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
860: Why Natural Gas is Surging Again (and What It Means for Solar); Justin Locke | Global Energy Monitor
Is the world’s most powerful energy data set hiding in plain sight? Justin Locke, former RMI leader and now Executive Director of Global Energy Monitor, joins…
- SunCast
859: Patrick Crane’s Plan to Cut Solar Costs in Half
The $2/Watt Challenge: Can We Get There? Is $2/watt solar a pipe dream—or a real target we can hit in the next few years? Patrick Crane, Global Head of Growth…
- SunCast
858: This Nonprofit is Revolutionizing Solar Permitting | Nick Josefowitz
Why is solar so expensive in the U.S.? Nick Josefowitz has the receipts—and a plan to fix it. In this episode, we dig into one of the largest hidden reasons…
- SunCast
857: The Unofficial Playbook to NYC Climate Week | Silas Mähner & Steven Zhang
Planning to attend NYC Climate Week? Already there!? When Nico realized he had to make a last-minute trip to NYC this week during climate week, he reached out…
- SunCast
856: Ending Energy Poverty: Nedjip Tozun’s Vision to Reach 1 Billion Lives
Nearly 1 billion people still live without reliable electricity. Nedjip Tozun co-founded d.light to change that—starting with a $10 solar lantern and growing…
- SunCast
855: Jigar Shah on <$2.50/Watt Solar + Storage, and Resisting Trump’s Anti-Renewable Push
The Wake-Up Call We Can’t Ignore Clean energy isn’t losing the economics game—it’s losing the political one. Jigar Shah returns to SunCast live at RE+ 2025…
- SunCast
854: RE+ Day 3: Dean Solon, American-Made Inverters, Clean Tech for Native Americans, and More!
Straight from Day 3 at RE+ 2025, this replay of the PowerUp Live Morning Show and Daily Round Up wraps up an incredible week of insights from the clean energy…
- SunCast
853: RE+ Day 2: SEIA Politics, Long-Duration Storage, Future Homes, String Inverters & More
Straight from Day 2 at RE+ 2025, this replay of the PowerUp Live Morning Show and Daily Round Up continues our mission to bring you insights from the leaders…
- SunCast
852: RE+ Day 1: Jigar Shah, Storage Tech, New EVs, Steel Manufacturing and Much More
Straight from Day 1 at RE+ 2025, this replay of the PowerUp Live Morning Show and Daily Round Up brings you a fast-moving mix of leaders shaping the clean…
- SunCast
851: Batteries vs. Peakers: [Revisiting] How Fluence Is Redefining the Grid
“Storage Was Never Just an Add-On” What if we’ve been thinking too small about batteries? In this rebroadcast from RE+, Kiran Kumaraswamy, former VP of Growth…
- SunCast
850: RE+ 2025 Survival Guide: What You Need to Know Before You Get to Vegas (with 6 expert insiders!)
