We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast
SunCast reaches 500th podcast in the renewable energy space
Today is our 500th podcast — and wow! It feels so interesting to think I've done this so many times. I want to say thank you so much for lending me your ears and the only nonrenewable resource you possess, your time.
I'm honored and want to thank you for giving SunCast a chance to earn your attention. I hope you get a ton of value from this episode and the wealth of content that came before it.
We've recorded more than 25,000 minutes of audio, the equivalent of 17.36 days, 2.48 weeks, and more than half a month of continuous listening.
I'm over the moon to have achieved such a momentous milestone. And I genuinely say this from the deepest place of gratitude: I could not have achieved even 50 episodes if you were not downloading this podcast and encouraging me to keep going. I'll also note that I've always said the first 500 shows are, well, they're just practice for whatever comes next.
In a departure from our usual format, I'll step into the spotlight for today's show. I asked my good friend, Andy Klump, CEO and founder of Clean Energy Associates, to guide me through the process of unpacking the meaning of this milestone and how we got here. Andy is a SunCast legend, with three appearances on the show (Episodes 120, 335 and 414) and the record as the most downloaded all-time guest.
I'm honored by the amazing guests I've encountered on the SunCast journey and credit each one for encouraging me to deepen my commitment to the renewable energy space. They've transformed me from a person my mother describes as "a man with boundless energy who never met a stranger" into a polished podcaster with an ever-increasing understanding of energy-related issues, technologies and challenges.
I already shared my origin story In Episode 100, when I brought in mega-connector and solar industry maven, Scott “Sully” Sullivan.
Now I want to recognize all the CEOs who shared such excellent stories over the years, including Mary Powell (Episode 450), Dan Shugar (Episodes 39 and 57), Bill Nussey (Episodes 125, 135, 387, 407, 421/422 and 499) and Michele Magee (Episode 388). Their experiences reminded me to persevere, take risks and understand that success grows from a willingness to fail.
Michele says growth flows from a clear strategy. "A wise person once taught me that structure follows strategy, which means if you define your strategy, you take all the names off the org chart, and you build an organization that makes sense to achieve that strategy," she said.
I agree. And after seven years and 500 shows, I've learned two other things are essential to success: one is consistency and the other is luck.
You need to embrace each incremental gain, work consistently, and enjoy the luck that finds you. Most of all, you just need to keep going. As I say at the end of each show: "Thanks for showing up. It's half the battle."
Growing a business takes a multitude of superpowers.
There's the power of systems, from standard operating procedures to the abilities to optimize, delegate and automate; the power of preparation, or surrounding yourself with information, technology and, most importantly, the right team; and the power of gratitude and belief.
Empathetic leaders recognize the value of the shoulders they stand on and treasure the talent in their organizations for helping them reach their goals as fast and ethically as possible. I've heard these messages loud and clear from my hundreds of guests.
They also reminded me that it's important to have coaches and mentors who can give and receive feedback and build the confidence you need to navigate setbacks and obstacles.
Of course, everything in business depends on introducing the right product at the right time. Timing is critical in the energy space, where exits and valuations in the past two years are signs of maturation and growing demand from (finally) institutional investors.
As Blackrock CEO Larry Fink noted in his annual letter this year, the next 1,000 billion-dollar startups will be those "that help the world decarbonize and make the energy transition affordable for all consumers."
Blackrock has invested more than $4 trillion of the $10 trillion in assets it manages in sustainable technology. Why? "We focus on sustainability not because we're environmentalists, but because we are capitalists and fiduciaries to our clients," Fink wrote.
There's been a remarkable shift to renewable energy in energy markets in the past few years, with companies like Aurora Solar raising more than $320 million. Unicorns like Arcadia — private companies with a valuation of over $1 billion — are blowing past the unicorn threshold with continued multi-million dollar investments. We also see dozens of acquisitions of energy companies by Enphase, Generac, and other mainstream power folks.
At the same time, options like community solar and hydrogen — an energy source that emits zero greenhouse gases when burned — are gaining traction. Even multi-national oil companies like Shell, BP, Chevron and TotalEnergies are placing big bets on hydrogen as the future of energy.
But Blackrock and Big Oil aren't the only ones investing in renewables and climate tech startups. Thanks to companies like Energea, Finite.io and Climate Avengers, small investors have growing options.
It's a mind-blowing time in the renewable energy space. Over the past seven years, it's been remarkable how many more female leaders have risen to the top. Companies are trying very hard to promote from within and to pull from outside the industry, including Enphase Energy, whose CMO Allison Johnson previously worked at PayPal and Apple.
As we move ahead, I'd like to see more recognition for People of Color in the energy space — including here at SunCast. I invite you to listen to Geoff Greenfield (Episode 431), who shared some interesting thoughts on privilege and the equity and diversity embodied in Third Sun Solar, a woman-owned and led company.
As an industry, we have work to do. We need training and apprenticeships like that provided by the amazing Solar Energy International (Episode 493). And we need to enhance our marketing if we want to transform concepts from the obscure to the mainstream and enable consumers to understand their options.
Personally, I've found my happy place, helping others find and share their voices. I've had moderate success lately in sharing clients' brand voices and narratives with my community, and I want to develop that more and cultivate and coach folks who can fill my shoes or take them even further.
I'd also like to build a network of shows focused on specific audiences to reach a broader clean energy community beyond solar. We're testing new ways of communicating through options like Twitter Spaces, YouTube and TikTok, and we're doing more writing on Medium and our blog.
I think we'll test the idea of premium access to the community again. There's a desire for it, and I've been able to build a solid network of high-quality individuals who can add value to a community that wants to go beyond Linkedin profiles and "look at me" posts. It might involve me resurrecting in-person events.
While we're speaking of events, the RE+ Events (formerly Solar Power Events) from September 19 to 22 in Anaheim, California, will bring us together for the first time in three years. SunCast is a 2022 event and platinum media partner for the shows, which the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) produce.
It will be an excellent opportunity for folks to meet, give me feedback on how SunCast can evolve, and learn more about helping the community.
For now, let me say thank you once again. These first 500 podcasts exceeded my expectations, and I'm thrilled to have your support. Keep showing up — and we'll collectively win this battle!
NOTEWORTHY QUOTE:
“Do just once what others say you can’t do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again.”
Thanks again to this week's sponsor, helping keep the podcast FREE to you!
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 16-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.