Episode 587: Crowdfunding Climate Solutions For Healthy Returns & A Better Future, with co-founders of Raise Green, Franz Hochstrasser & Jackie Logan

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How can we raise enough capital to finance the infrastructure needs of Energy 2.0? The climate finance requirements for the aggressive build-out of renewables and the climate action we need seem overwhelming.

However, some fantastic startups in the industry are tackling this issue head-on with innovative platform-scale models. Take Raise Green, a platform that gives people with as little as $100 to invest a chance to support clean energy and climate solution projects.

It relies on crowdfunding to give all investors a way to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return.

CEO and Co-Founder Franz Hochstrasser thinks it's a way to make a meaningful impact without a solar finance degree or billionaire status. 

"The world needs a whole society mobilization to cut carbon pollution fast enough to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. And the two key ingredients to that mobilization are more money and more people," Franz said.

Raise Green capitalizes on a 2016 change in U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regulations that opened the door to greater participation by small investors. Known as Regulation Crowdfunding, it enables companies to raise as much as $5 million annually by selling securities such as equity or convertible note to the public online.

Franz said this change frees up as much as $5 trillion in American household net worth in low- or no-interest check checking and savings accounts — ideally for investment in climate solutions.

SunCast Host, Nico Johnson, recently talked to Franz and Raise Green Co-Founder Jackie Logan about how they support the innovators and entrepreneurs on the frontline of climate solutions. 

Jackie, the company's Chief Investment Officer (CIO), shares how Raise Green works with local leaders to develop project finance companies, which can help scale up the adoption of clean energy and climate solutions in their communities. This approach creates a sustainable model for growth that benefits everyone involved. 

It also offers "blended capital," which allows investors to contribute different types of capital to a project, such as equity or debt. 

Raise Green builds upon Franz's background in policy, climate change, environmental, and social issues and advances Jackie's more than 20 years of capital markets experience.

Before graduating from the Yale School of the Environment with a focus on sustainable finance, clean energy and business in 2018, Franz served eight years in the Obama Administration. His roles included Senior Advisor to the Special Envoy for Climate Change at the Department of State,

deputy associate director of the White House Council of Environmental Quality, and confidential assistant and legislative analyst at the Department of Agriculture. 

He lectures at Yale School of Environment and is co-founder of New Haven Community Solar.

Jackie worked for JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs and was a vital member of an internet-based trading platform. She has an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Williams College and MBA from Wharton.

Join us for an introduction to the powerful concept of Regulation Crowdfunding, a relatively new financing method that pools small individual investments or contributions from many people. Raise Green —launched in 2018 with a $25,000 Climate Change Solutions grant from Yale — aims to encourage more people to invest in climate solutions. By using Regulation Crowdfunding, they have created an accessible and democratic way for people to support projects that benefit the environment. 

Since its inception, Raise Green has mobilized about $6 million for climate solutions with the help of some 3,000 investors and 20,000 members. 

If you're looking for a way to invest in climate solutions, Raise Green might provide an answer. Listen to the podcast to discover how you can join the crowd.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Franz Hochstrasser on LinkedIn

Connect with Jackie Logan on LinkedIn


Follow Raise Green on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and check out its website.

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“We were trying to prove a point, which was that we can organize a group of conservative investors to put small dollar denominations at our lowest investment amount actually was $50. So we have several $50 investors in New Haven community solar that came in, and use crowdfunding to finance solar. And at the end of the day, it worked it.”
— Franz Hochstrasser
“There is what we call investment crowdfunding. And that is what raised green is and certain other platforms that you’re probably familiar with the larger names like a Republic or a Wefunder. We are actually literally issuing securities for companies and they are investments where investors expect to get a financial return. The difference at Raise Green is investors are here for a financial return, but also an impact.”
— Jackie Logan

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. Please visit https://www.mysuncast.com/sungrow

Speed up PV installations for lower LCOE with TrinaTracker and improve overall system value with optimized compatibility using Trina Solar’s industry-leading modules and the TrinaPro utility-scale or C&I Solutions. Please visit https://www.mysuncast.com/trina

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.

Episode 586: A Primer on Risk Taking, Book Writing & Personal Branding, with Tom Weirich of EDPR

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

“We Took the Risk” is an award-winning book written by Tom Weirich that dives into the personal stories of leaders in the renewable industry, traits they share that make them successful, and their individual superpowers that make them unique. During the personal accounts in this book, the history of the renewable industry is told in a way that keeps readers excited to turn the page. 

In our latest episode, Nico interviews Tom to discuss the importance of personal branding and the vital role marketing plays in the renewable energy industry. Weirich shares his experience writing the book, and how he uses his marketing skills from his corporate experience in his personal endeavors. Pick up tips on how to weave relevant professional and personal experience in the industry to make your own personal unique mark.

One of the best takeaways of this episode is the idea of paying it forward. Tom shares his commitment to mentoring someone in the industry every week. He encourages others to make a little time to do the same in their own ways, as it not only helps newcomers to the industry (whom we need desperately), but also builds a network of support that can benefit everyone. There hasn’t been a more important time to invest in each other's ventures. 

“We all succeed or go down.”

Listen to learn how the power of personal branding can differentiate individuals in the industry. Johnson and Weirich both emphasized the importance of having a calling card, whether it's a book, a podcast, or a newsletter. By creating something that showcases an individual's expertise and ideas, each person has the opportunity to stand out and make a name for themselves outside of their corporate brand.

Finally, Weirich talks about the significance of understanding the traits needed for professionals in the industry, and how his book highlights those traits through the stories of executives who made an impact in the renewable energy industry. He stresses the need for resilience and leadership, and how the industry needs individuals who embody those traits to continue to evolve. 

Join us on this listening journey to walk through the importance of paying it forward, standing out in a crowded industry, and embodying the traits needed to make a difference and succeed in renewable energy.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Tom Weirich on LinkedIn & Twitter

BOOKS MENTIONED AND RECOMMENDATIONS:

 
 

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“We have significant, incomparable issues that you all are facing, let’s work together on solving those issues, right? I think many will agree. We can’t switch on renewables overnight. There’s just no way. However, we need to approach the conversation saying listen, natural gas, coal, it’s such a valuable resource, let’s figure out how to keep it valuable, right? And how to also approach things from a more practical perspective by integrating renewables in day to day work.”
— Tom Weirich

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. Please visit https://www.mysuncast.com/sungrow

Speed up PV installations for lower LCOE with TrinaTracker and improve overall system value with optimized compatibility using Trina Solar’s industry-leading modules and the TrinaPro utility-scale or C&I Solutions. Please visit https://www.mysuncast.com/trina

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.

Episode 585: Climate & Cleantech Investing 101 with Craig Lawrence, Partner & Co-Founder of Energy

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

Craig Lawrence is a partner and co-founder of Energy Transition Ventures (ETV), a Houston-based venture capital fund that emerged from stealth in 2021. 

ETV aims to advance the global shift in how the world produces and uses energy by investing in promising cleantech startups. Regular SunCast listeners may recall some of those emerging firms like DroneBase (now Zeitview) and RenewCO2.

Unlike many VC firms, Craig and his partner Neal Dikeman do not require the companies they invest in to demonstrate their potential impact on carbon emission reduction. "They're all going to [advance decarbonization], but we don't layer it as an investment requirement because the most important thing we can do is build successful companies," he said.

To do that, these young firms have to raise capital, deliver products, and generate revenue and profits. "This is where we focus our filtering criteria. If we bet on those companies and they succeed, they will have very large carbon impacts," he said.

In today's podcast, Craig shares his firm's innovative approaches to producing cleaner, cheaper, and more sustainable energy. With more than 25 years of experience in venture capital, engineering, product, and executive roles, Craig has been at the forefront of the cleantech industry since its early days.

Craig said one of the most significant strategic errors cleantech founders make is asking for funds before doing their homework.

