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SunCast

Nico Johnson

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 curve in the fastest-growing markets in the world.

Featuring over 800 conversations, Nico has interviewed people from Tesla, SolarCity, Trina Solar, Meyer Burger, Conergy, SunEdison, Energy Vault and even the US Government... to name a few. Covering topics such as Solar Power, Wind Energy, Batteries, Electric Vehicles, Carbon Capture, Finance, Hydrogen, and more.

You can watch SunCast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SunCastMedia

...or view the full archive of SunCast episodes here: https://www.suncast.media/media/podcast

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S19 · E952
July 23 · 1 hr 12 min
952: Plug-In Solar Is About to Change Everything | Stephan Scherer
Plug-in solar has the potential to change far more than how or where we install solar panels. I believe it could fundamentally change who gets to participate in the energy transition. I recently sat down with Stephan Scherer, Co-Founder and CEO of CraftStrom, who's spent nearly a decade helping pioneer the plug-in solar market—first in Europe, and now here in the United States. Stephan didn't simply watch this category emerge. He helped move it from a niche idea to a product you can buy off-the-shelf in mainstream retail stores like Aldi and Lidl. In this conversation, Stephan shares what his customers taught him as the market evolved, why the U.S. is now wrestling with many of the same questions Europe faced years ago, and what policymakers, utilities, retailers, installers, and manufacturers should be paying attention to as this category begins taking shape here at home. We also explore one of the biggest surprises from CraftStrom's own customer base: the people buying these systems aren't always who the solar industry expected. That raises a much bigger question about who traditional rooftop solar has been leaving behind—and whether plug-in solar could become an entirely new on-ramp to energy independence. Whether you're writing policy, designing energy products, selling residential solar, or simply curious about where customer-owned energy is headed next, this conversation offers a rare opportunity to learn from someone who's helped build this market from the very beginning—and why he believes plug-in solar is about to change everything. Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/. Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America! You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors. Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 950 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media. We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: https://www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/ You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on: Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
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S19 · E951
July 21 · 18 min
951: Most Solar Problems Start Before the Install | Greg Smith
The most expensive mistakes on a solar project usually aren't made during the install. They're made long before anyone arrives on site. Greg Smith has spent nearly two decades helping installers avoid those mistakes. As one of the solar industry's most respected trainers and educators, and the author of a practical guide to energy storage, he's helped thousands of professionals understand what it takes to build reliable solar and storage systems that perform as intended long after the installation is complete. In this live conversation from the NABCEP conference, Greg and Nico Johnson explore why communication has become the industry's number one service call, how better system design prevents costly callbacks, and why setting realistic homeowner expectations is just as important as selecting the right equipment. Along the way, Greg shares the simple disciplines that separate installers who are constantly troubleshooting from those who build systems that simply work. Expect to learn: 🔹 Why communication failures have become the industry's number one service call 🔹 How better system design prevents problems before the installer ever arrives on site 🔹 Why managing homeowner expectations is just as important as sizing the battery correctly 🔹 What "No Boots, No Truth" means, and why every installer should adopt it Whether you're designing systems, installing them, or supporting customers after the sale, this conversation is a reminder that reliability isn't something you troubleshoot into a system. It's something you design from the very beginning. Hit play and learn why the best installers spend just as much time preventing problems as they do solving them. Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/. Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America! You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors. Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 950 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media. We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: https://www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/ You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on: Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
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S19 · E950
July 16 · 51 min
950: Dell's Big Bet on AI and the Future of Energy | with David Holmes
David Holmes has spent decades at the intersection of energy and technology, giving him a front-row seat to one of the biggest shifts our industry has ever faced. As Global Industries CTO at Dell Technologies, he works with utilities, hyperscalers, developers, and data center operators who are all asking the same question: how do we power the rapid growth of AI? But David argues that's only half the story. The bigger opportunity is using AI to make our energy system itself more intelligent. From flexible compute and workload orchestration to long-duration storage, demand response, and the idea of "maximizing every electron," this conversation explores how the relationship between electricity and compute is being fundamentally rewritten. Along the way, David explains why energy has become a board-level conversation inside technology companies, why decades of conventional data center thinking are being challenged, and why the next generation of infrastructure may be defined less by building more generation than by making better use of what we already have. Expect to Learn: 🔹 Why energy has become a strategic issue in boardrooms across the technology industry 🔹 The difference between Energy for AI and AI for Energy and why both matter 🔹 What "energy-aware compute" means and how workload orchestration could reshape grid operations 🔹 Why flexible loads may become one of the grid's most valuable assets 🔹 How long-duration storage, behind-the-meter generation, and demand response fit into the future of AI infrastructure 🔹 Why David believes we should focus on maximizing every electron, not simply generating more of them Nico and David also get into flow batteries, tokens per watt, and why everything Dell learned about data centers over four decades suddenly stopped being useful. Hit play and rethink what the grid can already do. Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/. Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America! You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors. Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 950 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media. We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: https://www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/ You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on: Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
