “revealed” over the years. Only ONE thing trumps (or compliments) Luck in the formula for success, and that is CONSISTENCY!Persistence. Sweat. Late Nights. Stretching what you believe you can do. And, for me, deciding each and every week to Press Record (and so, so much more that actually goes into bringing these episodes to life)! Consistency is a muscle and you have to decide you will do whatever “it” is, just like exercise, every single day.But the truth is, I have not always had this character trait of consistent action towards a goal. In fact, I was told I would fail in the beginning by people who, well-meaning, recognized that I had never been this consistent in anything. Little did they know, they motivated me to do the one thing that they believed I was incapable of, publish a podcast every single week.  Now, we publish 2. Soon, it will be even more. As they say, Hug your haters…let them inspire you. All along, this quote inspired me:​​“Do just once what others say you can’t do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again.”— James CookI set my sights on 500 episodes…7 years later, here we are.And now,  WHO should be that trusted guide in an interview meant to tease out my lessons learned (and origin story) along the way? Afterall, in Episode 100, I already brought in the Mega-connector and solar industry maven, Scott “Sully” Sullivan to help me tell my origin story. So, this time, I decided to turn to the all-time most-listened-to SunCast guest (and an excellent & insightful solar industry CEO), Andy Klump, founder/CEO of Clean Energy Associates. In today’s episode, Andy turns the mic, and the interview draws out some of my most deeply held beliefs, most strongly anchored memories, and stories I have never told before on this or any other stage. Tune in to hear more about my origin story (skip the first 30min if you don’t care about that! haha), what I’ve learned from 500 episodes, and where we go from here.I hope SunCast has inspired you thus far. I’d love to hear what were some of your favorite stories? Who did you meet or come to admire/appreciate #BecauseOfSunCast?? We are on this journey together.  This show has become my life, my livelihood, and my community. Thank you for showing up, each and every time #SolarWarrior.Because, truly, showing up is half the battle.You’ll find links to connect with me and Andy and reference links to the things we discussed in the episode in the show notes over on the blog. I’d also really love if you would Comment on today’s Linkedin post about the episode! What were some of your favorite stories? Who did you meet or come to admire & appreciate #BecauseOfSunCast?? 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