There are few journalists in the solar industry as prolific as today’s SunCast guest, the one-and-only Stephen Lacey. Stephen has been a mainstay in cleantech journalism for more than a decade and recently ascended to the top Editorial position at Greentech Media. As Editor-in-Chief, Stephen wears many hats, but the one I’m glad he still dons weekly is that of Host of the GTM podcasts The Energy Gang and The Interchange. Stephen is one of the OG's of solar and cleantech podcasting, having started the solar energy podcast for RenewableEnergyWorld.com magazine way back in 2006! As Barbara Mandrell might say, Stephen "was podcasting when podcasting wasn't cool!" But being on the cutting edge of technology and journalism is what Stephen is all about. It's what has fueled his life and career for more than a decade, and what has elevated him to his current role at the helm, editorially speaking, of what might be considered the clean tech industry's most important news and research agency, GTM. So, he now literally sits at the mouth of the funnel of a behemoth of data, insight, and punditry across the gamut of cleantech and solar (in particular) conversations. It was with great joy that I was able to finally get Stephen to accept an invitation to be a guest on SunCast.
Today's episode in many ways has been 18 months in the making. I met Stephen way back when I was just recording the first episodes of SunCast, and have looked to him as a mentor and spiritual podcast guide longer still. In today’s episode, we talk about much more than podcasting, and I really enjoyed Stephen’s perspective on a wide array of topics in a new version of Hot or Not I tailored specifically to him! I think you'll be intrigued to hear what Stephen believes is the next game-changer for the Energy industry - hint, it's NOT storage. It has led me to do a LOT more research in a hitherto completely new and unchartered territory for me, and I'm anxious to learn how I, too, can participate in this new and transcendent format for energy transactions!
Like many of you, GTM is one of my go-to resources for up-to-date info on the bleeding edge of cleantech, so I'm truly excited to have Stephen on the show today.
There's a Ton here to ponder today, but among the topics discussed, we discover:
The origins of the Energy Gang podcast, and Stephen's love for the medium
A modified version of "Hot or Not" where Stephen opines on topics from Distributed storage to SAAS startups in cleantech
The likelihood of a carbon tax
Stephen's view on the impact of the Trump Administration
And some of his biggest takeaways from over a decade of clean energy reporting.
Thanks again for checking out SunCast.
And as always, you can check the blog page for resources from today's show.
If you like what you hear, please SHARE it!
Stephen's bold prediction:
The Offshore wind industry will become a major player for renewables in the coming year.
Resources from today's Show:
Email: lacey@greentechmedia.com
Twitter: @stphn_lacey
GTM Podcasts: The Energy Gang and The Interchange
Energy Gang episode on Block Chain - Interview with Paul Brody of E&Y
Alexis Madrigal (Cleantech at Wired Magazine, now writes at The Atlantic)
Dave Roberts and Brad Plumer at Vox
Books Mentioned:
Made to Stick - Chip and Dan Heath
Powering the Dream - Alexis Madrigal
The Carbon War - Jeremy Leggett
To our Children's Children - Bob Greene
Podcast recommendations:
Waking Up with Sam Harris
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
or by email nico@mysuncast.com