"They don't know what we've invested in even though we talk on podcasts like this. We write a blog and try to put all our investments on our website. 

After pitching for 30 minutes or more, Craig said he often has to ask to discover what the company actually does. "They're telling me about climate change — how important it is, how screwed up the world is, and all this stuff. I try to be patient, but at some point, we interrupt. 

"I already know all these problems, and I know the market. This is my job."

He said cleantech founders should get to the point, especially when pitching investors specializing in energy, transport, buildings and infrastructure, carbon and climate, industry, and agriculture.

"Tell us why you're special, what you're doing, and how important [your work] is," he said, adding that VC firms like ETV already know climate change is a problem. "I get eight of these pitches a day."

While leading energy investing at Accel Partners, Craig oversaw successful investments in early-stage cleantech companies, including SunRun and OPower — both of which have become leaders in their respective fields. Craig has also held senior executive roles at companies driving the energy transition, such as Treverity, SolarBridge Technologies, and SunEdison.

As a former practice lead at IDEO, he helped energy tech startups launch innovative products and services. He is also an inventor, holding patents on products ranging from portable fuel cells to office furniture. With a B.S. in engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and an M.S. and Ph.D. from Stanford University, Craig brings a unique blend of technical knowledge and creative problem-solving to the energy industry.

Tune in to this episode to learn from Craig's wealth of experience and gain insights into the future of sustainable energy from the perspective of a VC firm advancing the energy transition.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Craig Lawrence on LinkedIn

Follow Energy Transition Ventures on LinkedIn and check out its website.

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“If I was advising young me, who studied engineering to what category of engineering to pick, I would say, do something around electrochemistry.”
— Craig Lawrence

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. Please visit https://www.mysuncast.com/sungrow

Speed up PV installations for lower LCOE with TrinaTracker and improve overall system value with optimized compatibility using Trina Solar’s industry-leading modules and the TrinaPro utility-scale or C&I Solutions. Please visit https://www.mysuncast.com/trina

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.

Episode 584: How One Siemens Energy Leader Successfully Balances Her Work & Family

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

Linette Casey never choose to work in the energy industry. "I just fell into it," she said.

More than two decades later, she's happy with her choice and her long-term commitment to the employer she credits for enabling her to balance work and family.

Linette Casey is Head of Americas Sales, Electrification, Automation & Digitalization (EAD) at Siemens Energy, a global market leader for renewable energies. It was created in 2020 by a spin-off from Siemens AG, where Linette worked for more than 18 years.

In today's Tactical Tuesday, I share practical, tactical information from my interview with Linette. The wide-ranging conversation traces her fascinating career journey, from pursuing ocean science and social studies to finding success in the energy industry.

She discusses how her education and experience in logistics led her to work for the U.S. Navy SEALs — the U.S. Navy's primary special operations force and a Naval Special Warfare Command component — and eventually to Siemens Energy, where she's worked her way up to managing procurement, inventory, and sales. 

Linette emphasizes the importance of adaptability and problem-solving skills as navigational tools in an evolving industry. She also shares how personal choices have influenced her career path, notably leaving one position she loved to move closer to family. 

Linette is a mother of three, including a daughter with special needs, and understands women's challenges in balancing work and family responsibilities. 

"I had to make choices, to relocate where I had family support, to find the right place for my kids to grow up and secure the special education and treatment my daughter needed. And so, I chose to take a step back from the career ladder," she said.

She's no regrets — and only compliments for how Siemens respected and supported her decision.

"Siemens treated me like family when I needed family," she said, noting that she had 10 "super difficult" years interrupted by her daughter's multiple emergency room visits and inpatient hospital stays. 

"This was all before covid — before remote working was a thing. But my boss told me to work from the hospital room if I needed to, and I did, working when my daughter was asleep. We made it work, and my team and the company rallied around me."

She said she appreciated it so much that she's stayed with the company. "Headhunters call me all the time, and I get offers. But I chose to stay because the company held me in safety, holding a space for my family and me for 10 years when I had to make decisions other than climb the corporate ladder," she said.

Linette started the Women's Energy Network, a Boston-based organization with more than 100 members representing 35 energy companies, including Siemens Energy. It aims to promote diversity and career advancement for women in the male-dominated energy industry. 

She talks about the importance of mentorship and building mentees' confidence, especially women who may face limitations and stereotypes in their careers. Linette specifically recalls a female engineer who did not see herself going into a sales position because there were no other women in that role. 

Linette helped build her confidence and saw her potential, allowing her to transition into the role successfully. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed.

"I recently sat with a woman I've worked with for years. We were taking pictures afterward and she said, 'Oh, I'm so glad I got to be in a picture next to you.' I thought she was just being sweet. But she said, 'No, you're really important to the company."

Linette is enthusiastic about empowering women and equally excited about the company she represents.

Siemens Energy is at the forefront of exciting innovations ranging from electric ferries that reduce emissions and noise while supporting more reliable operations to propulsion solutions that make marine vessels environmentally friendly and economically efficient. It's also accelerating the production of sustainably produced hydrogen with high-performance, industrial-scale electrolyzers that will benefit such things as steel production and aviation.

This episode offers a fascinating insight into energy innovation and the personal journey of an industry leader. Tune in to learn more about Linette Casey, her decades-spanning career and why she's so committed to working for Siemens.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Linette Casey on LinkedIn

Follow Siemens Energy on LinkedIn and check out its website.

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“It just takes seeing the potential in someone and just like prior bosses of mine had done that I mentioned, is really building their confidence to allow them to see their capabilities beyond what limitations have been put on them stereotypically or through whatever happened in their career up to this point.”
— Linette Casey

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. Please visit https://www.mysuncast.com/sungrow

Speed up PV installations for lower LCOE with TrinaTracker and improve overall system value with optimized compatibility using Trina Solar’s industry-leading modules and the TrinaPro utility-scale or C&I Solutions. Please visit https://www.mysuncast.com/trina

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.

Episode 583: Emilie O’Leary on Recycling and Best Practices for Cleaning up Solar Sites

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

Solar energy will only live up to its tremendous environmental and sustainability potential if the industry tackles its waste challenge. How big is the problem? 

According to the US Dept. of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), some 80 million metric tons of solar photovoltaics (PV) worldwide could reach end of life by 2050. And that's not counting the inevitable waste created by packaging materials and damaged or defective panels during construction or installation.

In today's podcast, Emilie Oxel O'Leary shares how her Marietta, Georgia-based company, Green Clean Solar, diverts broken solar panels and related debris at utility-scale solar sites from landfills. By partnering with recycling companies, the commercial waste management and landfill diversion business reduces waste and conserves resources by recovering and reusing materials.

Emilie's understanding of the solar industry's waste problem stemmed from the success of her earlier venture, Sunshine Solar, a mechanical installation company. Founded in 2016, it gained utility-scale accounts with companies like Target, L'Oréal and Amazon in its first two years.

"When you're starting with one- to three-megawatt projects, maybe five megawatts, and then all of a sudden, you're dealing with 50, 60 to 100 megawatts, it's a whole other ballgame. It's like going from the minors to the major leagues," she said, adding that everything requires massive coordination and planning between multiple vendors and contractors.

During a site visit to a 106-megawatt project, she was overwhelmed by accumulations of trash.

"The waste is just going everywhere. Our guys are so good, but they don't care about the trash because they're there to reach a milestone — to build this site in a very short time. The waste was not their concern.

“My client was sending me emails about the trash, and I was getting frustrated because it was, and I didn't know what to do with it. I'm like, holy crap. There's so much going so fast. And it's there's no process to it. My client was getting frustrated, and I was getting frustrated. And that motivated me to acknowledge 'this is a problem [so] there has to be a solution — somewhere, somehow."

