SunCast

Today is Part 2 of our interview with Amanda Bybee, Founder of Amicus O&M Cooperative, a company that brings together a network of independent solar companies across the U.S. to provide operations and maintenance (O&M) services for geographically distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) portfolios.Today, she will continue to share the struggles she’s gone through, how she has endured the growth curve of multiple companies, and the insight into ways you can now adapt her lens into your own career.Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode hereAre 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

I'm really, grateful for my friend Tara Doyle, who introduced me to today's guest, Amanda Bybee. Before I began conversations with Amanda, I didn't know much about her life and work. And I must tell you, I was engrossed by Amanda's story. She had such a phenomenal background and journey to get to where she is today. And we learn all about the Amicus O&M Cooperative as well as her time at Namaste Solar, and even back to the early days of Solar Austin and the early early push to get renewable energy and solar into the agenda in Texas. I am honored to be able to provide you with this Part One of the interview, and we'll be following the Part Two on Thursday. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

If you’ve ever pulled yourself up by the bootstrings, ever worked hard-as-hell just to get on a level playing field, ever kept at something b/c it was simply worth doing, then today’s episode is for you. Today’s Energy executive is my longtime friend and true #SolarWarrior, Kendra Hubbard. Kendra and I met in 2011 in Philly at a regional solar conference, the way I’ve met so many of you. She earned and kept my respect for her tenacity and ingenuity from the first moment we met. Today I share with you some of the ways she’s become a thought leader in the solar industry, and how she manufactured her ascension to become one of the general assembly elected members of the board of SEIA. She’s an inspiration, and I’m honored to know her. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

Today's guest is Rosana Francescato, Communications Director at Clean Coalition, a non-profit organization that drives policy innovation to remove barriers to procurement and interconnection of Distributed Energy Resources (DER), and also collaborates with utilities and municipalities to create near-term deployment opportunities that prove the technical and financial viability of local renewables and other DER. This conversation took place in the Podcast Lounge back at SPI 2019, and was led by PV Magazine contributors, Christian Roselund and Erica Johnson. Hear Rosana separate fact from dicromato about an often confusing electricity topic: Microgrids! Much has been said about the traditional power grid, but their smaller versions offer viable solutions due to independent control capability, better known as "Island Mode". Rosana covered this and other benefits that this approach has to offer in supporting our savings grid infrastructure, from phasing out diesel generators, to mitigating risks in the face of natural disasters. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

Today’s guest does not consider herself an entrepreneur, so I’ll give her some other titles. Whether she would be self-referential or not, Mona Dajani is a deal machine. She’s also the only woman ever to be head of energy and infrastructure of a major law firm, and The only lawyer on the board for ACORE. In short, she’s a trusted advisor and has been the steady hand in nearly $100B in renewables transactions.  Mona unpacks for me the 3 key elements of a ‘good deal’ - Reliable pathway, Risk mitigation, and the reality of the macro-environment. We also unpack where deals get stuck, what Mona does to relax, and as you’ll hear, she has an infectious laugh. I like to think that contributes greatly to the appeal of this self-proclaimed network-aholic. At times, she appears superhuman, but rest assured, I get Mona comfortable enough to reveal her secrets to success and a life well lived. I know you’ll love seeing the corners she’s peering around. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

PV recycling is something that our industry has been working on for at least four years, maybe longer. Many question marks gravitate around recycling solar PV modules, one of them being the final destination of these assets if not recycled properly, often associated to increase the world’s pollution levels. Today we're joined by Evelyn Butler from Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Garvin Heath of the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Garvin himself has been very entrenched in the efforts with a lot of his other research activities. It's an area near and dear to his heart, so I'm excited to share both his and Evelyn’s insights about this topic. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email  Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

Today’s the second in our Women’s History Month lineup of all-star clean energy leaders. Britta von Oesen is a longtime Solar Warrior. The story about her entry into the industry is fascinating. Britta is a Managing Director with CohnReznick Capital and leads the San Francisco Office.  She has 10+ years of experience in investment banking, tax equity, corporate strategy, and development in the wind, solar, and broader environmental sector. She has directly advised on over 5GW of solar, wind and battery storage projects, and contributed to the financing or sale of $20B+ worth of projects with CohnReznick Capital. Hear how she turned from financial crisis to financial dealmaker during The Great Recession. Britta has been responsible for 5GW and some of the biggest transactions in the last decade of the solar boom. But that’s not the whole story - she’s a dedicated mother and a sterling example that you can lead at home and the office without compromise. As we continue our all-female lineup during this Women’s History month, I hope you’ll get a ton of value from this mighty manager, mother, and friend. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email  Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

We are joined today by Erika Myers, Principal of Transportation Electrification at Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA). She has 16 years of experience in the clean energy sector and specializes in the nexus between the grid, electric vehicles, and renewable energy. Key ideas explored: Distribution System Infrastructure and Planning to support optimized charging and Electric Vehicles (EVs) Trends in EV infrastructure Charging amount for medium and heavy-duty trucks What are the challenges of long haul trucking electrification? How to help fleets? Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email  Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

This Sunday, you can watch Rocky Mountain Institute on CBS’ 60 Minutes. Justin Locke and Chris Burgess from the Islands Energy Program will be featured with partners from Bahamas Power and Light and the Government of The Bahamas discussing the power of distributed renewable energy to build a more resilient future for the islands and set an example for the world grappling with climate change. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email  Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

When former guest and industry pioneer, Jim Spano, introduced me to Joe Tassone, I never could have imagined how much I’d go on to learn from him, but I’m grateful for the introduction. Joe has been developing projects and leading teams since his twenties, and has seen the boom years come and go in the Telecom industry. We explored the path that led him to ultimately founding his own company in the telecom space, and his eventual transition to the solar energy industry. Joe impressed upon me not only the fundamental and transferable skills of development, but also the value of being a giver, a networking, and a customer-focused zealot! Joe is one of the best I’ve met at followup, and he credits much of his success to an insatiable desire to meet people and connect the dots. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email  Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!