Leaving Tesla for VC with Adam James (+Happy Birthday, SunCast!)

Welcome to Episode 117 of SunCast, Solar Warrior!

Adam James was the first guest on SunCast and returns to celebrate the 3rd Anniversary and talk about his new role at Energy Impact Partners.

This episode is a reunion of course, but it's also a fascinating look into how Adam spent the last 3 years at SolarCity, then Tesla, and most recently his foray into Venture Capital at Energy Impact Parters. 

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Today's episode is brought to you in collaboration with PV Magazine USA.

With its independent, technology-focused reporting, pv magazine concentrates on covering the latest solar PV news, topical technological trends, and worldwide market developments. This is an ongoing editorial cross-pollination, so If you're joining us as a new listener thanks to PV Mag, thank you for checking out SunCast.

We want to thank our amazing sponsors and partners of SunCast. You can find more about them by visiting our sponsors page.

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Resources

Want a blast from the past? Listen to my first interview with Adam: Episode 1

Connect with Adam on LinkedIn

Follow Adam on Twitter

Find out more about Energy Impact Partners here

Get Your Tickets for emPOWER 2018 here

Books Mentioned

Awareness - Anthony DeMello

Black Swan - Nassim Taleb

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

116: Creating Industry Leading Events, Nadim Chaudry

Welcome to Episode 116 of SunCast, Solar Warrior!

Nadim Chaudry is a world traveler, a voracious reader, and a market maven the likes of few I've met. His founder story is an intriguing one, but so is his backstory, and it's all here.

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Today's episode is brought to you in collaboration with PV Magazine USA.

With its independent, technology-focused reporting, pv magazine concentrates on covering the latest solar PV news, topical technological trends, and worldwide market developments. This is an ongoing editorial cross-pollination, so If you're joining us as a new listener thanks to PV Mag, thank you for checking out SunCast.

We want to thank our amazing sponsors and partners of SunCast. You can find more about them by visiting our sponsors page.

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Resources

The Future of Clean Energy in LATAM - Nadim Chaudhry, CEO & Founder, Green Power Global

Connect with Nadim on LinkedIn

Keep up to date with Nadim on Twitter

Check Out Green Power Global’s Website 

Books Mentioned

Waiting For the Last Bus - Richard Holloway

Resilience - Greitens

Director S - Steve Coll

Taming the Sun - Varun Sivaram

A Prayer Before Dawn - Billy Moore

Autobiography of Richie McCaw

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

115: #ThisIsWhy, SPI Live Exclusive

Welcome to Episode 115 of SunCast, Solar Warrior!

On Monday I had the awesome opportunity to meet Dan Whitten, VP of Communications for SEIA, and he invited me to record the opening remarks by SEIA's President Abby Hopper as she kicked off the 2018 Solar Power International and Energy Storage Int'l conference and North America Smart Energy Week.  

I was honored and grateful for the gracious offer, and so today I'm sharing part of that opening session with you here. 

If you're a member of the SunCast Tribe, you can hear the rest of the 40 minutes I recorded with the panelists in the session via your Patreon Feed. 

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Today's episode is brought to you in collaboration with PV Magazine USA.

With its independent, technology-focused reporting, pv magazine concentrates on covering the latest solar PV news, topical technological trends, and worldwide market developments. This is an ongoing editorial cross-pollination, so If you're joining us as a new listener thanks to PV Mag, thank you for checking out SunCast.

We want to thank our amazing sponsors and partners of SunCast. You can find more about them by visiting our sponsors page.

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Resources

Follow Abby on Twitter

Connect with Abby on LinkedIn

Learn more about SEIA Here

Read more about the Report Abby Hopper was mentioning here.

Follow SPI on Twitter

Learn more about Dan Whitten of SEIA here

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

114: SPI 2018 is Here!

Welcome to Episode 114 of SunCast, Solar Warrior!

On this episode, Christian Roselund from PV Magazine and I discuss the reality of 100% renewables on the grid, and he gives an overview of the PV Magazine roundtables happening this week at Solar Power International 2018.