Heading to Las Vegas for RE+ 2025? This episode is your ultimate field guide. We’ve got the inside scoop from SunCast host Nico Johnson and some of the…
- SunCast
849: From Solar to Storage: Jigar Shah’s VPP Vision Revisited
"You're not in the solar industry anymore." That bold declaration from Jigar Shah at RE+ 2023 sparked debate, shifted mindsets—and now, two years later, is…
- SunCast
848: Can America Lead Solar Cell Manufacturing? Arndt Lutz, EliTe Solar
Is the U.S. solar manufacturing boom standing on a hollow foundation? In this live episode from PV ModuleTech USA, Nico sits down with solar industry veteran…
- SunCast
847: The Startup Disrupting HVAC Like Tesla Disrupted Cars | Stephen Lake of Jetson
Heat pumps are the EVs of HVAC—so why aren’t we all using them? Stephen Lake, a highly successful engineer turned climate-tech entrepreneur, is here to explain…
- SunCast
846: Balancing State Energy Goals with Federal Uncertainty | Doug Scott, Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) Chair
A new wave of power demand is here. Is the grid ready? And can States keep up? Doug Scott, now in his second term as Chairman of the Illinois Commerce…
- SunCast
845: How to Build Influence in a $1 Trillion Industry
So what’s the secret to building influence in a Trillion-dollar industry? Perhaps it’s “start when it’s only a Billion-dollar industry!” But in today’s episode…
- SunCast
844: When Solar Systems Break: Who Really Pays? | Dean Chiaravallotti of Solar Insure
Most warranties aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. In a solar market defined by price pressure and disappearing installers, consumers are more…
- SunCast
843: The Real Reason Residential Solar Is Still Too Expensive (in the US) | OpenSolar’s Andrew McGuigan
Why is residential solar still so hard in the US? Andrew McGuigan will wager an answer. After 13 years in the solar trenches—from knocking doors at Sungevity…
- SunCast
842: Out-Innovating China in Critical Minerals: ReElement’s Bold U.S. Strategy
Are Coal and clean energy still at odds?? It might sound like a contradiction, but today’s guest is proving that innovation often comes from the most…
- SunCast
841: From 3 Weeks to 3 Days: Accelerating Solar with Drones | Jason Steinberg, Scanifly
What if the tools you use to sell solar are setting you up to fail? That’s the uncomfortable truth Jason Steinberg, CEO of Scanifly, is tackling head-on. In…
- SunCast
840: Rethinking Battery Storage: Domestic BMS, Cybersecurity & Geopolitics | Michael Worry of Nuvation Energy
In a market flooded with cheap imports and geopolitical risk, one company is standing its ground. Did you know there’s only one North American battery…
- SunCast
839: BREAKING: Nextracker Just Bought This AI Robotics Company: OnSight Technology - (here’s why)
Nextracker just made yet another bold move… What if a robot could detect a solar failure before it happens—and build the repair plan to deploy the right…
- SunCast
838: Cutbacks, Consolidation & Energy Chaos: Will Solar and Batteries Survive 2025? With Barry Cinnamon
Is This The Reality Check We All Needed? Layoffs. Shrinking margins. Policy gut punched. If you’ve been wondering how the solar industry will make it through…
- SunCast
837: MET Stations... the Secret Weapon For Solar Energy? Ann Will | GroundWork
What if the smallest line item in your solar project budget could unlock millions in financing? Solar projects don’t get financed on hope—they get financed on…
- SunCast
836: The Battery Paradox: Why C&I Solar Isn’t Installing Battery Storage
Commercial & Industrial solar is no longer just about getting panels up on the roof (Or over the parking lot, as the case may be). I wanted to explore…
- SunCast
835: Nextracker Is Rewiring Utility-Scale Solar | Jonathan Eastwood
Nextracker has proven its market dominance for more than a decade, and has practically rewritten the playbook on utility-scale solar globally. Lately, they’ve…
- SunCast
834: The New Solar Standard You Should Know About | w/Amanda Bybee & Karo Fernandez
What happens when a solar technician calls themselves a “Level 2,” but no one knows what that actually means? For years, solar O&M has lacked the structure and…
- SunCast
833: 73% of Solar Damage from One Threat? Inside Solar Risk Assessment with Jason Kaminsky
Your solar project is one storm away from financial disaster! That’s not just fear-mongering—it’s the reality many developers are waking up to. In this…
- SunCast
832: Solar After the Megabill: Tax Credits, Tariffs & What’s Next |Christian Roselund
Is the “Big Beautiful Bill” about to choke the life out of solar & wind? Can energy storage be solar’s savior? Isn’t Solar inevitable? We don’t need no…
- SunCast
831: Saving Your Solar Project From Cancellation, with Amanda Foley of Kiterocket
Solar projects getting canceled? Clean tech CEOs burned out doing their own PR? Amanda Foley has seen it all. As the CEO of Kiterocket, Amanda leads one of…
- SunCast
830: Inside the AI Power Race: How Data Centers & Renewables Will Shape the Grid [Expert Panel]
The AI boom isn’t just reshaping tech—it’s redefining the energy grid. As data center demand skyrockets, clean energy providers are scrambling to keep up with…
- SunCast
829: Dean Solon Unfiltered: What the Shoals Founder Will Create Next Is Unprecedented
What would you do after taking your company public and becoming a billionaire? If you’re Dean Solon, you start over—with even bigger ambitions. The outspoken…
- SunCast
828: Why The Grid’s Not Ready for Renewables - And What ABB Is Doing About It
How do you bridge the gap between fast-moving renewables and slow-moving utilities? Brian Nelson has spent the last two decades doing exactly that—from…
- SunCast
827: Can Microsoft Solve Solar’s Hardest Problems with AI?
