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Today's guest, John Chaimanis, is CEO of Kendall Sustainable Infrastructure. John is a returning SunCast guest & you can hear his original executive profile back in episode 196 of SunCast when we discussed his approach to what we referred to then as “Value-added finance” for solar project development. John’s team and reputation have grown substantially in the sector since our chat back in 2019, so I was supremely grateful for some time with him face to face in Boston recently to see how 2022 is shaping up, what he’s excited about, and why these in-person meetings are still so critical to his success.
It was the first time that I actually got to meet with John in-person, believe it or not, and it was made all the more special because Beantown is his Hometown! In our conversation, John discusses the joy of in-person meetings, the family reunion feel of these regional gatherings, and how important it truly is to get the right people in the room.
His company, KSI, has experienced tremendous growth since our original interview. He, like many, are going further upstream to provide developers with financial and project support with a nimble decision-making framework & team-building focus. As a developer, I wanted to hear John’s thoughts on where the industry has NOT changed over the years since he’s been developing wind, solar and energy storage assets. His answer, frankly, surprised me. But, it probably shouldn’t have. As you’ll see, his answer underscores the fundamental blocking & tackling approach that John has poured into his business and reputation.
It was great to hear in his voice a conviction that the Distributed Generation segment will continue to thrive and grow, even outpacing other sectors. We share that sentiment. In fact, as proof that the sector is reaching investment-grade status and maturity, John points to how institutional capital is focusing on DG, highlighting a recent example from his own portfolio.
The takeaway? The Independent developer is alive and well. And with industry partners like KSI to help them, there looks to be plenty of runway left for this exploding market opportunity.
Timestamps
(2:45) The importance of in person family reunion
(4:16) How KSI is growing
(5:49) What hasn't changed the past couple of years
(8:30) The greatest impact over the next 12 months
(10:33) How institutional investors are looking at Distributed Generation
(11:42) How to partner with someone like KSI
(13:05) Wrap up
RESOURCES:
Find John on LinkedIn.
Follow Kendall Sustainable Infrastructure on LinkedIn, Twitter and check out their website.
Episode 196: Value-Added Project Finance W/John Chaimanis, Kendall Sustainable Infrastructure
NOTEWORTHY QUOTE:
“I think the importance of trust and respect, is absolutely the biggest thing that in my eyes hasn’t changed.”
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SUNGROW focuses on integrated energy storage system solutions, including PCS, lithium-ion batteries and energy management system. Pleae visit https://www.mysuncast.com/sungrow
ABOUT THE HOST OF SUNCAST:
Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, consistently rated a top solar podcast in the clean energy sector. 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 an Investor, Executive Coach, and 15-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.
You can connect with Nico Johnson on Twitter, LinkedIn or email.
If you’ve been second-guessing your work decisions or maybe trying to reconsider how you "fit" in the renewable energy industry -> grab 20 minutes on Nico's calendar and discuss whether having him as Your personal coach might be the right next step.