If you missed my SPI preview episode, be sure to give it a listen here.

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Today's episode is brought to you in collaboration with PV Magazine USA.

With its independent, technology-focused reporting, pv magazine concentrates on covering the latest solar PV news, topical technological trends, and worldwide market developments. This is an ongoing editorial cross-pollination, so If you're joining us as a new listener thanks to PV Mag, thank you for checking out SunCast.

We want to thank our amazing sponsors and partners of SunCast. You can find more about them by visiting our sponsors page.

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Resources

Follow Christian Roselund on LinkedIn

Interested in the Roundtables? PV Magazines Future PV Roundtables

Need More SPI Info?

SPI Floorplan: https://spi18.mapyourshow.com/7_0/floorplan/ 

SPI FAQ: https://www.solarpowerinternational.com/about/faqs/  

SPI iOS App

SPI Android App

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

113: Puerto Rico 1 Yr Anniversary of Hurricane Maria

Welcome to Episode 113 of SunCast, Solar Warrior!

Today, September 20th is the anniversary of Hurricane Maria's landfall on the US Territory of Puerto Rico. To commemorate it, we are looking at the response to the subsequent and drastic loss of electricity on the island. Millions were left without power, and many continue to this day waiting for PREPA the local power authority to turn the lights back on.

We'll look from both the non-profit and for profit angles at how solar energy and storage have been part of the rebuilding of the electric infrastructure from two perspectives, The first will be from Andrea Leucke, founder and Executive Director of The Solar Foundation, which has raised several million dollars in support of the island, and the second is John Berger, CEO of Sunnova Energy Corporation, the largest residential solar provider in Puerto Rico

Today's episode is brought to you in collaboration with PV Magazine USA.

With its independent, technology-focused reporting, pv magazine concentrates on covering the latest solar PV news, topical technological trends, and worldwide market developments. This is an ongoing editorial cross-pollination, so If you're joining us as a new listener thanks to PV Mag, thank you for checking out SunCast.

We want to thank our amazing sponsors and partners of SunCast. You can find more about them by visiting our sponsors page.

Resources

Keep in touch with what the Solar Foundation is doing here: 

• Solar Foundation Website

• Solar Saves Lives

• Solar Foundation Twitter

Keep in touch with what Sunnova is doing here: 

• Sunnova Website

• Sunnova Puerto Rico Facebook  

• Sunnova Twitter

Connect with Andrea Leucke on LinkedIn

Follow Andrea on Twitter

Connect with John Berger on Linkedin

Follow John on Twitter

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

112: SPI 2018 Know Before You Go

Welcome to Episode 112 of SunCast, Solar Warrior!

SPI is back in California, and back at the Anaheim Convention Center!

Listen in to gain pro tips and insight to optimize your time and impact at the USA's largest solar trade show.

Resources

Follow Lisa Ann Pinkerton on LinkedIn

Follow Christian Roselund on LinkedIn

Follow Tor Valenza (aka Solar Fred) on LinkedIn

Follow Kristan Kirsh on LinkedIn

2017 Post-Show Report 

My SPI Tips LinkedIn Thread

More Pro Tips on SPI from Lisa Ann Pinkerton: 

• Top Ten Twitter Tips for an Optimized Solar Power International 

• 4 Steps to Following up After Solar Power International 

Not To Miss Events

Run With Sun 5K Here 

PV Magazines Future PV Roundtables

Full Networking Special Events List

SPI Links

SPI Floorplan: https://spi18.mapyourshow.com/7_0/floorplan/ 

SPI FAQ: https://www.solarpowerinternational.com/about/faqs/  

SPI iOS App

SPI Android App

Ridesharing Partnership with Lyft

SPI Solar Power Mexico 2019 - Check Out When It Will Be!

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

111: Gridvolution, Tom Tansy of SunSpec Alliance

Welcome to Episode 111 of SunCast, Solar Warrior!

