March is Women’s History month, an annual period highlighting women’s contributions to our society throughout history. Here at SunCast Media, we’re proud to join in this celebration, not as a mere acknowledgment of the past but as an intentional commitment to the future, an equitable future. Today, we’d like to feature some of the fascinating female leaders who have previously graced the SunCast podcast as guests; These are some of the brightest, most influential, and capable women within the Clean Energy space. To that end, we’ve compiled our Top 5 Most Popular Episodes that highlight women’s voices, as denoted by overall numbers of “listens” to their episode by you all #SolarWarriors. Listen to their experiences and triumphs, and please let them know how much they are appreciated in our community!
1.) Britta von Oesen is a longtime Solar Warrior with a fascinating entry into the industry. Currently, Britta serves as a Managing Director with CohnReznick Capital and leads the San Francisco Office. She has 10+ years of experience in investment banking, tax equity, corporate strategy, and development in the wind, solar, and broader environmental sector. She has directly advised on over 5GW of solar, wind, and battery storage projects and contributed to the financing or sale of $20B+ worth of projects with CohnReznick Capital. Remember the Great Recession? Well, hear how she went from financial crisis to financial deal machine as she has been responsible for >5GW of projects and some of the most significant transactions in the last decade of the solar boom. Not to mention, she’s a dedicated mother and a sterling example that you can lead at home and the office without compromise.
2.) Tara Doyle is Chief Commercial Officer of PV Evolution Labs (PVEL), the leading independent lab for the global downstream solar industry. She currently leads PVEL’s business development, project management and marketing teams. With over 15 years of solar industry experience, Tara built the foundation of PVEL’s commercial operations as one of the company’s earliest employees. Hear a fascinating story where she and her solar lab tech nerds at PVEL sold their company, then-called PV Evolution Labs, to DNV-GL half a decade ago. Then in January 2019, they spun it back out as a separate business retaining the PVEL brand. She’s a spitfire on a mission, and we talked so much that I couldn’t fit it into one episode. So enjoy this two-part episode available for your listening pleasure.
3.) Anne Hoskins has one of the most intriguing and possibly most essential jobs in our industry, Chief Policy Officer who leads Sunrun’s state and federal policy and regulatory advocacy. Mind you, Sunrun is the largest residential solar and storage provider in the United States providing clean energy to homeowners in 23 states! Additionally, as an attorney and executive with regulatory, public policy and government affairs experience, Anne has held positions in federal and state government, at energy and communications companies and in academia. I caught up with her live at Solar Power Puerto Rico, where she told her fascinating story and shared more about leading Sunrun into uncharted waters by paving the way for their DER products, opening key new markets like Illinois and Puerto Rico, and much much more.
4.) Katherine Ryzhaya is the founder and CEO of Marvel Power Group and formerly the Chief Commercial Officer at Lightsource BP. We talked about her remarkable journey into becoming involved with Renewable Energy. As you will see, her story is impressive, as is her sheer determination, will power, intelligence and intuition. I expect you’ll enjoy getting to know her as much as I did.
5.) Bernadette del Chiaro. Her name alone carries weight as a leading voice in California Clean Energy & Climate Advocacy for 2 decades making an indelible mark on the solar and energy sector through her advocacy and political organizing. As the Executive Director of the California Solar and Storage Association, she is directly responsible for providing a voice and platform for over 500 member solar companies. Specifically, she’s now instrumental in driving forward energy storage initiatives like SB700, dubbed the Million Solar Roofs of Energy Storage. And while her accolades are many, we also covered much more, including Bernadette’s advice on how you can be more active in lobbying and policy right where you live.
So there you have it! From the comfort of your own home, your car, or wherever you tune in, you can learn about the various advancements being made within the industry as spearheaded by these phenomenal women or glean from their experiences embarking upon entrepreneurial endeavors. As I reflect on each of these recordings, I am in awe at each of these women and their determination, wit, and grit as showcased throughout their stories. There are many golden takeaways packed into each of these episodes; I implore you to give it a listen!
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.