Shows / SunCast
SunCast
Nico Johnson takes you into conversations with those at the forefront of Renewable Energy. SunCast gives an inside look into what is happening in renewable energy. From conversations with the biggest Solar Panel manufacturers in the world to the small startups creating the future of renewable energy, such as carbon capture and battery technology breakthroughs. SunCast is dedicated to providing the knowledge, research, tools and expert guidance you need to understand, grow and be ahead of the…
Episodes
- SunCast
920: Say Less. Close More. | Fixing Solar Messaging with Spenser Meeks
If it takes more than one meeting to explain what you do, you have a messaging problem. In this live conversation from Intersolar North America, Nico Johnson…
SunCast919: Why Smart Developers Are Betting on Batteries | Emilie Flanagan
Nico had the chance to sit down in person with today’s guest — and as you’d expect, that face-to-face conversation brings a level of depth, candor, and nuance…
- SunCast
918: Is Storage The Catalyst That Finally Unlocks C&I Solar? 4 Expert Opinions
Every year, the industry says the same thing. “C&I solar is about to take off!” And yet, it never quite scales the way we expect. Could this year finally be…
SunCast917: What Happens When Your Market Disappears? (The Story of Small Wind) | Michael Bergey
What do you do when your entire market disappears? That’s not a thought experiment for Michael Bergey. It’s the story of his career. Long before solar…
- SunCast
916: Where Solar Contractors Are Losing (and Finding) Margin | ABC Supply
The residential solar playbook did not just change. It got torn up. If you are still operating like yesterday’s incentives, product assumptions, and sales…
- SunCast
915: 100-Hour Batteries, State of Flow, and the Future of Grid Resilience
Long duration energy storage has spent years sitting in the “we’ll need it someday” category. Not anymore. As grid strain grows, data center demand surges, and…
- SunCast
914: The Real Reason Farmers Are Turning to Solar | Rebekah Pierce
Most conversations about agrivoltaics stay at the surface. Rebekah Pierce didn’t set out to become a voice for solar. She was trying to solve a much simpler…
SunCast913: The Real Toll AI Data Centers Are Taking on the Grid (and how to fix it) | with Jon Parrella
AI isn’t just increasing demand for electricity - it’s changing how power behaves. In this Tactical Tuesday, Nico Johnson sits down with Jon Parrella of…
- SunCast
912: How Energy Narratives Shape Capital -A Former WSJ Reporter’s Perspective | Russell Gold
Russell Gold has spent years explaining the energy transition from the outside. First as one of The Wall Street Journal’s leading energy reporters, and now…
SunCast911: Why Most C&I Solar Projects Don’t Succeed (It’s Not the Solar) | Aaron Wilson, Solar One
Most C&I solar projects don’t fall short because of the solar itself. They struggle because deals aren’t structured correctly, markets are misunderstood, or…
SunCast910: Clean Energy Is Winning on Cost — So Why Is It Losing the Narrative? | Sammy Roth
Clean energy is winning on cost. Solar and storage are cheaper than ever. Deployment is accelerating. The economics are undeniable. So why does it still feel…
- SunCast
909: The Energy Signals the Industry Is Missing | with Darrell Proctor, Julian Spector & Sammy Roth
If you want to understand where the energy industry is heading, pay attention to the journalists tracking it every day. Thankfully, we get to sit down with…
SunCast908: How Real Energy Investors Think About Risk, Capital, and Scale | with Brendan Bell, Aligned Climate Capital
What does serious capital actually look for in the energy transition? In this episode, Nico sits down with Brendan Bell, Co-Founder of Aligned Climate Capital…
SunCast907: Amy Harder on the New Rules of Power
From Davos to data centers, Axios reporter explains the new rules of power. Amy Harder is one of the most widely read and respected reporters covering the…
SunCast906: Solar Revolution: Abby Hopper's Transformative Decade at SEIA
For nearly a decade, Abby Hopper served as President and CEO of SEIA, the Solar Energy Industries Association, representing the U.S. solar industry through one…
SunCast905: SEIA’s Next Chapter | Darren Van’t Hof on Solar, Storage and Focus for 2026
Every year, there is a new “crisis” in solar. And yet… the industry keeps growing. With leadership transition underway at the Solar Energy Industries…
SunCast904: How the Biggest EPCs Keep Energy Projects on Track | Brandon Moss, Shoals
Most energy projects look solid on paper. Fewer stay on track in the field. Brandon Moss sees the difference every day. Energy demand is rising. Load growth is…
- SunCast
903: T.J. Rodgers’ 13-Minute Management Masterclass
Listen to the full 2.5 hour episode here: https://suncast.media/episodes/900 Most companies don’t fail because of strategy. They fail because standards slip…
SunCast902: Why Most Grid-Scale Batteries (BESS) Underperform - And How to Fix It Before It Costs Millions