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S18 · E949
July 14 · 19 min
949: The Missing Step in Battery Recycling | Sheeba Dawood
Battery recycling is about to become one of the most important pieces of the clean energy transition. But before we can build a true circular economy, there's a problem hiding in plain sight. Today's recycling process often starts by shredding batteries with different chemistries into the same stream, creating inconsistent feedstock that's harder to refine, harder to value, and harder to return to the supply chain. Sheeba Dawood, CEO and co-founder of Minerva Lithium, believes the missing step comes before the shredder. Her team has developed battery chemical fingerprinting technology that identifies battery chemistry before processing, creating more consistent feedstock, improving traceability, and unlocking more value from recycled materials. Along the way, we also explore Sheeba's journey from nanoscience researcher to entrepreneur, why she was carrying business cards as a PhD student, and what motivated her to turn laboratory research into a commercial technology. Expect to learn: 🔹 Why mixed battery chemistries make recycling far less efficient than most people realize 🔹 How chemical fingerprinting changes the economics of battery recycling 🔹 Why traceability could become the foundation of a domestic battery supply chain 🔹 How better battery identification can improve both safety and material recovery If batteries are going to power the future, what happens at the end of their life matters just as much as how they're built. This conversation offers a fresh perspective on one of the industry's least understood challenges. Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/. Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America! You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors. Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 950 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media. We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: https://www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/ You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on: Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
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S18 · E948
July 11 · 21 min
948: Why Solar’s Speed Is Winning Over Washington | Heather Reams
Heather Reams spends her days at the intersection of clean energy and public policy, helping shape conversations with lawmakers about how the U.S. meets rapidly growing electricity demand. As President and CEO of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES), she brings an insider's perspective on the political shifts redefining how Washington talks about solar—and why those shifts matter far beyond Capitol Hill. In this conversation, Heather explains why affordability has become the dominant energy issue in Washington, why permitting reform remains one of the biggest barriers to building new infrastructure, and why solar's greatest political advantage today may be something much simpler than subsidies or ideology: it's ready to be built. Along the way, we explore how Republican engagement with solar is evolving, what changed after the debate over federal tax credits, and why the industry's long-term success still depends on educating policymakers and communities alike. Expect to Learn: 🔹 Why solar's ability to deploy quickly is changing how policymakers evaluate its value (11:38) 🔹 How affordability and rising electricity demand have become Washington's defining energy priorities (00:58–02:02) 🔹 Why permitting reform is fundamentally about building infrastructure—not just renewable energy (04:28) 🔹 What the debate over federal tax credits changed inside the Republican conversation around solar (13:16) 🔹 Why transmission and permitting certainty matter just as much as favorable policy (05:24) 🔹 Why the clean energy industry cannot stop educating policymakers and the public simply because adoption is growing (16:40) If you want to understand where clean energy fits in today's Republican Party, this conversation lays it out plainly. Hit play and hear it straight from inside the Beltway. Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/. Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America! You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors. Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 950 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media. We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: https://www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/ You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on: Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
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S18 · E947
July 9 · 1 hr 17 min
947: The Leadership Habit Fighter Pilots Never Skip | Jason Knapp
One of the most common assumptions in business is that responsibility should be earned only after years of experience. After more than two decades as a Navy F/A-18 fighter pilot and instructor, Jason Knapp came to a different conclusion: capability often follows responsibility, provided organizations are willing to invest in training, honest feedback, and continuous learning. That philosophy shaped his transition into clean energy, where he worked across battery manufacturing, supply chains, and policy advocacy, helping lawmakers better understand the technologies shaping America's energy future. Now, after years of advocating from outside government, Jason is running for Congress because he believes the people writing energy policy should understand the technologies, industries, and communities those decisions affect. This isn't a conversation about politics. It's about leadership, organizational culture, and why expertise belongs in the rooms where important decisions get made. Expect to learn: 🔹 Why the military trusts young people with extraordinary responsibility 🔹 How continuous learning creates stronger leaders and better teams 🔹 Why battery storage is about reliability, resilience, and national security 🔹 What clean energy leaders can learn about public service and civic engagement Whether you're leading a company, developing clean energy projects, or thinking about how our industry can better shape its future, this conversation offers practical lessons on leadership, responsibility, and service. Give it a listen. Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/. Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America! You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors. Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 950 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media. We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: https://www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/ You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on: Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
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S18 · E946
July 7 · 24 min