Just before the pandemic began in January 2020, Emilie sold the business. She remained CEO until she launched Green Clean Solar in early 2022.

She said Green Clean Solar’s mission is to provide utility-scale solar customers with the resources to address waste problems while supporting a diverse workforce.

Green Clean Solar focuses on the eastern United States. With its extensive experience in commercial solar fields, rooftops, and canopies, Emilie said it understands the types of waste generated and the problems it creates. She added that it owns all the necessary tools and equipment to be a turnkey solution for trash removal from sites.

Recycling eliminates the risk that clean energy solutions will pose a waste burden for future generations during construction and as projects reach end-of-life. It's an essential topic for anyone interested in solar energy growth, so tune in to learn more.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Emilie Oxel O'Leary on LinkedIn

Follow Green Clean Solar on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and check out its website.

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“We did an amazing project in Miami, and we had 22 truckloads 100% of the commissioning, it was a power site. We recycled everything 100% of that. And even the concrete containers, we were we able to recycle that we had over 5000 lithium ion batteries, we recycled.”
— Emilie O’Leary

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.

Episode 582: The Energy Transition Needs All of Us; Abby Hopper, Claire Broido Johnson, and Meghan Nutting on why we ALL should be at CERAweek!

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

There's a cleaner future ahead for the energy industry. And while only some associated with fossil fuels are ready to embrace solar and wind, there are cracks in the walls separating traditional fuels from alternative energy sources.

It'll take time — which we arguably don't have — to bridge the gaps. But I left the world's leading annual global energy conference earlier this month convinced we can make net zero a reality. 

In today's Tactical Tuesday, I discuss my impressions with Meghan Nutting, EVP of Government and Regulatory Affairs at Sunnova Energy, a leading U.S. residential solar and storage services provider; Abigail (Abby) Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the national trade organization for America's solar energy industries; and Claire Broido Johnson, COO of Fermata Energy, a Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) services provider.

CERAWeek, organized by S&P Global, brings together the world's economic, geopolitical, energy, policy, climate, and corporate leaders. It's held annually in Houston and brings together the world's economic, geopolitical, energy, policy, climate, and corporate leaders to discuss the state of the energy sector. 

"Energy is a fundamental part of Texans' world, and it makes sense that CERAWeek is held there because so many headquarters are there," Meghan said. Sunnova is Houston-based, and she said, "it's fascinating to be a renewable or a clean energy company there."

In addition to oil and gas, the coal industry is well represented at CERAWeek. Those people are saying nothing like what we're saying, and they have their talking points about why coal is not going away. 

I've never been in a place with such a dichotomy of opinion and position. However, this year, there was more attention on renewable energy sources — from solar and wind to geothermal — and attendees discussed it in the broader energy transition context.

There was even a Clean Energy Commons, where attendees could meet with representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy Loan Programs Office (LPO) and discover new technologies and solutions in rooms hosted by Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI), 8 Rivers, Ecopetrol and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

It was fantastic: a whole section focused on clean energy — something that would have been anathema even three years ago.

Abby noted, "Virtual power plants are a big part of today's conversation. We need gigawatts of dispatchable capacity. And there are a lot of utilities trying to figure out what that means for them and how they'll make money on that. There will have to be some regulatory policy changes, and there were many regulatory people at CERAWeek as well. 

"A lot of them are shaking in their boots saying, 'Oh, my gosh, more electric vehicles are coming online, and that means more electricity demand. How on earth are we going to meet that?"

My advice? The most crucial step is to forget the "us versus them" narrative and build bridges across the energy industry. Some of the speakers at CERAWeek agreed.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber is a top oil company executive — CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) — and will lead international climate talks later this year as COP28 President-Designate. 

COP28 refers to the 28th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), a global meeting where representatives from countries around the world come together to discuss and negotiate action on climate change.

In his conference speech, he noted the world has a problem, explaining that it is imperative to cut emissions by 7% each year and eliminate all releases of the greenhouse gas methane.

"He said we need a major course correction, and failure is not an option," Claire said, referencing that he's spent most of his life in the oil industry.

"Chevron, Shell and everyone else are trying to create solutions. And all of these big fortune 500 companies are realizing, 'wow, [climate change] isn't going to go away with marketing. 

"They've known that for years, but now, very clearly, they're making huge statements at places like CERAWeek. The more we, the gritty startups, can do to provide solutions for these big companies, the better it is for us all," Claire added.

Join us for an insightful discussion of the increased visibility of solar, wind and other clean energy sources at the CERAWeek and why there's a new emphasis on the energy transition. You'll get advice on why anyone in the renewable energy industry must attend the event and better understand today's energy transition conversation.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Meghan Nutting on LinkedIn

Follow Sunnova on LinkedIn and check out its website

Connect with Abigail Ross Hopper on LinkedIn

Follow the Solar Energy Industries Association on LinkedIn and check out its website
Connect with Claire Broido Johnson on LinkedIn

Follow Fermata Energy on LinkedIn and check out its website

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.

Episode 581: Gov. Christine Todd Whitman calls for a Forward approach to Politics, and Energy

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

Christine Todd Whitman — the former New Jersey governor and federal Environmental Protection Agency administrator — thinks it's time to stop treating climate change as a "political football."

And maybe that goes hand-in-hand with rethinking the two-party American political system, she suggested.

During a wide-ranging interview earlier this month at CERAWeek by S&P Global in Houston, Christie explained why she walked away from the Republican party to promote a new option and how she expects its evolution to benefit climate action and clean energy. 

Christie joined hundreds of senior energy executives at CERAWeek to discuss the energy transition and addressed the standing-room-only Cleantech Leaders Roundtable reception at the Petroleum Club Houston, highlighting how traditional and emerging energy companies can synergistically create a better future for all.

Ms. Whitman gained prominence as a Republican in 1994 as the 50th person — and the only woman — elected as a New Jersey governor.

When her eight years in office ended in 2001, she spent two years as head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the administration of President George W. Bush. 

Since then, she authored a New York Times best-seller, "It's My Party Too," published in January 2005, and founded The Whitman Strategy Group, a consulting firm specializing in government relations regarding environmental and energy issues. 

Now she's realigned her political perspective and joined with ex-Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang as co-chair of a new political party called Forward — an option, she says, for the politically homeless.

She said Forward stands for the rule of law, respect for the Constitution, and changes in how we elect political candidates through options like open primaries and rank choice voting.

"Until we change the stranglehold the two major parties have on the process, we will never have different outcomes," she said.

"Obviously, we care about climate change and will likely identify some major issues to work on. But how these issues are worked on should be left up to the candidates and the states." She added that forward does not have a party platform in the traditional sense.

In today's podcast, I talk with Gov. Whitman about her new Forward Party's potential, its approach to environmental and climate issues, and the path she believes we should take to create a decarbonized grid and a clean energy future.

Christie notes that it's essential for everyone to have a voice while also recognizing there are vast differences across this country. She explains her process for gaining resolution around competing ideas and how a diversity of backgrounds and opinions are the best tools to forge solutions.

"You have to get people together who agree on a problem and are willing to sit down and solve it. As for the energy industry, it's not either/or. We can't suddenly turn off fossil fuels. It's not going to happen," she said.

She said it's premature to envision relying only on solar because there are still challenges around storage, production, and generation.

She supports nuclear energy in the form of small modular reactors (SMRs) — "the only form of energy that produces no greenhouse gases or other regulated pollutants while producing power." 

"We'll still have alternate forms of energy until we can ultimately transition to a cleaner form. Maybe fusion will finally make an appearance, and hydrogen is already making an appearance. There are a lot of exciting things going on now to reduce our energy usage," she said.

Governor Christine Todd Whitman has much to say and shares plenty of insights about the energy transition. 

"What you want to do is bring together the scientists with people from the energy industry who know how it works," she said.