Battery storage is scaling fast. But scaling portfolios exposes weaknesses most owners never see coming. As projects move from single sites to gigawatt-hour…
SunCast901: Google Didn’t Buy Intersect for Solar. Here’s Why. | Sheldon Kimber
“This is not an offensive play. It’s a defensive play. It’s a must win.” That’s how Sheldon Kimber describes AI for companies like Google. If your business…
SunCast900: T.J. Rodgers’ Billion-Dollar Playbook | Building Companies That Last
T.J. Rodgers has built — and rebuilt — billion-dollar companies across semiconductors, energy, storage, and manufacturing. In this 2.5-hour Episode 900 deep…
- SunCast
899: Everything You Need to Know Before Intersolar 2026
Conference season is back, and if you are heading to Intersolar and Energy Storage North America 2026, this episode is your unfair advantage. Nico Johnson sits…
- SunCast
898: What Comes After the Acquisition | Andy Klump
Modern founders spend years building toward a hopeful exit or liquidity event. Almost no one talks about what comes after the acquisition. In this episode…
- SunCast
897: The Bamboo Strategy: Building Flexible, Scalable Teams in Clean Energy | Adam James, Energy Innovation Partners
Want to grow a billion-dollar business? You need better systems, not just better ideas. Adam James has had a front-row view as Energy Impact Partners has…
- SunCast
896: The Solar Industry’s Unfinished Business | with Suvi Sharma, SolarCycle
The solar industry scaled faster than almost anyone expected. But in the rush to deploy, one part of the system never fully got built. In this episode, Nico…
- SunCast
895: What Elite Climbing Taught Alex Honnold About Focus, Fear, and Legacy
What goes through Alex Honnold’s mind when he’s thousands of feet off the ground without a rope? After his first-ever Taipei 101 Live Broadcast ascent of one…
SunCast894: Why Clean Energy Should Be Easy to Finance - But Isn’t | with Alfred Johnson, CEO of Crux
Clean energy should be easy to finance. The money exists. The technology works. The demand is real. And yet, projects stall. Deals drag. Capital gets stuck…
- SunCast
893: Data Centers Aren’t the Problem: Grid Fitness Explained by Tyler Norris & Nelson Abramson
Data centers aren’t the problem. They’re the stress test. As AI-driven demand surges, the grid is being pushed in ways it was never designed for. But instead…
SunCast892: Is Octopus Energy a Utility or a Tech Company? Nick Chaset Has the Answer
What does a modern energy company actually look like? In this episode, Nick Chaset, CEO of Octopus Energy US, joins Nico Johnson to explore a question that…
- SunCast
891: How Silicon Carbide is Revolutionizing Renewable Energy | with Infineon Technologies’ Daniel Dalpiaz and Navid Riaz
Big things come in small packages. Could something smaller than a deck of cards be instrumental in our ability to meet the needs of the energy transition? In…
- SunCast
890: NVIDIA and the Grid: How AI Is Shaping Clean Energy | Marc Spieler
The power grid isn’t just growing (at unprecedented rates!) It’s becoming more complex, more distributed, and harder to manage. In this episode, Marc Spieler…
- SunCast
889: Why Co-ops and Public Utilities Are Winning the Load Growth Race
The energy grid is facing a challenge unlike anything we’ve seen before. Think about this: one Virginia co-op has over 20 GW of demand in its queue. That’s…
SunCast888: 2025 Highlights w/Alex Honnold, Jigar Shah, & Dean Solon
2025 was a year of hardship for many, yet it was also a crucible for entrepreneurs, developing grit, resilience and perspective. We were able to capture some…
SunCast887: The Four Rules of Storytelling | with Aaron Nichols
What do a struggling mom in Georgia and a solar installer named Jim have in common? Their stories can change elections and shape public perception of clean…
- SunCast
886: A Very SunCast Christmas: Our Top Moments, Trends & Hopes for 2026
🎄 Pull up a chair and pour some eggnog. It’s time for the first-ever SunCast Christmas episode. This special holiday edition brings together the full SunCast…
- SunCast
885: Houston’s $95 Billion Energy Bet: Jane Stricker on the New Clean Energy Capital
Can the city known for oil & gas become the center of clean energy? In this powerhouse episode, we meet Jane Stricker, SVP of Energy Transition at the Greater…
SunCast884: Clean Energy's Next Chapter: Automation, Grid Innovation, and Resilient Design
Solar is finally getting smarter. And faster - thanks to…robots? Recorded live at RE+ 2025, this episode takes you behind the scenes of solar’s most advanced…
- SunCast
883: Half of the Existing Solar Arrays Might Fail by 2030? Cesar Barbosa Thinks So
Most people in solar avoid the uncomfortable conversation: what happens when systems age, warranties expire, components fail, and the original installer is…
- SunCast
882: Semiconductors, Solar, and the ‘Beautiful Bill’ That’s Reshaping Energy
The rules of the game have changed. Have you figured out the OB3 playbook? From massive tax credit shifts to permitting bottlenecks and foreign entity…
- SunCast
881: AI Pressure Is Breaking the Grid - Doug Banty on What Happens Next