Tom Tansy is Chairman of the SunSpec Alliance where he leads the distributed energy industry's efforts to establish data and communication standards that enable seamless integration of solar PV and storage into the Smart Grid.  

Tom previously served as a board member for the Solar Energy Finance Association, as General Manager and Vice President of Business Development for Power-One (now part of ABB), VP of Business Development for Fat Spaniel, pioneering solar Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider and start up contributor of the electric vehicle manufacturer, Zero Motorcycles. 

Resources:

Connect with Tom on LinkedIn

Check out SunSpecs website

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

109/110 - PV Evolution Labs & the Amazing Founder Story of Jenya Meydbray

Jenya is a visionary who took the risk of opening a startup company during an economic crisis and succeeded. I'm grateful to Jenya for this his first ever podcast appearance! His depth of experience, candor and generosity will blow you away.

You can find part 1 of my interview with Jenya above and part 2 below.

Resources:

Follow Jenya on Twitter

Connect with Jenya on LinkedIn

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

108 TT Procuring Solar Tips From a Pro - Michael Foster, Origis Energy

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s Tactical Tuesday. On this week’s episode procurement expert Michael Foster of Origis Energy joins us and unpacks the ingredients to the success of his company’s development team and project execution. So listen in to sharpen your skills and get some tangible takeaways for the week ahead.

Today we’ll discuss…

• How early to get involved with the development team as a procurement manager

• Tools for handling immediate deadlines

• Module vendor lead times

• The bi-facial manufacturing movement

• Competition in the solar modular market and future trends

Recently, there has been a fair amount of movement in solar manufacturing. Ten years ago there were only three or four manufacturers in the solar modular market, all of which were extraordinarily expensive, with long lead times, and frequent shortage issues. Because of this, Chinese manufacturers were able to seize the high demand opportunity and ramp up their manufacturing process, significantly improving the quality of their product.

Since then, Michael has noted a similar pattern with the Chinese battery manufacturers—they’re bringing the quality up, the price down, and producing batteries nearly as good as the A1 solar batteries. But how do we monitor quality control? It’s neither practical, nor financially feasible to walk the factory floor in each facility grinding the details of each product.

What to do? “Start relying on those experts…our integrator partners for quality validation.” Michael encourages. More and more integration companies are cropping up that you can trust with the complexity of solar product quality control. The knowledge base is growing, easing the integration process—what Michael argues is “the linchpin to successful energy storage projects.

To put it simply, if you can’t successfully integrate and meet your demand, you can’t make money. You need to build a team of people you can rely on, people who, as Michael says, “jump out of their seat and are excited.” That’s what makes a good partner. Someone you can rely on to carry out and build upon your procurement strategy. This team, these partnerships will allow you to fully take advantage of the growing competitive market.

Tune in to this week’s episode for even more wisdom and expertise from Michael Foster on procurement today!Resources:

Check out Origis Energy

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

107: Community First - The first storage-coupled community solar project in MA

Welcome to Episode 107 of SunCast, Solar Warrior!

Today's conversation is a first for SunCast! We're going to be looking at a first of its kind solar+storage project deployed earlier this year by the city of Sterling Massachusetts, through the eyes of the developer of the project, Origis Energy, and the city manager responsible for making the energy purchasing decision. 

It was a bold and audacious stretch for me to do this episode, and it took more than 2 months to pull together. SO much respect for NPR and other in-story narrative style podcasts! Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

A very special thanks to Glenna Wiseman of Identity3 who helped make this episode a reality. 

And another thank you to Oleg Popovsky for suggesting that I should do a more customer-focused interview that seeks to really understand what is driving the procurement decisions. Here you are my friend.

Resources and further reading about the project:

Connect with Josh Teigiser & Michael Foster on LinkedIn

Learn more about Origis Energy via their website

Renewable Energy Mag article:

https://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/energy_saving/sterling-municipal-light-department-and-origis-energy-20180418

And the Origis press release:

https://www.origisenergy.com/first-community-solar-storage-project-in-ma-dedicated/

And here are some photos from the project/event:

https://www.origisenergy.com/dedication-event-sterling-community-solar-energy-storage-project/

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

106 Founding SolarEdge, with Lior Handelsman

Welcome to Episode 106 of SunCast, Solar Warrior!