Then it will be easier to share the manufacturing and entrepreneurial opportunities with the public to win broader support. What we need to do, she said, is to make clean energy a priority for the country and sell it in a way that explains, "Look, we're creating jobs."

Join me to learn more, and please reach out to me and share your thoughts after you’ve had a chance to listen!

RESOURCES:

Connect with Christine Todd Whitman on Twitter and her website

Follow Forward on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and check out its website

Follow The Whitman Strategy Group on LinkedIn and check out its website.

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“As for the energy industry, it’s not either/or. We can’t all of a sudden turn off fossil fuels. It’s not going to happen. You can’t do it tomorrow and rely solely on solar.”
— Christine Todd Whitman

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.

Episode 580: Using RECs for Overcoming Systematic Barriers in the Solar Industry

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

Opening up new pathways on the frontier of equity in energy as a solar entrepreneur, Dana shares her passion and strategies for innovating solutions to the barriers the solar industry continues to face today. 

Growing up in Pennsylvania, Dana first became aware of the damage fossil fuels have on the environment when she put some rocks from a river in a fish tank and all the fish died from the acidity. Experiences like these in her childhood lead her to passionately be on the frontlines of deploying clean energy. 

Dana begins telling her solar industry journey in 2008 when she was working for others and experienced people being taken advantage of. This led her to create Solar Concierge, a business that addressed those issues by providing honest, ethical solar consulting services to homeowners and businesses. Through this experience of helping people, she gained inspiration to create Solar Stewards, a program that allows people to use solar as a learning tool and is designed to make renewable energy development for historically excluded communities easier to deploy.

In this episode Nico and Dana dive into best business practices for installing solar with positive social impacts, and how nonprofits aren’t the answer when looking to make a real actionable influence on marginalized communities. 

“You're always dependent on something that the power dynamics just don't really lend themselves to the type of equitable systems that we're building. If we look at a social impact as something separate from business, we're always going to have the same problems with the business. It's got to be together. It’s not a charitable opportunity.” Redden says.

Listen in and find out the details on how Dana has scaled her businesses in energy while simultaneously breaking down systematic barriers, and creating societal benefits and success for investors. 

Solar Stewards successfully used renewable energy credits (RECS) with a women-led solar development firm that partnered with a tax advisory firm to install a community solar project at a school in Baltimore. The school now gets a revenue stream from leasing its rooftop space and students gain education and field experience by participating in the project. 

Dana walks us through the ins and outs of how RECS provides value and generates revenue in communities that have been historically excluded. Including an equity piece in environmental, social governance, or corporate social responsibility programs, not only creates value in working with the community but is valuable to the investor. 

American Made Solar Prize winner, Redden breaks down her business strategies that have been developing opportunities for emerging markets and different business models in dual network platforms that create new equitable systems.

You can also find Dana’s work with the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) board, where she helps SEIA employ equity. In the end, she shares some tools to help individuals understand the systemic barriers that people of color have faced, and advice for those looking to embrace diverse teams.

RESOURCES:

Find Dana Redden on LinkedIn.

Follow Solar Stewards on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and check out its website.

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“The distinguishing factor with a social rec is it is procured from or serving a historically excluded community. Helping to add additionality for that solar on-site. Typically aggregates of distributed generation or cited solar, rooftop solar, if you will. And also priced at a rate and a term that achieves that.”
— Dana Redden

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.

Episode 579: Emily Cohen Has Delivered 15GW+ Of Solar & Wind; Chief Development Officer of Primergy

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

When Primergy Solar started operations in 2020, it opted to go big — really big — and develop one of the largest solar projects in the world.

A subsidiary of specialist investor Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, the fledgling company's cornerstone project is the $1.2 billion, 690 MWac/966 MWdc Gemini Solar and Battery Storage Project in Clark County, Nevada. 

With an additional 1,416 MWh of energy storage capacity, the mega-complex northeast of Las Vegas could generate enough electricity to power 260,000 homes in Nevada and potential energy markets in Southern California. 

As Chief Development Officer at Primergy, Emily Sanders Cohen understands the assignment. "When I think about the problem Primergy needs to solve, I think about the problem that the world needs to solve regarding deploying clean energy and decarbonizing the electric grids," she said.

And while Primergy is "just one of many important companies doing this really important work" to get to a fully decarbonized energy system to prevent the worst potential impacts of climate change, it has a clear go-big mantra.

"We think doing big projects, taking big bites out of the problem, is the way to move the ball forward quickly," she said.

Emily has more than 20-plus years of renewable project development, including more than 15 gigawatts of operational solar and wind projects. 

She started at Primergy in 2020, shortly after Quinbrook launched the company to capitalize on the increasingly important role of solar-plus-battery storage solutions in accelerating the energy transition. (You can learn more about Quinbrook in Episodes 517 and 439.)

As CDO, she's responsible for project development, power marketing and origination activities associated with the company's growing portfolio of North American utility-scale and distributed solar and storage assets. 

In today's podcast, Emily discusses Primergy's battery storage projects and how the company's work is helping us transition to a cleaner, decarbonized electric grid. 

"We don't just need kilowatt hours to supply electric demand. We need to ensure those kilowatt hours are available when consumers need them. Today's renewable technology enables us to get to a decarbonized transmission grid, but we need a lot more folks deploying it," she said.

Before Primergy, Emily oversaw renewable activities at ENGIE North America Inc. and led that team to the number one utility-scale Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) position. 

She started her career at Clipper Windpower and worked at Acciona and Element Power before opening an independent consulting business. She was an entrepreneur for nearly 10 years and simultaneously worked as an employee at Infinity Renewables and ENGIE.

She has a ton of significant experience and a passion for renewables, so join us for an insightful conversation. Emily thinks transparent communication is essential as the renewable industry grows and evolves.

"The industry needs to be doing a lot more as a coalition to create broader public messaging about the benefits of renewable energy and dispel some of these patently untrue myths and statements that seem to grab hold in this era," she said.

She said some places that welcomed renewable development "with open arms 10 years ago" no longer do so because of fear and misunderstanding about solar, wind and other renewables. 

"The situation is the same on the ground, and nothing has changed about the technology. The information and the misinformation are changing people's perception."

RESOURCES:

Connect with Emily Sanders Cohen on LinkedIn

Follow Primergy Solar on LinkedIn and Instagram and check out its website.

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“I think just like acknowledging what you don’t know, and acknowledging that as a manager is not your job to know, every single thing that every single person is doing on your team, it’s your job to make sure that everyone is kind of marching in the same direction.”
— Emily Sanders

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.

Episode 578: Systems thinking, Human-centered design, Lessons from a Non-technical founder, with Piper Wilder, 60 Hertz Energy

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

Piper Foster Wilder makes one thing clear when you ask her about her company. "We are not the traditional tech company. We're not a bunch of bros. It's all women," she said.

As the self-described non-technical co-founder and CEO of 60Hertz Energy, Piper straddles the complexities of helping microgrids and their managers use assets more effectively with a commitment to keeping people the priority.

In today's Tactical Tuesday, Piper explains how she embraced human-centered design (HCD), confident decision-making, a clear vision and task prioritization to find solutions to move her cleantech company forward.

HCD is a problem-solving technique that puts people at the center of the development process and prioritizes their wants, pain points, and preferences during every phase.

It played a crucial role at 60Hertz Energy, the Anchorage, Alaska-based company that offers computerized maintenance management software for microgrids. 

"We didn't know what we were doing initially. So we hired a human-centered designer who had done extensive work with us. We chartered a small airplane and flew above the Arctic Circle to visit a community called Venetie, Alaska, the location of one of our operators," she said.

The flight — so bumpy Piper's colleague got sick to her stomach — ended with a landing on a lake. Piper was still nursing, so she brought her infant and husband along on the flight and the subsequent three-hour interview with a powerplant operator.

"We asked a lot of questions and recorded the content. It was one of my richest memories in starting 60Hertz for two reasons," she said. 