946: What Nobody Tells You About Operating Battery Storage | Ty Fenton
A single battery cell can shut down an entire storage plant. It's one of the many operational realities that make battery storage fundamentally different from solar, and one of the reasons software, analytics, and automation are becoming just as important as the batteries themselves. Ty Fenton, Director of Data Analytics at FlexGen, joins Nico Johnson to explore what really happens after a battery project is commissioned. From managing thousands of individual cells to processing enormous volumes of operational data, Ty explains why operating battery storage requires a completely different mindset than operating solar. They also explore how AI data centers are creating new demands for battery storage and why operators are rethinking the role batteries will play in supporting the next generation of digital infrastructure. Expect to learn: 🔹 How one underperforming battery cell can dramatically reduce an entire site's output 🔹 Why battery storage is fundamentally more complex to operate than solar 🔹 How predictive analytics identify failures before they impact performance 🔹 Why AI data centers need batteries for more than backup power If you're building, operating, or investing in battery storage, this conversation offers a practical look at the operational challenges that will define the industry's next chapter. Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/. Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America! You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors. Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 950 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media. We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: https://www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/ You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on: Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
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S18 · E945
July 2 · 30 min
945: We're Not Alternative Energy Anymore. It's Time to Lead. | Dan Shugar & Jigar Shah
Last year, solar and storage accounted for more than 80% of all new power generation capacity added in the United States. So why does our industry still behave like the underdog? In this special collaboration between SunCast and Energy Empire, Nico Johnson and Jigar Shah sit down with Dan Shugar, one of the most accomplished entrepreneurs in solar, to explore a question that reaches far beyond technology, manufacturing, or policy. Perhaps our biggest challenge isn't building projects... ...it's learning how to lead? Dan has spent four decades helping shape the modern solar industry. In this candid conversation, he explains why solar has already won on economics, why domestic manufacturing became a strategic imperative long before it became political, and why the industry's greatest opportunity now is changing how it communicates with policymakers, communities, and the public. The conversation also explores the leadership principles that have kept Dan's core team together across multiple companies, how semiconductor thinking helped him see around corners before the rest of the market, and why culture remains one of the most durable competitive advantages in business. Jigar adds another important dimension, arguing that clean energy's biggest challenge is no longer proving the economics. It's winning the narrative. Together, they make the case that the next decade won't be defined by better technology. It will be defined by better leadership. Expect to learn: 🔹 Why Dan believes solar is no longer "alternative energy" 🔹 The COVID-era decision that reshaped his manufacturing strategy 🔹 How semiconductor thinking helped him anticipate solar's cost curve 🔹 Why keeping the same leadership team together for decades became a competitive advantage 🔹 Why communications, not technology, may be the industry's next great challenge 🔹 What it means for clean energy to stop thinking like an underdog and start leading like the dominant force it has become It’s our turn. Are we ready? Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/. Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America! You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors. Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 950 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media. We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: https://www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/ You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on: Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
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S18 · E944
June 30 · 25 min
944: The Grid's Biggest Challenge Isn't More Power. It's Timing. | Sean Kelly
For decades, the energy industry has treated its biggest challenge as building more power. Sean Kelly thinks that's the wrong question. As CEO and co-founder of Amperon, Sean spends his days helping utilities, traders, generators, and some of the world's largest electricity users anticipate what's coming next. And what he's learned is surprisingly simple: the grid's biggest challenge isn't producing enough electricity. It's knowing when, where, and how demand, weather, and renewable generation will collide. That shift is changing everything. In this Tactical Tuesday conversation, Sean explains why Amperon is moving beyond traditional deterministic forecasting toward probabilistic forecasting, giving customers a range of possible outcomes instead of a single answer. More importantly, he makes the case that the future of the grid won't be won by building for all 8,760 hours of the year. It will be won by managing the handful of hours that matter most. Expect to learn: 🔹 Why deterministic forecasting is giving way to probabilistic decision-making 🔹 How AI, data centers, and renewable generation are changing the way power markets operate 🔹 Why flexibility may create more value than simply adding more generation or transmission 🔹 How better forecasting gives utilities, traders, and large energy users something even more valuable than certainty: time Whether you develop projects, operate assets, trade power, or simply want to understand where the grid is headed next, this conversation offers a practical new lens for thinking about the future of electricity. Now press play, and see if Sean changes the way you think about the grid. Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/. Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America! You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors. Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 950 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media. We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: https://www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/ You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on: Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
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S18 · E943
June 25 · 23 min
943: The Data Center Deal That Could Transform Energy Affordability | Molly Bauch