Speaking of Warriors, today's guest, Lior Handelsman, is not only an officer of a publicly traded company, but spent a lot of time in the Israeli army - so did the rest of the SolarEdge founding team.

Today you'll hear their process for coming up with the idea for SolarEdge, as well as how their military background is infused into the culture of one of the top solar product companies in the world.

Resources:

Connect with Lior on LinkedIn

Keep up to date with SolarEdge on Twitter

Find out what SolarEdge is up to on their website

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

105 TT Marketing In 3 Easy Steps with Mike Wolpert

People feel like marketing is a pain. They think it’s time consuming, costly, and complicated, but the truth is, it doesn’t need to be. In fact it shouldn’t be at all. On this week’s episode, Mike Wolpert, founder of Social Jumpstart and life-long marketing vet, teaches us the 3 simple steps to marketing success:

• Meet People

• Talk to People

• Sell Them Something

Easy as 1-2-3? Let’s dive a bit deeper and focus on number 1: Meet People. When it comes to building your solar business you have to broaden your audience and attract leads outside the scope of your social circle.  How do you do that?

Be An Expert.

You have to let people know what you do, and why you’re the most qualified to speak about it. It may seem rudimentary and obvious, but making the most of this simple step can mean the difference in meeting hundreds of people, or no one at all. One of the cornerstones of Mike’s marketing methodology is the Lead Magnet.

A Lead Magnet is anything of value (info PDF, Instructional Video, How-To Manual) you can offer in exchange for an email address. It is social proof that you are a useful local resource and an expert in your field.

Your Lead Magnet is NOT a quote. Keep in mind that most homeowners don’t know where to start. They’re trying to understand solar, they’re not ready to buy in yet, and that’s great! Because you have the information they need. You are educating potential customers who will respect your knowledge base and comeback to you in the future.

When you build a Lead Magnet, you are building permanent marketing assets that you can pull from for years to come. It may seem like you have to generate a lot of content on the front end, but in all actuality, you can get quite a bit of mileage from one PDF.

Take Mike’s suggestion of the Frequently Asked Question PDF.

• Create a booklet answering the Top 5 Questions you get regarding solar.

• Make it as locally specific as possible, catering to the residents in your area.

• Add a picture of you, with your product.

• End with a Call to Action: “Would you like to know more? Call 555-5555”

Now you have your first Lead Magnet. What’s even better? This can EASILY be turned in to multiple other Lead Magnets. Take those five questions and answer them in five individual videos, the end of which drives people back to the landing page on your website where they can download a PDF of the booklet.

A Lead Magnet is a simple effective tool, to spread knowledge while building your customer outreach base. What next? Check out Mike’s website www.solarmarketingguys.com to experience a Lead Magnet first hand.

Resources:

Follow Mike on Twitter

Connect with Mike on LinkedIn

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

104 Start With Why, Then Amplify, with Glenna Wiseman

Welcome to Episode 104 of SunCast!

Today, my guest is marketing maven Glenna Wiseman of Identity3, where she delivers vibrant marketing and has fueled growth in start-ups to divisions of Fortune 500 organizations. 

Glenna believes in the power of story and the rising tide of the long tail of local solar installers.  

Glenna has been an executive marketing professional in the solar industry since 2007. Her expertise includes work with companies along the solar supply chain from manufacturers to installers, financing entities to solar O&M providers and across continents to international firms making a U.S. market entry. She has fueled growth in start-ups to divisions of Fortune 500 organizations. 

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

103 Danny Kennedy on CalCEF, zebras and cleantech investing

Welcome to Episode 103 of SunCast!