"I had ideas about what I thought the product would or could do, but I learned I had a massive bias. 

"The more important piece was I wanted the software at that time to touch on deeply human aspects of what we have to bring to work sometimes. Which is to say, if there is a trauma in our experience, how do we get our jobs done? 

"How does it impact you if you live in and out of jail with a chronically intoxicated family member? I'm a disciple of the adverse childhood experiences (ACE) thesis and think if more of us understood how ACE affects our ability to perform our work, we would have far more effective public policy solutions. 

"I thought it was the right time to gently bring up some of these questions in this human-centered design interview. And it wasn't, and I was wrong."

You can learn more about Piper in Episode 541, including how she embraces "the more painful lessons or dumb things" she'd done building her career and why she finds it cathartic. Today we share a snippet of that extended conversation, focusing on how she's adopted confident decision-making, a clear vision and task prioritization to find solutions to move the renewables industry forward.

Join us as she touches on various deep and meaningful issues, like persuading investors to overcome their own unconscious bias against a woman-led tech company.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Piper Foster Wilder on LinkedIn and Twitter

Follow 60Hertz Energy on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter and check out its website.

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“I would certainly invest in a second-time founder the next way through because so much of what you’re paying for is learning curve.”
— Piper Foster Wilder

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.

Episode 577: RenewCO2 Wants to Transform the Way Plastics Are Made - co-founder, Karin Calvinho

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

What does it mean to rewrite how we make plastics and chemicals, and how can a new approach help us recapture harmful greenhouse gas that would otherwise contribute to climate change? 

These seismic questions propelled Karin Calvinho to start a company to find answers — and she launched the business two years before she completed her Ph.D. at Rutgers University.

Now, more than four years after starting RenewCO₂, Karin is actively contributing to the effort to accelerate our clean energy future. The work she and her team are doing offers hope we can innovate our way out of the climate crisis. 

And once you grasp the technology, you'll have the pleasure of connecting the dots directly to renewable energy. It's very synergistic.

RenewCO₂ announced its spin-out from Rutgers University last September, securing exclusive licensing to scale its novel catalyst technology to convert carbon from hard-to-abate sectors into a feedstock for carbon-negative plastic monomers at a fraction of the cost of plastics derived from fossil sources. 

Ok — that's a lot for those of us who aren't chemists. But Karin was happy to break it down.

"Traditionally, the chemical companies will take fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal, heat them under pressure — sometimes with hydrogen, sometimes with oxygen — and from a series of processes that require pressure and temperature change, transform those products into a sort of soup. That soup needs to be heated up again to separate the things we need with the purity we need. And the bottom line is that we spend a lot of energy doing that, and both the carbon and heat inputs generate a lot of CO₂," she said.

After decades of such industrial processes, the planet has grown increasingly hot, and we need to scale back our CO₂ emissions. "But we still need all the products that come from those processes," she added.

"The challenge is to make them differently."

She said chemical production accounts for more than 15% of global industrial greenhouse gas emissions, "so it's significant, and it's an issue worth working on."

Karin and her co-founder, Anders B. Laursen, are both immigrants — she's from Brazil, and he's from Denmark. They met at Rutgers, which operates one of the leading catalyst laboratories in the US.

"I wanted to direct my learning and my Ph.D. towards making chemicals faster, better, cheaper, and more sustainable, and that's only possible with catalysis, so I decided to go into that area," she said.

Catalysis is a process that makes a chemical reaction happen faster. It works by using a substance called a catalyst that lowers the amount of energy needed for the reaction to occur. The catalyst is not used up in the reaction and can be repeatedly reused to speed up other reactions.

Karin and Anders have extensive experience in catalysis, electrolyzers, electrochemistry, chemicals and materials science. They were named Breakthrough Energy Network fellows in 2022 for their work around converting CO₂ to chemical products to address decarbonization in the plastics, energy, and chemicals sectors. 

Karin called the Breakthrough Energy Network "a great example of reducing friction in innovation and helping to educate founders on how to run a company instead of letting them figure it out alone."

RenewCO₂ has repeatedly demonstrated that its novel catalyst can mimic nature's route to reducing CO₂ more efficiently than natural systems by chemically transforming carbon dioxide into chemicals at "unprecedented selectivity and high energy efficiency" in a single step. The low-cost catalyst has also received broad peer-review attention and several awards, including features in The Royal Society of Chemistry's Energy & Environmental Science Journal and the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

The startup has raised more than $10 million in venture investment and grant funding, including a seed round of over $2 million led by Energy Transition Ventures. RenewCO₂ expects to begin supplying its systems to customers by 2025.

For now, join me to learn more about Karin, the innovations RenewCO₂ is pioneering and, for all you solar warriors out there, how this ties directly to renewables.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Karin Calvinho on LinkedIn

Follow RenewCO₂ on LinkedIn, Twitter and check out its website.

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“Basically, plastic is a polymer. And a polymer is made out of monomers. So before it becomes the material that you see it is generally a smaller molecule, and it needs to be bound together before it becomes the solid that you see around.”
— Karin Calvinho

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.

Episode 576: Shannon Miller left Tesla to build a new category of generator!

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

Shannon Miller is a remarkable woman. She has a bachelor's, master's and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Stanford University and was recognized in 2012 by the MIT Technology Review as one of the "35 Innovators Under 35." Last year, she earned recognition for advancing women's leadership in clean energy as one of only nine annual DOE awardees for the C3E initiative.

She considers herself a pragmatic optimist — a dreamer with the vision, education and scientific knowledge to accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon electric grid. And in today's Tactical Tuesday, you'll learn more about the person behind the success as we explore Shannon's background, motivations, and core values.

Shannon is the chief executive officer and co-founder of Mainspring Energy — a Menlo Park company that believes the long-sought clean, efficient, affordable, and resilient grid is within reach. Mainspring is developing a new linear generator that converts multiple fuel types to electricity.

We share greater detail about the innovative generator in Episode 533. But we wanted to revisit that conversation to highlight some of Shannon's traits and motivations to give a sense of how she got where she is today.

"If you keep your mind open to sometimes wacky ideas, you can often find a path you didn't think was viable before," Shannon said.

She describes her parents and brother as "amazing, wonderful, supportive people that I won the lottery with" and refers to her grandfather, who started a company after fighting in WWII, as one of her early heroes. 

She switched her college major from chemistry to engineering after taking a thermodynamics course on the advice of her freshman-year residence assistant. "It was just so mind-blowing because I learned how everything around me worked — refrigerators, car engines, and the basics of the world. It was fascinating and something I wanted to continue," she recalled.

Christopher Edwards, professor of mechanical engineering, emeritus at Stanford, taught the course. He became Shannon's Ph.D. advisor and later pulled her back to the idea she had researched as the basis for her company.

"Words do not capture the gratitude I feel for what he's given me," she said. "He instilled a passion for energy, a passion for learning and a deep, deep respect for first principles thinking, and has inspired so many folks in the energy field. He's one of my heroes and mentors, and I know many others feel the same way."

A former National Science Foundation Fellow, Shannon received funding from the Global Climate Energy Project to advance her research at Stanford. She collaborated with Mainspring Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer Matt Svrcek to design and develop the early prototype that was the foundation for Mainspring's linear generator technology.

Join me to hear how Shannon seized opportunities and grew personally and professionally to build amazing success.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Shannon Miller on LinkedIn

Follow Mainspring Energy on LinkedIn and check out its website.

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

Pragmatic Optimism

Proactive Collaboration

Excellence Without Ego

  • And then the third one is excellence without ego. And so this is really around trying to always be improving, always be striving for excellence and to have the sort of humility to get the feedback to know that you can always be doing better. 

Advice for job seekers: 

as you're choosing companies, you're focused on in climate look also for things like core values, and interview [them] for that when you're interviewing at a company, and hopefully you can find a place where you find that match. 

Advice from an investor:

tackle the highest risk and the hardest problems first, because, you know, what you don't want to do is, I mean, there's money at stake, but there's also your life at stake and time, like you said at the beginning is your most important and the only non renewable asset and so you don't want to waste a bunch of time doing the easy things and then find out that you've had a roadblock that stops that makes the business a non starter and so they always recommend it, you know, and push really hard to say what's the hardest highest risk thing in the company. Make sure you do that first and tackle that first before anything else.

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.

Episode 575: How One Entrepreneur Is Reinventing Energy Choice With Modern Technology, Tanya Barham of Community Energy Labs

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

Tanya Barham has a simple way of explaining the mission of Community Energy Labs, the Portland, Oregon-based company she founded and heads.

"We're like the QuickBooks of building technology. We support something more complex than someone doing their taxes but at a far lower expense than a business that uses SAP or a big mainframe computer," she said.

Tanya wants to make smart energy management and decarbonization accessible and affordable for community building owners.

In today's insightful and wonderful conversation, we explore the built environment  — specifically around the issues of how we control it and how it controls us. 

As the US Environmental Protection Agency acknowledges, the built environment touches all aspects of our lives. It encompasses the buildings we live in, the distribution systems that provide us with water and electricity, and the roads, bridges, and transportation systems we use to get from place to place. These human-made or modified structures provide people with living, working, and recreational spaces — and creating all these spaces and systems requires enormous quantities of materials.

Tanya is an innovator, entrepreneur and self-described utility nerd, skilled in the execution of all aspects of technical service, product development, operations and commercialization from ideation through funding and growth while integrating systems and people. She has 20 years of experience developing programs and software to improve the built environment.

In the early 2000s, when solar photovoltaic (PV) was still considered a largely fringe technology, she started a first-of-its-kind solar program called Solar 4R Schools for a Portland, Oregon-based foundation. More recently, she's focused on helping building managers use predictive controls to manage their carbon footprint in places like schools. 

Did you know 40% of greenhouse gas comes from the built environment, and 70% is from the electric grid? Even so, most (87%) commercial buildings need more controls to manage the complex solutions and software now available. 

Until recently, Tanya said smaller businesses, schools and local governments could get by with limited controls. "But now, there are penalties for non-compliance with building performance. As costs and complexities increase, they need solutions."

Tanya said energy is the second highest cost for larger nonprofits. And in the United States, k through 12 schools spend more on energy than on computers and textbooks combined.

Community Energy Labs' commercial building control solutions monitor, learn and adjust building energy use to meet business goals. Tanya described the company's internet of things (IoT) driven Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform as "predictive and adaptive — a tireless virtual engineer controlling your building's setpoints, schedules, air quality, comfort and energy use."

Tanya shares fascinating stories about business building, her hard-knock upbringing, and the commonalities between choirs and companies in today's podcast. She grew up poor, she recalled, in a family with limited resources and minimal access to higher education. "But my relatives were smart, curious and energetic, and neurotic in ways that helped me," she said. 

Once she started school, many caring adults recognized her potential "and invested a lot. Teachers and counselors constantly plugged me into resources and promoted me to leadership development programs. And then, when I went to college, I became a nanny for a Swedish family full of entrepreneurs," she said.

Tanya explains how the challenges of her youth prepared her for the effort and risks inherent in entrepreneurship. 

Anyone building a business, climate tech or otherwise, will enjoy the lessons we unpack here today. And yes, we also talk about things like solar, proptech — property technology — and even touch on the artificial intelligence convergences driving climate tech investment.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Tanya Barham on LinkedIn and her website.

Follow Community Energy Labs on LinkedIn and check out its website.

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“I truly believe to lead the clean energy revolution, we need more people asking questions. We need more people curious about how and why things work and be willing to change it and try something incredibly new and different.”
— Tanya Barham

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.

Episode 574: 5 Ways to Get the Most From Your Solar Tracker System

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

Solar veteran Dell Jones started working with trackers before most folks entered the solar industry. 

"The first project I got involved with was at Florida Power & Light, which installed a tracking system at its general office in Miami in the early 80s. This tracking system was huge and bulky — a big noisy thing, about eight feet tall, four to five feet wide, three feet deep, somewhere around 150 decibels," he recalled.

Times have changed. Today there are smaller, quieter bespoke solutions designed with consideration of the architecture, environment, and site geology. But to get the most from your investment, Dell said you should evaluate five significant factors. It starts at the foundation level and extends through your asset's terrain, surface area, mechanical assembly and risk-adjusted security.

Dell is the key account manager for TrinaPro, the all-in-one smart solar utility solution offered by Changzhou, China-based Trina Solar. Since 1997, Trina has pioneered sustainable solar energy solutions, including solar modules, tracker systems, and inverters.

On today's Tactical Tuesday, Dell explains how to maximize profits when installing or specifying tracker systems for utility-scale or large distributed-generation solar projects. We dive into a checklist of five ways to improve profitability by integrating trackers into your large-scale project development process.

Dell has some 40 years of experience in the solar industry and deep knowledge of trackers from his work as a product manager at TerraSmart and other industry-leading companies. More than 80% of today's utility-scale projects are tracker-based, and Dell has been at the forefront during the product's rise to dominance.

Trina's business footprint extends to more than 100 countries and regions, including regional headquarters in San Jose, California, Tokyo and Singapore; sales offices in Madrid, Mexico, Milan, Sydney, Chile, and Dubai; and manufacturing facilities in Thailand and Vietnam. And those who’ve followed my career will recall that I actually worked for Trina once-upon-a-time!

Join us for some insightful conversation — and up your solar game by downloading Trina's whitepaper to see how your decisions impact the LCOE of your project. In our discussion today, I highlighted some of the things I learned from the whitepaper and even recommend specific pages you might find useful!

Learn more by downloading it here.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Dell Jones on LinkedIn

Follow Trina Solar on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and check out its website.

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“What’s really unique about trackers and ground mount as opposed to rooftop installations, you know, they have to deal with the building and the wind and all that. But really, you know, a lot of people don’t really understand that every tracker project is a bespoke design based on a lot of conditions, environmental conditions, and civil conditions, soil, soil type rocks, wind, snow, those are all things that govern the final design of a tracker.”
— Dell Jones

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.

Episode 573: This savvy energy startup measures the carbon on the grid. Wenbo Shi, CEO Singularity Energy

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

2022 was a momentous year for Wenbo Shi, the founder and CEO of Singularity Energy. 

His three-year-old startup — a Software-as-a-Service platform that reports on carbon emissions for the electricity grid — grew from three people in two cities to a team of nine on both coasts. He hired two engineers, three data scientists, a product lead, a marketing & PR advisor, and board members — including MIT graduates and industry veterans. 

Singularity also closed its $4.5 million seed round led by Spero Ventures and Energy Impact Partners and received a $1 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II grant from the National Science Foundation. 

Wenbo said the industry is making great progress towards a clean energy future. However, many big questions remain unanswered. The good news, he stressed, is that Singularity is better positioned today than ever before to solve many of these challenges.

.Wenbo honed his interest in solar and decarbonization during an intensive academic journey stretching from undergraduate studies at Xi'an Jiaotong University in Xi'an to a Ph.D. from UCLA and post-doctoral work at Harvard. 

At Harvard, he researched smart grid technology and management and published more than 20 peer-reviewed papers, which received more than 1,000 citations.

Two of those papers ranked among the most popular articles ever published in IEEE, the world's largest technical professional organization.In addition to running his company, Wenbo is also an associate editor for the Technical Committee on Carbon Neutrality at IEEE.