Everyone agrees we need more distributed energy. The harder question is: who pays for it? That's the question Molly Bauch has been wrestling with. As North American Connected Energy Lead at Accenture, Molly helped develop a new model that connects one of the fastest-growing sources of electricity demand with one of the country's biggest energy challenges. The idea is surprisingly simple. Data centers need community support and faster paths to power. Millions of low-income households need access to affordable solar and storage. What if those two needs could solve each other? In this conversation, Molly explains how Accenture, Grid Alternatives, and a growing coalition of partners are creating a playbook that helps data centers invest directly in distributed energy, lowering energy costs for families today while laying the foundation for tomorrow's virtual power plants. If it scales, this isn't just another financing model. It could reshape how we think about paying for grid infrastructure altogether. Expect to learn: 🔹 Why one in five American households is now behind on their electricity bill 🔹 How data centers can help fund solar and storage deployment 🔹 Why virtual power plants may outcompete new peaker plants on both cost and speed 🔹 What still has to happen before this model becomes fully bankable Whether you work in utilities, distributed energy, infrastructure, or data centers, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on one of the biggest questions facing the industry today: How do we build the grid we need without asking ratepayers to shoulder the entire burden? Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/. Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America! You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors. Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 950 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media. We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: https://www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/ You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on: Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
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S18 · E942
June 23 · 55 min
942: What Hundreds of Inspections Reveal About Battery Safety | Kathleen McCaffrey & Jeff Zwijack
What determines whether a battery project performs safely over its lifetime? According to Kathleen McCaffery and Jeff Zwijack, the answer has as much to do with process, preparation, and quality assurance as it does with the battery itself. In this special live SunCast broadcast, Nico Johnson sits down with Kathleen McCaffery, retired Battalion Chief and former Global Fire Liaison for Tesla, and Jeff Zwijack, Associate Director of Energy Storage at Clean Energy Associates, to discuss what hundreds of inspections reveal about battery safety, operational readiness, and risk management across the energy storage industry. Drawing from hundreds of factory inspections and years of real-world fire response experience, Kathleen and Jeff explore the lessons the industry is learning as battery projects grow larger, more complex, and increasingly important to grid reliability. From supplier selection and factory acceptance testing to emergency response planning and long-term asset management, this conversation highlights the systems and processes that help prevent problems before they become operational, financial, or reputational risks. Expect to learn: 🔹 What hundreds of inspections reveal about today's most common battery storage quality challenges 🔹 Why quality assurance extends far beyond the battery itself 🔹 How developers can identify and mitigate risks before equipment reaches the field 🔹 Why local fire departments should be part of every project's planning process 🔹 What industry leaders are learning about building safer, more resilient storage projects As battery storage becomes an increasingly critical part of the energy transition, the industry's success depends not only on technology, but on the discipline and preparation behind every project. If you're developing, financing, building, operating, or insuring energy storage assets, this conversation offers practical lessons from two professionals who have spent their careers focused on safety, quality, and risk. Give it a listen. Massive Fire at Fredericktown, Mo. Battery Plant Original Live Broadcast Download the Report: Most Common BESS Manufacturing Defects of 2024 Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/. Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America! You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors. Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 950 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media. We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: https://www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/ You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on: Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
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S18 · E941
June 19 · 36 min
941: Why America Can't Build Big Things Anymore | Tom Fanning
There are 43 years of decisions compressed into this episode. And if you work in energy, utilities, infrastructure, manufacturing, or public policy, it's worth your attention. Tom Fanning spent four decades at Southern Company, including 13 years as CEO, helping guide one of the largest and most influential power companies in the United States through extraordinary change. Along the way, he oversaw everything from international development and grid modernization to cyber security and the completion of Vogtle, the first new commercial nuclear plant built in America in more than 30 years. In this special Energy Empire x SunCast collaboration, Jigar Shah and Nico Johnson sit down with Tom to explore what it actually takes to build large-scale infrastructure in America. If you heard this conversation first on Energy Empire, we're excited to bring it to the SunCast audience as well. The conversation begins with Vogtle, but quickly expands into a broader discussion about leadership, national competitiveness, energy markets, workforce development, cyber security, and the future of the electric grid. Tom shares why he believes "vision and courage" remain the most important ingredients in building transformational projects, why organized electricity markets struggle to support long-duration infrastructure investments, and why America needs a coherent national energy strategy if it hopes to meet growing demand from AI, manufacturing, and electrification. Expect to learn: 🔹 Why Tom believes America has lost the ability to build major infrastructure projects efficiently 🔹 The two words he credits for completing Vogtle despite bankruptcy, COVID, and years of setbacks 🔹 Why organized electricity markets struggle to support large-scale nuclear investment 🔹 What workforce shortages reveal about the future of U.S. manufacturing and energy 🔹 How cyber threats have evolved and what keeps utility leaders awake at night 🔹 Why Tom believes energy policy is now inseparable from national security 🔹 What a true national energy strategy would look like and why America needs one This is not a conversation about technology. It's a conversation about execution. About what it takes to align capital, talent, institutions, and political will around projects that take decades to build and generations to benefit from. If you've ever wondered why some nations seem capable of building at scale while others struggle to move beyond planning, this episode offers one of the clearest perspectives you'll hear all year. Hit play. One of the most experienced voices in American energy has a lot to say, and he's not wasting any of it.
