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PODCAST

SunCast

Nico Johnson takes you into conversations with those at the forefront of Renewable Energy. SunCast gives an inside look into what is happening in renewable energy. From conversations with the biggest Solar Panel manufacturers in the world to the small startups creating the future of renewable energy, such as carbon capture and battery technology breakthroughs. SunCast is dedicated to providing the knowledge, research, tools and expert guidance you need to understand, grow and be ahead of the

science natural sciences

All Episodes

15:37

686: Fixing Solar’s Waste Problem | Kelly Weger,...

SunCast ·

2024/03/26

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

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01:11:26

685: How this Zillow-like Software Simplifies the...

SunCast ·

2024/03/21

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

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18:48

684: Why Can't We Immediately Decommission Natural...

SunCast ·

2024/03/19

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

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45:28

683: Will Maryland Fail To Meet Their RPS Targets?...

SunCast ·

2024/03/14

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

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07:38

{Bonus} How a NABCEP Certification Gives System...

SunCast ·

2024/03/13

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

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18:40

682: When Will These Domestic Battery Factories...

SunCast ·

2024/03/12

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

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01:14:58

681: Nextracker’s secret marketing strategy is hard...

SunCast ·

2024/03/08

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

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16:05

680: Best practices for Community engagement from...

SunCast ·

2024/03/05

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

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01:46:59

679: Business Lessons from 23 Years in Solar | Bob &...

SunCast ·

2024/02/29

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,

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20:25

678: How We Build A Diverse & Equitable Workforce,...

SunCast ·

2024/02/27

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)

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01:34:48

677: The “Carfax” of Solar, How Software is (finally)...

SunCast ·

2024/02/22

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

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34:35

676: Understanding Energy Demand in the Face of...

SunCast ·

2024/02/20

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

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01:10:13

675: Can America Be THE Battery Manufacturing Leader?...

SunCast ·

2024/02/15

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

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26:16

674: Where to get the best electricity grid carbon...

SunCast ·

2024/02/13

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

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44:30

673: The Grid We Need to Decarbonize America: A...

SunCast ·

2024/02/08

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

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17:50

672: Giving Old Solar Panels a Second Life with Cesar...

SunCast ·

2024/02/06

What happens to solar panels when they reach the end of their financed life, but not necessarily their useful life? With the solar industry's growth, the issue of decommissioned panels has become a burgeoning service (and business) opportunity. These “old” panels, though no longer new, are often still under warranty, and definitely still retain a significant portion of their functional capacity and rated power. As we’ll see in today’s conversation, harnessing their remaining potential, or

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50:33

671: We Can Secure Drinking Water From The Air!...

SunCast ·

2024/02/01

We often talk here about renewable energy. But how often have you thought about renewable water? Is it even a thing? And, what if we could manufacture clean water, from the air?Did you know, the EPA reports that 45% of U.S. tap water is toxic!?!And, while an estimated 3 billion people globally currently face water stress, that number is projected to increase to 5.2 billion by 2050!This situation underscores the interconnectedness of the climate and water crises, emphasizing the vital

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25:54

670: From Gigawatts to Terawatts: The Technologies &...

SunCast ·

2024/01/30

With the need to increase solar deployment and prepare for the terawatt era, Terabase Energy Inc. has positioned itself as a leader in transforming utility-scale solar power. This conversation, recorded live at Intersolar North America 2024, dives deep into the innovative strategies and technologies that Terabase is deploying to amplify solar energy production and to meet the demands of the terawatt-level market. With a strategic focus on reducing solar costs to as low as 1 cent per

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01:16:11

669: Navigating the New Normal in Renewable Finance:...

SunCast ·

2024/01/25

How has the IRA affected financing renewables, in particular solar projects? Renewable energy projects are contending with the harsh realities of rising capital costs and shrinking profit margins. Understanding the financial underpinnings of renewable energy ventures is increasingly crucial, particularly for mid-sized and smaller project developers who often face significant challenges in securing sufficient capital to get their solar projects into the pipeline. These obstacles not only

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42:48

668: How to leverage Storytelling as a business...

SunCast ·

2024/01/23

Storytelling is not just entertainment. It's a fundamental part of being human. A story’s most important function is to remind us we are not alone in the world.And as we champion the clean energy transition, our stories help remind hundreds of thousands that there is a career opportunity they can choose that also can leave a legacy. Yet, the gap between the industry’s advancements and public perception of technology such as solar continues to exist despite our industry being one of the

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