Wenbo embarked on an entrepreneurial path after completing his Harvard fellowship. Somerville, Massachusetts-based Singularity uses advanced machine learning to help grid operators quantify their carbon footprints. It analyzes and predicts carbon emissions changes and the impacts of decarbonization measures so customers can time their energy use and trim their carbon footprints.

Initially, he planned to commercialize some of the energy management research he did while working on his Ph.D. But he changed Singularity's mission when he realized people who care about the environment care about lowering their carbon emissions. 

"People generally have some understanding going electric is beneficial for the environment because it will reduce emissions. But how do you quantify it? How do you understand the emission impact of decisions?" Webo asked.

In today's podcast, Wenbo explains how Singularity evolved to solve this carbon data problem and how leveraging that data to inform better decisions is the most direct path to decarbonization. This insightful episode is full of memorable takeaways that will act as connective tissue for problems you're solving.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Wenbo Shi on LinkedIn.

Follow Singularity Energy on LinkedIn, GitHub and Twitter and check out its website.

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“So those are the two types of people that you need in startup, basically, the people who can sell and then people who can build”
— Wenbo Shi

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.

Episode 572: Green Is The New Gold: Why Investing In Climate Tech Helps The Planet

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

Kyle Cherrick "builds and invests in new things in climate tech and sustainability." It's a good summation of a 15-year career focused on startups, from early-stage through the venture-funded (growth) stage and beyond, and industry leaders like First Solar, SunEdison, and Chint Power Systems.

Kyle is an entrepreneur and a climate investing aficionado, and lately he’s gained attention as lead investor for Climate Avengers, a venture capital community of more than 400 angel investors that he started in 2021 as a side project. 

Kyle’s day job, and life’s work is as vice president of business development at Electrum and its affiliated company, Solar.com. He joined Los Angeles-based Electrum (formerly PickMySolar) in 2016 after it acquired his company, Solar Merchant.

Electrum is a managed, online bidding platform homeowners can use to find competitive offers on solar, battery storage, and electrification products, and Solar.com is an online marketplace that helps homeowners find, select and contract certified solar installers. After analysis through a proprietary algorithm, registrants can choose a bid, e-sign a contract directly with the installer and explore financing options.

In today's Tactical Tuesday, I'm sharing a conversation with Kyle who joined our exclusive Discord community, REsource Labs, for its first-ever Office Hours.  The discussion centered around climate investing, and we had several community members participate in the call to provide color, questions, commentary, and counterpoints.

Office Hours is a great place to ask questions and get answers. Kyle takes questions and shares insights on the latest trends and topics in climate investing and clean tech.

Kyle learned from experience many founders are "banging their heads against the wall talking to generalist investors who didn't understand or believe in the climate tech market. Climate Avengers is here to support those founders."

He thinks the world needs to create more climate angels and grow investment in the climate space, especially in early-stage startups. 

It's why Climate Avengers launched its first fund in 2021 and added a rolling fund last year, which enables it to back the most promising climate startups more quickly. The rolling fund writes checks in the $10,000 to $50,000 range and makes three to five investments a quarter.

"We know the climate clock is ticking and that good businesses out there need more capital to grow faster, hire more, and fund more pilots. They need to reach across that chasm to reach full viability, so I began researching and building out my own fund," he explained. 

He's running the funds concurrently with his work at Electrum, which he said he enjoys. "I love it, but I also have a huge passion for angel investing in this space and know we need more capital," he added.

Kyle talks about many subjects in today's podcast, including carbon offsets. "The whole globe is becoming aware that we have to reduce carbon and understand the value of a carbon reduction offset. The value of those carbon offsets will increase significantly over time, to the point that it becomes like an asset one would invest in, which is a weird concept to consider. But it's good for the economy. 

Kyle graduated in 2008 from the University of Arizona with a degree in marketing and entrepreneurship and earned an MBA in 2016 from Babson College. 

There's much to hear in today's conversation, and I invite you to join us. Kyle is a repeat guest, and you can learn more from him in Suncast Episodes 95 and 96.

RESOURCES:

Invest with Climate Avengers

Connect with Kyle Cherrick on LinkedIn and Twitter

And, Join our community to participate in more live conversations like this one!

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“The general thesis is, the whole globe is becoming aware that we have to reduce carbon, and we have to understand the value of a carbon reduction, or offset, and so the value of those carbon offsets is going to increase significantly over time, to the point that it actually becomes like an asset that one would invest in.”
— Kyle Cherrick

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.

Episode 571: 3 Problems Causing Solar to Stumble and How to Solve Them, Michael Orshan of PVHardware

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

Michael Orshan has one absolute about decisions. "You have to make one because you need to keep the ideas moving. Standing still is the worst thing," he explained.

That conviction has served him well through a career that rode the wave of digital telecom and internet development before morphing into solar and clean energy roles.

Michael has helped implement more than 10 gigawatts of solar worldwide during the past 15 years. As VP of US Sales for Valencia, Spain-based solar tracker vendor PVH and a board member of Breeze, a startup using existing oil and gas pipelines for electricity generation with compressed air pipeline systems (CAPS), he has broad industry knowledge.

In today's podcast, you'll hear his perspective on how manufacturers and utility-scale developers have evolved to address market needs, their current challenges, and their options for moving forward to overcome three critical issues in clean tech.

"We need to solve intermittency. What happens when the sun is down and the wind doesn't blow? We need to solve transmission. How do you move all energy from remote sites to the people and manufacturing plants that need to use it? And — one that never gets talked about enough — how do you retire these assets? It's a huge financial issue," he said.

Michael graduated from Ohio State University in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in computer science and accounting. He used his expertise to consult, extract data and grow applications built on the nascent internet for companies, including NCR, AT&T, Verizon and VCTI. 

In 2003, he was named director of the Office of Science and Technology at the New Mexico Economic Development Department, where he pioneered some early solar laws and projects. He left in 2006 to focus on solar trackers — support structures that allow solar panels to follow the sun's path and absorb more solar radiation for increased efficiency. 

He is now an executive with PVH, a provider of trackers, structures and control solutions for utility-scale PV solar plants globally and the world's third-largest solar tracker supplier, and a board member of Breeze.

At Breeze, he's steering the company to lead in long-duration energy storage. Breeze is one of the companies represented on McKinsey Long Duration Energy Storage Council.

Breeze aims to repurpose idle oil and gas pipelines to generate green energy, which is more cost-effective than tearing them down and rebuilding them.

Bill got involved with the company after meeting the head of technology for Sandia National Laboratories. "He said, 'I know you're in solar, and I'm part of a group of scientists. It's not a formal organization, but it includes the smartest people in the world. We've looked at the wind and solar, and while we need them, we don't think they'll move fast enough to save the world," he said. "What we think is going to work is compressed air."

Breeze transports green energy from remote locations and generates electricity closer to the point of consumption, reducing the need for a massive national transmission build-out. Instead, developers can build new power plants to support the pipelines that store, transport and generate electricity and increase their output by 25 percent using direct current (DC) compressors and avoiding the conversion to alternating current (AC). 

It's an intriguing concept that you'll want to learn more about as a way to decarbonize the grid. Join us for today's show.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Michael Orshan on Lin

Follow PVH on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook and check out its website.

Follow Breeze Inc. on LinkedIn and check out its website.

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“The biggest use of power, electricity is cooling. And when we release, we’re releasing minus 100, maybe more or less, “C”, our air is pretty cold. So we can just, take that air and blow it on chillers, and create ice, instant ice. And then you could cool data centers, offices.”
— Michael Orshan

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.

Episode 570: Breaking Barriers in Solar Development: Miles Braxton and the BlackOak Collective

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

Miles Q. Braxton said he learned the merits of "patience with urgency" while working in solar sales, where there was often a delay between prospecting and closing. 

He likely applied the lessons learned to another critical aspect of his life — promoting sustainable job opportunities for members of the Black community.

Miles is a co-founder of BlackOak Collective, a community of Black professionals and advocates across environmental fields in the Washington, DC, area. 

Patience may be a virtue, but Miles understands the necessity (and urgency) to provide the organization's members with the connections they need for career advancement. The community is for professionals, students, culture workers, organizers, and all Black people interested in creating the environmental future Black communities deserve.

Miles leads strategic partnership and student engagement efforts for BlackOak Collective. He's also co-founder of a stealth startup in the climate and energy tech area and director of risk management at Summit Ridge Energy, a leading owner-operator of U.S.-based community solar assets. 

When I last interviewed him, he worked for Goldman Sachs Renewable Power Group's solar energy assets, coordinating risk management (insurance and environmental health and safety). He left that role in mid-2022 to take the position at Summit Ridge.

In today's Tactical Tuesday podcast, I'm sharing a snippet from that conversation that includes some notable thoughts about a Black man's journey to success in sustainability.

Miles went to the University of Virginia specifically to study electrical and computer engineering under Mool Gupta, a pioneer in photonics — the science of light. With the support of his parents — two lawyers and a third who attended medical school — and strong mentors, he was a prime candidate for a career in the booming solar industry when he graduated from UVA with a degree in environmental science in 2018.

But he found it hard to get a job. Once employed, he often found himself the only non-white person in the room. He formed BlackOak Collective to make launching a career in the environmental area a little easier for the next person of color. 

It's not a career path that's talked about or well understood in the Black community, Miles said. 

So he started sharing his journey with students at various colleges, explaining how persistence, patience and vision for a sustainability career paid off. The collective took off when he partnered with a former UVA classmate, Kiera Givens. By partnering with organizations to promote job opportunities and build a network of Black professionals, they've expanded information and resources to build homes for many Black environmental communities. 

Join us today to learn how Miles grew his career and created BlackOak to facilitate mutual support, collaboration, resource sharing, job opportunities  and mentorship for Black people pursuing critical work across various environmental fields.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Miles Q. Braxton on LinkedIn

Follow BlackOak Collective on LinkedIn and check out its website.

Follow Summit Ridge Energy on LinkedIn and check out its website.

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.

Episode 569: The best way to do proper carbon footprint accounting? Alex Stuart, Standard Carbon

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

Entrepreneur Alex Stuart's interest in renewable energy likely flows from the same personality trait that's enticed him to start multiple businesses, sometimes consecutively. 

"It all starts from innate curiosity. I'm a very curious person by nature, and so I'm constantly exploring ideas and opportunities," he explained.

Alex is the president of Carbon Block, which he co-founded in 2018, and Standard Carbon, which he launched three years later. 

An expert in greenhouse gas assurance, small-scale renewable energy and the carbon markets, his companies synergistically support his beliefs in transparent, accurate climate data. 

They're the latest projects for the busy Canadian, who founded two renewable energy companies and installed wind turbines for the U.S. government earlier in his career. 

Carbon Block and Standard Carbon are both based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Carbon Block is an environmental technology firm aiming to tackle climate change through carbon offsets. It uses proprietary hardware backed by blockchain to verify greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and convert them into carbon offsets. 

Standard Carbon offers GHG-related consulting services to clients in renewable energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation sectors.

Alex launched Standard Carbon because he views carbon accounting as an exciting opportunity. 

Alex thinks climate data directly affects a company's financial position — and not managing your risk exposure to rising carbon prices will cost it. As he explains, understanding your carbon debt from all operations and your supply chain is imperative for clients, shareholders, and investors and enables companies to avoid greenwashing and misspending.

Standard Carbon is the first GHG verifier in Canada accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) to ISO 14065:2020 and ISO 17029: 2019 and is the sixth in Canada accredited to ISO 14065:2013. This accreditation enables Standard Carbon to issue GHG validation and verification statements, a crucial part of creating carbon offsets. The accreditation is recognized internationally and allows the company to participate in the carbon markets.

In today's podcast, Alex discusses his companies, career and the latest offering from Standard Carbon, SCOP3 software. Alex says it's "the one climate tool for every financial need" because it helps companies of all sizes manage every part of their environmental data. 

Alex said SCOP3 addresses the needs of accountants, who have struggled to evaluate environmental information and translate it into financial details. During a meeting with representatives of a leading US-based accounting organization, Alex floated the idea of specialized software.

"I casually asked, 'If we build software that translates environmental science information into financial language, would that be helpful for members of your profession?' And they responded, 'Absolutely.'

"That was the aha moment, where we pivoted to building what we're now calling climate accounting software. It's an evolution beyond carbon accounting because it is a much more holistic approach to the problem," he explained.

Alex said he often imagines himself in the future, where he can "see things and know, 'clearly, this is the way it should be' and then come back and go, 'Why isn't it that way?' 

"That's been my approach to entrepreneurialism and how my career has taken me to where I am today."

It's a fascinating conversation. Join us.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Alex Stuart on LinkedIn

Follow Carbon Block on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok and check out its website. 

Follow Standard Carbon on LinkedIn and Twitter and check out its website.

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“A lot of this stuff that we have now is obvious, when you’ve got it in your hands. But the point of going from zero to one, on that point, can be very challenging.”
— Alex Stuart

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.

Episode 568: Cary Hayes' big leap from Smith Barney to Solar

We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast

One day Cary Hayes was enjoying himself on the Colorado slopes, where he skied some 100 days a year — and two weeks later, he was heading to a highrise in his native Chicago for a financial consulting job at what was then Solomon Smith Barney.

To paraphrase David Byrne, he likely asked himself, "Well, how did I get here?" 

The answer is as memorable as his ultimate decision to help green the planet and ascend to one of the solar industry's top leaders.

Cary's spent the past six years leading REC Americas, the California-based North American division of REC Group, a leading European brand for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. 

A solar industry veteran with nearly two decades of sales and business development experience, he exudes fun and confidence while remaining among the most fiercely competitive people I know. Moreover, he has excellent practical advice to share in today's Tactical Tuesday.

I've known Cary since 2012, when I worked at Trina Solar. He's a strong leader and a really nice guy — a former Colorado ski bum who kicked off his career when he essentially decided it was time to grow up.

Cary prioritized skiing in Crested Butte during his 20s. "I wouldn't trade it for anything. And then, around 1999-2000 — at the peak of the .com boom, the market peak and all that fun stuff — I was like, 'Well, I better go figure out how to get a real job,'" he recalled.

He returned to Chicago, where he decided to put his bachelor of history degree from Colorado State University against "a lot of smart people who went to places like Colgate and Cornell." He aces multiple interviews before landing a spot with the final decision maker.

"She's like, 'I'm looking at your resume, and I've got to be honest with you. I don't see anything on here. What the hell have you been doing for the last seven or eight years?"

"I just had nothing to lose, so I looked at her and said, 'I'm just going to be honest.'"

He was — and got the job.

Today I'm resharing a snippet of an interview with Cary from 2022 (the first of last year, in fact!). It highlights the importance of navigating your own route, even when it veers through an off-the-beaten-path ski town.

You'll hear how he overcame that less-than-linear resume to land a consulting job at what's now Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and why he walked away from it to explore the budding solar industry.

"I was looking at all these guys in their 50s and 60s, and they're making seven figures and doing really well," he recalled. But he's dubious about following their lead. "I want to do something different."

Cary ended up being part of the team that brought Norway-based REC Group to the US market in 2008, helping to fuel its global growth. In 2014, he left REC Solar (now owned by Duke Energy) to work as a vice president at Pristine Sun and Clean Focus before accepting a top role at REC Americas. For several years, he sat on the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) board.

 It all worked out.

Remember, every decision you make — wherever you've been — prepares you for what comes next. Decide today to listen to this podcast. It's worth your time.

RESOURCES:

Find Cary Hayes on LinkedIn.

Follow REC Group on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and check out its website.

Full Episode 438

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.