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S18 · E940
June 17 · 27 min
940: FTC Solar CEO Anthony Carroll on Scaling, Automation, and What's Next
Leadership transitions reveal what companies value most. When FTC Solar recently tapped Anthony Carroll as the new CEO, they chose someone who has spent more than two decades helping build some of clean energy's most recognizable companies. From helping scale Power Electronics from a small Spanish manufacturer into a global powerhouse, to leading Powin during a period of extraordinary growth, Anthony has experienced both the excitement and the hard lessons that come with building businesses in rapidly evolving markets. Now, after stepping away from the industry to lead automated manufacturing initiatives outside of energy, he's back with a new mandate: help guide FTC Solar through its next phase of growth. In this conversation, Anthony shares lessons from across his career, why this is the right next opportunity for him, and why he believes execution, trust, and innovation will determine which companies thrive in the years ahead. Expect to learn: 🔹 Why Anthony says "the dream is not enough" when building energy companies 🔹 What he learned scaling businesses through periods of rapid growth and market turbulence 🔹 Why trust and leadership often matter more than product specifications 🔹 How FTC Solar is thinking about automation and the future of utility-scale deployment Whether you're building projects, leading teams, raising capital, or navigating your own company's next chapter, this conversation offers hard-earned lessons from someone who has lived through multiple cycles of the clean energy transition. Listen in and hear what FTC Solar's new CEO sees coming next. Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/. Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America! You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors. Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 950 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media. We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: https://www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/ You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on: Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
- Chapters
S18 · E939
June 11 · 27 min
939: Former EPA Chief Michael Regan on Clean Energy and Public Health
What if the most compelling case for clean energy isn't climate change, economics, or energy independence? What if it's public health? Former EPA Administrator Michael Regan has spent his career connecting pollution, environmental protection, and energy policy to the everyday health of American communities. In this special collaboration between SunCast and Energy Empire, Nico Johnson and Jigar Shah sit down with Regan to explore why he viewed the EPA as a public health agency first, and what today's clean energy leaders can learn from communities demanding a greater voice in decisions that affect their lives. From North Carolina's landmark coal ash settlement to EPA's Journey to Justice initiative, Regan shares how listening to communities reshaped the way he approached enforcement, regulation, and environmental protection. The conversation also tackles one of the industry's most pressing challenges: how to build the infrastructure America needs while maintaining public trust amid rising concerns over affordability, data centers, and rapid load growth. For developers, investors, policymakers, and industry leaders, this episode offers a timely reminder that successful energy transitions depend not only on technology and capital, but on people. Expect to learn: 🔹 Why Michael Regan believes the EPA is fundamentally a public health agency 🔹 How community engagement led to stronger environmental enforcement and better outcomes 🔹 What today's data center debates reveal about trust, affordability, and energy planning 🔹 Why clean energy messaging resonates most when framed around health, competitiveness, and national security Whether you're developing projects, deploying capital, shaping policy, or leading organizations through the energy transition, this conversation offers practical lessons on building trust, finding common ground, and creating solutions that work for everyone. Listen now to hear one of America's most influential environmental leaders explain why the future of clean energy is ultimately about protecting people. Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/. Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America! You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors. Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 950 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media. We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: https://www.ratethispodcast.com/suncast Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/ You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on: Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
- Chapters

Showing 21–34 of 34 episodes