We are hanging out with well-known and influential solar icon, Danny Kennedy, cofounder of Sungevity and now Managing Director of the California Clean Energy Fund where he is catalyzing cleantech investment and entrepreneurship globally. 

Danny believes in building a new global economy where clean energy is affordable and accessible to everyone. 

Danny Kennedy leads the California Clean Energy Fund, connecting entrepreneurs everywhere to capital to build an abundant clean energy economy that benefits all. This includes overseeing the CalSEED.fund of $25m for very early stage companies driving innovation and building equity in the California economy. Additionally, CalCEF runs a network of incubators and accelerators globally called New Energy Nexus. Kennedy is also the President of CalCharge, a public-private partnership with DoE National Labs and universities in California, unions and companies, working to advance energy storage.  

 Kennedy co-founded Sungevity in 2007, the company that created remote solar design, and Powerhouse, a smart energy incubator and accelerator. He was the first backer of Mosaic in 2011, the $2B solar loan provider, and remains on the Board of Powerhive, a solar mini-utility in Kenya and Sunergise, a solar-as-a-service business out of Fiji and the EnergyLabAustralia. He is also a Director of the organizations VoteSolar, Power for All and Confluence Philanthropy and adviser to SolarPhilippines. Kennedy authored the book Rooftop Revolution: How Solar Power Can Save Our Economy – and Our Planet – from Dirty Energy in 2012.  Prior to being an entrepreneur, he worked at Greenpeace and other NGOs on climate and energy issues for 20+ years. 

Resources:

Follow Danny's writing on Medium

Make a donation to California Clean Energy Fund

Connect with Danny on LinkedIn

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

102 TT - How-to Scale Your Solar Development Pipeline, w/Mike Dellagala

Welcome to Episode 102 of SunCast!

Today is Tactical Tuesday, a short-form conversation with subject-matter experts designed to give you practical tools, tips and advice for building your solar business or career. 

If you're curious about how to scale up your solar project development activity without breaking the bank, today's episode is for you. 

Mike Dellagala has invested over $200M in DG (Distributed Generation) solar projects and knows more than a few tips & tricks to getting projects across the finish line.  

Today, he answers my questions about: 

• How he invests in a solar developer's project pipeline, specifically 

• What is required to get an investor interested in your early-stage project? 

• What to do when the checks get larger than you can afford? 

• How does it work when a developer sells their pipeline? 

• What are the mechanics of selling the deal to an investor? 

• What red flags might disqualify a project? 

• What are the 2 main things his team screens to ensure the project is on the right track? 

• And of course, How to sell your project profitably and maximize return on effort! 

Mike is a trusted advisor, not just for me but for many developers I know. And his team has cracked the code on helping development entrepreneurs get projects to a successful exit, profitably. We cover a broad swath of info about what they focus on and who they help, but of course, we cannot cover it all in only 20 minutes. That's why we're going to offer a free webinar in the coming weeks to discuss the common pitfalls of solar project development and go over the project development process (and checklist!) they have created to avoid them!  

And don't forget, You can get access to the upcoming Webinar All about the nitty-gritty of developing solar projects that sell by texting "SUNCAST" to 345345 from your phone - that will get you on our mailing list so you will know when Mike and I are rolling out the webinar. And as a thank you, I'll also send you the FREE Webinar Guide, created by our last Tactical Tuesday guest, Paul Grana.  

Resources:

Follow Mike on LinkedIn

Learn more about DG Energy Partners

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

101 - Negotiation 101 with Chris Voss

Welcome to Episode 101 of SunCast!

Today, it's all about Negotiation with Best selling author Chris Voss.

Chris Voss is CEO of the Black Swan Group and author of the national best-seller "Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It," which was named one of the seven best books on negotiation. And It's my TOP recommendation for any leader or organization. 

Chris retired from the FBI after 24 years leading international kidnapping negotiations. He now leverages that experience in high-stakes situations by using hostage negotiation solutions to help companies secure and close better deals, save money, and solve internal communication problems.   