Can one of the world’s biggest tech companies actually go carbon-free, not just today, but retroactively, all the way back to 1975? In this powerhouse keynote…
- SunCast
826: Behind the Scenes of Electrical Code Writing: An Expert's Perspective
What if the biggest threat to your solar business wasn’t competition—but compliance? Rebekah Hren has spent over 20 years helping the solar industry avoid…
- SunCast
825: How Interest Rates, Tariffs, & Utility Rates Impact Commercial Solar
Inflation, interest rates, tariffs—most markets flinch. But according to Josh Goldberg, commercial solar doesn’t blink. In this Tactical Tuesday, Josh pulls…
- SunCast
824: Sheldon Kimber on Data Centers, Hybrid Renewables & The Next Energy Boom
“AI is the greatest threat to your business ever.” That’s how Sheldon Kimber opens this episode—and it only gets bolder from there. Live from the Kiterocket…
- SunCast
823: The Battle for AI Power: Data Centers vs. The Electric Grid
Forget what you thought you knew about data centers. Ryan Abbott of Clayco (a major datacenter design/build firm) joins Nico to explain how today’s hyperscale…
- SunCast
822: Unlock National Media Coverage with These Storytelling Secrets from a PA Solar Firm
What makes someone actually care about solar? It’s not the data. It’s the story. On this special “SundayCast”, Nico sits down with the Reverend himself—Aaron…
- SunCast
821: AI and Solar Power: Making Renewable Energy Available 24/7 | Martin Hermann of BrigthNight Power
What if a renewable energy power plant could achieve capacity factors above 70%? Wouldn’t that make it, finally, FIRM baseload power, dispatchable and…
- SunCast
820: Trevor Noah On Why Comedy Might Be The Key To Saving Democracy And The Planet
“Even the most unsinkable ship can sink.” That’s Trevor Noah reflecting on the fragility of democracy, and he’s not just here to make you laugh—he’s here to…
- SunCast
819: Why Commercial Solar Hasn’t Taken Off—Until Now | Josh Goldberg, Sunstone Credit
What if the biggest opportunity in solar has been hiding in plain sight? Josh Goldberg is no stranger to solar. He’s a multi-exit founder who helped shape…
- SunCast
818: Era Of Easy Money Ends: Prepare For A New Financial Landscape | Rob Sternthal On What To Expect
Winter is coming If you're a solar or battery developer, especially in utility-scale or C&I, you're likely feeling it already: capital has tightened, exits…
- SunCast
817: Turn Your Roof into a Money Machine: How to make as much as $32/Hour with Solar + AI Compute power! | Karl Andersen of Lektra
What if your rooftop solar could do more than just power your fridge? Karl Andersen believes it can—and should—power the future of AI. Karl unpacks the grid’s…
- SunCast
816: Load Shifting, AI, and DC-Coupling: The Future of Residential Energy Storage | Terahive’s Ram Bhat
If you think batteries are just for backup, think again. The post-NEM 3.0 world has flipped residential solar economics—and companies like TeraHive are leading…
- SunCast
815: Can Your EV Really Power Your Home? Barry Cinnamon Says “Yes!”
What if your truck could power your house—and save you hundreds a month on electricity? Could your EV be a secret energy arbitrage opportunity? Barry Cinnamon…
- SunCast
814: Zero-Cost Home Batteries? How Haven Energy Cracked the Code
Why haven’t more homeowners installed batteries—despite growing outages and rising rates? I tend to agree with Vinnie Campo, co-founder and CEO of Haven…
- SunCast
813: The Interconnection Crisis: Why the Distribution Grid Is Holding Back Clean Energy | Samantha Weaver, CCSA
The biggest threat to scaling community solar isn’t cost. It’s interconnection. Live from the PowerUp Stage at RE+ Northeast, Samantha Weaver of the Coalition…
- SunCast
812: The Real Cost of Tariffs: What’s Stalling U.S. Solar Deployment | Andrew Birch & Kerim Baran
You can buy solar panels in many places around the world for around 10 cents-a-watt— so why are Americans still paying an average of about $3.70 for every watt…
- SunCast
811: The EV Tsunami Is Here. Are Utilities Ready? With Rachel Bryant | GridX
What if the utility bill you barely understand holds the key to stabilizing the grid, accelerating electrification, and saving you money? Rachel Bryant has…
- SunCast
810: Inside Texas’ Renewable Energy Boom—and the Policy Risks Ahead | Doug Lewin & Nico Johnson
Texas: where oil and gas once reigned supreme—and now, renewables are rewriting the rules. In this special live episode recorded at Intersolar & Energy Storage…
- SunCast
809: Storytelling > Specs: How To Sell Anything Better In 2025
“Don’t pitch slap me.” That’s the line Spenser Meeks uses to describe the all-too-common trap most any professional falls into when presenting information…
- SunCast
808: Solar Loans Are Broken — Atmos Has The Fix
The FinTech Reboot Solar Has Been Waiting For What happens when local banks finally start playing ball in solar lending? Ravi Mikkelsen is here to tell us. In…
- SunCast
807: Say Goodbye to 'Virtual Power Plants' — Embrace Demand Flexibility
“Virtual power plant” might be trending—but Eversource’s Tilak Subrahmanian says it misses the mark. In this RE+ Northeast PowerUp Live stage interview, Nico…
- SunCast
806: Inside MIT’s Solutions Factory: Scaling Climate Tech 2.0 | Ben Downing, The Engine
What’s blocking our climate tech breakthroughs? It’s not the tech. It’s the process. Ben Downing has seen the system from both sides—first as a Massachusetts…
- SunCast
805: Why Energy Storage Is the Linchpin of America’s Clean Energy Future | Joan White, SEIA
The U.S. grid is facing its biggest stress test since WWII. The answer? Batteries. Joan White, Director of Storage & Interconnection Policy at SEIA, joins Nico…
- SunCast
804: From DOE to IREC: Maria Robinson’s Mission to Modernize Energy Access
When Maria Robinson took the helm at the Grid Deployment Office within the US Department of Energy (US DOE), she stepped into one of the most pivotal (and…
- SunCast
803: Is C&I The Solar Market Savior In 2025? With John Carroll Of Solaredge
Residential solar may still be a long way from recovery —but the commercial and industrial (C&I) solar market is heating up. In this power-packed episode…
- SunCast
802: 12,000x Faster: Why Xendee is the new Microgrid standard, with CEO Adib Nasle
Microgrids are essential to the clean energy future—but they’re still too complex, slow, and unbankable. That’s the problem Adib Naslé set out to solve. With…
- SunCast
801: This $389M Deal Proves Clean Energy Isn't Waiting on Washington|Encore Renewable Energy’s Chad Farrell
At a time when uncertainty looms for many clean energy companies, Encore Renewable Energy just secured a $389 million financing deal that proves the big…