AI is pushing the grid to its limits — and transformers are now the critical path for both data centers and renewable projects. Today’s guest, Doug Banty, EVP…
- SunCast
880: Why Smart Homeowners Are Choosing Flexible Backup Power
What’s your plan when the power goes out? If you think a generator is your only option, think again.Today’s conversation, live from our RE+ PowerUp Live stage…
- SunCast
879: “Speed to Power” is the new race — but can the grid keep up? Hugo Mena, Electric Power Engineers
“Speed to Power” is the new race — but can the grid keep up? Hyperscalers, AI, and industrial demand are pushing load growth from flat to vertical. Yet most…
- SunCast
878: Three Ways to Make Real Climate Impact This Giving Tuesday
This Giving Tuesday, SunCast brings you three powerful stories of how clean energy is transforming communities, saving lives, and unlocking local climate…
- SunCast
877: Frustrated by Permit Delays? How SolarAPP Provides Immediate Solutions
Can getting a solar permit be as fast as ordering takeout? Permitting may be the most boring part of solar, but it's also the biggest bottleneck. That’s what…
- SunCast
876: This Startup Is Reinventing Rare Earth Refining - Without New Mines
America’s about to make a big bet on critical minerals and rare earths. In case you missed it, the DOE just reorganized and announced a major initiative around…
- SunCast
875: Inside Fluence’s Bold Battery Bet: Domestic Content, AI, and Grid Resilience
In 2008, Fluence installed one of the first lithium-ion battery systems ever connected to the U.S. grid. Back then, the idea of a domestic battery supply chain…
- SunCast
874: Building Solar as a System: Inside Nextpower’s Integration Playbook
Most solar projects are still built the hard way—treating structure, electrical, and software as separate scopes that have to be stitched together in the…
- SunCast
873: From Backup to Backbone: How Batteries Are Reshaping the Grid
Batteries aren’t just supporting the grid anymore, they are defending the grid. Chris Finley, CCO of TruGrid, joins Nico on stage at PowerUp Live to explain…
- SunCast
872: The Landfill Explosion That Changed Tesla’s Fire Strategy
A Powerwall delivery truck flipped. No fire. No smoke. Seemed safe. They tossed those Powerwalls into a landfill. Four days later—explosion! That incident…
- SunCast
871: 10 Years Later - Adam James on Building Teams, Time & Impact
This episode marks ten years of SunCast - and the return of its very first guest. In 2015, a young GTM Research analyst named Adam James joined host Nico…
SunCast870: How FEOC Rules Are Reshaping Solar Procurement in 2025 | 4 Experts Weigh-in
“Is your project really compliant?” That’s the billion-dollar question developers across the U.S. are asking as Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) rules tighten…
- SunCast
869: How Two Unlikely Founders Are Rewiring the Way Solar Gets Built | Ben Callam & Maksim Markevich of PVFarm
What happens when a builder and a coder decide to fix solar’s biggest disconnect? In this episode, SunCast host Nico Johnson sits down with Maksim Markevich…
- SunCast
868: Roofing and Solar Are Merging, Is This the Future of Residential Solar? | James Mason, ABC Supply
Roofers are entering solar. Solar pros are adding roofing. How are these trades getting the training & resources required to level up and provide the…
- SunCast
867: How Energy Aid Is Rescuing 185,000 Orphaned Solar Homes | Nick Sherman
Did you know that more than 185,000 solar customers in the US have been abandoned by their installers? How will we take care of these “Orphaned” solar systems?…
- SunCast
866: Are Batteries the New Substations? | Wärtsilä’s Bold Vision for Grid-Scale Storage
Storage Isn’t Backup—It’s Infrastructure Wildfires, heat waves, and AI-fueled data centers are pushing our grid to the edge. The question is no longer whether…
- SunCast
865: This Could Unlock Solar for 23 MILLION Property Owners (and Renters)
Why are millions of apartment rooftops still empty while single-family homes cash in on solar savings? Turns out it’s an accounting problem – a technicality…
- SunCast
864: Michael Chanin: Building a 100-Year Clean Energy Company
From firehouses to jails to major manufacturing hubs, Cherry Street Energy is redefining what it means to build a distributed power plant—and they’re just…
- SunCast
863: Unlocking Tesla's Secrets to Battery Firefighting: An Insider's Story
Landfill explosions, lithium-ion firestorms, and CIA briefings—today’s guest has seen it all - or so she thought! Kathleen McCaffery’s illustrious firefighting…
- SunCast
862: Debunking Battery Myths: How Software-Driven Innovations Will Power the Future
More batter density = more value, right? Not so fast. In this episode, we challenge the hype around energy storage density—and reveal what really drives value…
- SunCast
861: 1 in 5 Solar Panels Are Failing — Here’s Why
1 in 5 solar panels are failing—and it’s not because of hail. A quiet reliability crisis is cracking open across the industry, and it starts with glass. In…