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

100 Episodes! Wow...Nico is interviewed by Scott Sullivan

Welcome to this milestone episode of SunCast, Episode 100!

Wow, thank you! SunCast doesn't exist without amazing and dedicated listeners. You've helped make this all possible - thank you.

THIS episode, Nico gets the microphoned turned on him by good friend and fellow podcaster, Scott Sullivan. Tune-in to learn more about the creator, host and voice of SunCast - Nico Johnson!

For resources from today's episode and more information on how you can support Suncast, head over to www.mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes to the blog. (the direct URL is ...episodes/100)

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

If you like what you see and hear, please SHARE it with this pre-filled tweet!

Thanks again for setting aside THIS time in your day. Enjoy this episode of SunCast.

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

099 Webinar Selling 101 with Paul Grana of Helioscope

Welcome to Episode 99 of SunCast!

Today I'm bringing back one of my favorite SunCast past guests, Mr. Paul Grana of Folsom Labs as we help you discover the value of using Webinars in your sales and marketing process.

Paul and the team over at Folsom Labs have leveraged webinars instead of an outbound sales team, and when I first interviewed Paul back in Episode 77 I promised to bring him back on to dig in further. 

Stay tuned to learn 

• The math behind Helioscope's no-salesperson organization 

• The Myth of 1:1 sales effectiveness, and how a group setting works better 

• The two types of webinars Paul uses and where they fit in the sales cycle 

• The nuances of how Paul structures the webinar - from length and cadence to what days and times work best 

Links & Resources:

Check out Helioscope's site

Find Paul Grana on LinkedIn & Twitter

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

098 Branding Your Energy Business with Fridrik Larsen

Welcome to Episode 98 of SunCast!

Today on SunCast, we're going to dig into the topic of Branding, what it is, how to measure it, when and why it's important - and I've invited a guest who is an expert on the topic, Fridrik Larsen.

Fridrik is an expert in branding and marketing strategies for the retail energy industry. He works with energy companies in the process of branding their companies and their products.

Tune in to learn: 

• What is Branding? 

• Why Fridrik got a PhD in Branding a commodity 

• The 2 key aspects to consider - differentiation and segmentation 

• How you can incorporate and measure a brand strategy to increase your bottom line 

Resources: 

Learn more about Larsen Energy Branding

Connect with Fridrik on Twitter & LinkedIn

Take a Trip to Iceland for Fridrik's Conference: Charge Energy Branding

Learn more about Energy Branding by reading Fridrik's book: Energy Branding, Harnessing Consumer Power.

Check out these conferences that Fridrik recommends: E Source & The Energy Executive Forum. 

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

097 Blockchain for Solar Energy w/SolarCoin Co-Founder Nick Gogerty

Welcome to Episode 97 of SunCast!

Today on SunCast, we get to dig into one of the topics I've featured on the Hot or Hype segment often - Blockchain and Energy.

Nick Gogerty is the founder of the first cryptocurrency specifically targeted for Solar Power asset owners. Nick is also a specialist in emerging technology, economics and behavior, and has over 20 years of experience in fintech, Blockchain, forex and innovation. He's an Advisor to the World's largest institutions: like hedge funds, banks, G20,  Prime Minister's, the UN, and the list goes on. 

The topic of blockchain and energy is an often confusing one, and I wanted to go directly to the source to get some answers to my most burning questions, so, tune in to hear:

• How valuing currency globally applies to cryptocurrency 

• The difference between a credit bubble and an asset bubble, and why that matters for Crypto analysis 

• Macro applications of blockchain, underlying theory of currency and how Nick and his cofounder decided to focus on Solar 

• How SolarCoin is structured from staking claims to proof of stake, including who's buying and using SolarCoin and why it matters. 

Resources:

Connect with Nick on LinkedIn

Follow Nick on Twitter

Keep up to date with SolarCoin by following them on Twitter

You can pick up Nick's Book, The Nature of Value on Amazon

Learn more about SolarCoin and join the Slack Channel at SolarCoin.org

Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus