Podcast appearances and mentions of andrew birch

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 installed?In this candid and fiery live episode, Nico Johnson sits down with long-time clean energy champions Andrew Birch and Kerim Baran to unpack what's really slowing down solar deployment in the U.S. The verdict? Bureaucracy, bad trade policy, and a lack of open-market access are dragging us down.From SolarApp to tariffs to balcony solar, this conversation delivers a clear-eyed exploration of clean energy economics and the tension between innovation and regulation. Birchy argues for smarter global trade to lower prices and create more jobs—not fewer. And Kerim asks the tough questions about sovereignty, security, and system-wide inefficiencies. We've got further reading down in the resources section, but first you'll want to tune into this discussion to learn:

Today on the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Andrew Birch, the founder and CEO of OpenSolar, to explore the stark differences between solar markets around the world and what the U.S. can learn from countries like Australia and Europe. With over 20 years of experience in the solar industry, Birchy shares his insights on why Australia has achieved an impressive 33% solar penetration, while the U.S. lags behind at just 5%.The conversation dives into the key factors driving Australia's success, including streamlined permitting processes, lower costs, and efficient customer adoption. Birchy explains how the U.S. solar market is bogged down by complex regulations, high permitting costs, and lengthy installation timelines, which make solar three times more expensive than in Australia. He also discusses the potential of initiatives like SolarAPP+ to simplify permitting and reduce costs, which could revolutionize the U.S. solar industry.Birchy also shares his journey with Sungevity, one of the leading U.S. solar companies, and how the company's challenges with financing and policy changes ultimately led to its downfall. He offers valuable advice for solar installers on how to grow sustainable businesses in a challenging market, emphasizing the importance of simplifying processes and advocating for policy changes.The episode also touches on the role of storage in solar adoption, the future of commercial solar, and the potential for solar to dominate global energy markets by 2035. Birch's optimism about the future of solar is contagious, and his call to action for the industry to rally around solutions like SolarAPP+ is both inspiring and urgent.If you're in the solar industry, a policy maker, or simply interested in the future of clean energy, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in to learn how we can accelerate solar adoption, reduce costs, and create a more sustainable energy future.Social Media HandlesAndrew Birch LinkedInOpenSolar  Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email: CleanPowerHour@gmail.com Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America's number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com

On this episode I talk with the authors of the new identification field guide to Empidonax flycatchers and Pewees as well as the book on Myarchus flycatchers and Kingbirds, Cin-Ty Lee and Andrew Birch. We talk about their longtime birding friendship, their birding stories, and the new books.   Check out the books at your favorite book resource.  Field Guide to North American Flycatchers: Empidonax and Pewees and Kingbirds and Myiarchus. Read more and see a book review on the BirdBanter.com blog. 

Shift's resident birder Alain Clavette spoke with Andrew Birch and Cin-Ty Lee. The latest book in their series is Field Guide to North American Flycatchers: Kingbirds and Myiarchus.

When Andrew Birch swapped spreadsheets for the wilderness, he also traded addiction for a life of intention. Join us as Andrew, an ex-accountant turned counselor and big game hunting guide, sits with me to share his raw and moving transformation. From the clutches of substance abuse to the discipline of dawn's early light, his story is a beacon for anyone navigating the stormy seas of addiction.Our conversation goes beyond Andrew's personal triumphs to dissect the very fabric of self-identity and the complexity of communication within relationships. We tackle the potent impact of aligning actions with values and the art of setting boundaries without losing our connections. It's a dance between maintaining personal integrity and the give-and-take of human interaction that can redefine one's journey toward self-awareness and growth.Wrapping up this stirring dialogue, we underline the might of accountability and fellowship, especially for men battling against addictive behaviors. The camaraderie found in shared missions can turn the tide in the fight for sobriety and a meaningful existence. As Andrew and I lay bare misconceptions about addiction, we also light the path to recovery, offering solidarity to those seeking to reclaim their lives. Tune in to this life-changing episode for a dose of hope, a wealth of insights, and the first step towards transformation.The LYLAS PodcastIf you know what LYLAS stands for, then this podcast is for you! Two besties since...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifyIntroducing the 60 Day Deal Finder!Visit: www.MartinREIMastery.comUse the Coupon Code: WEALTHYAFfor 20% off! This episode is brought to you by Skilled Property Finders - Home of the 21 Day Close!We will close on your property in 21 days or less OR we'll pay an additional $5,000. Visit www.skilledpropertyfinders.com to find out more.Support the show

As a man when was the last time you took a ride on the emotional roller coaster and really expressed your thoughts and feelings?   According to data from Health science it shows that expressing one's emotions is healthy. However, 80% of males suppress their emotions. Only 23% reported crying when feeling helpless whereas 58% of women cried under similar circumstances. Women are five times more likely to cry and for longer. They also live at least five years longer than males. For Andrew Birch as a Mental Health Advocate working in the space of Addiction Therapy and Performance Enhancement  he's worked with men to help them break the chains of Apathy and Addiction in order to level up to men of Power, enabled to have Impact in their spheres of Influence.  He joined me this week to tell me more. Instagram: @bustarut.today

Field Guide to North American Flycatchers: Empidonax and Pewees is the first guide from Cin-Ty Lee, illustrated by Andrew Birch that covers a difficult group of birds for beginners through expert birders.Read my GoodReads review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5403080039

Cardinals, Blue Jays, Robins, Mourning Doves, Mallards, Black-capped Chickadees. Quite common and familiar birds most folks seem to know. One of the reasons is that they have very distinct patterning and physical traits that render them easily identifiable. Even some of the Sparrows can be differentiated by a slightly advanced beginner. Flycatchers? They can be tough. When I see a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) in the woods, despite being one of the more recognizable, determinable Empidonax species, I am still left uncertain, full of doubt and just generally end up calling it a Flycatcher. But I have found since reading Cin-Ty Lee and Andrew Birch's new book “Field Guide to North American Flycatchers : Empidonax and Pewees”, I have been looking at the birds with a different lens, one that considers a more holistic view, that asks more questions of often overlooked characteristics which can help lead to a solid id. I spoke with Cin-Ty and Andrew about their new book and how this new method of identification can help us not only better identify some of the Flycatchers, but also to look at how we regard all birds in ways that encounter them more fully, experiencing them in broader context through investigating narrower characteristics. To learn more : Field Guide to North American Flycatchers : Empidonax and PeweesCin-Ty Lee's websiteAndrew Birch's website

Birders have long considered the tyrant flycatchers, in particular the Empidonax species and Pewees to be one of the most difficult identification concerns in North America. Author Cin-Ty Lee and illustrator Andrew Birch seek to calm the fears of frustrated birders across the ABA Area with their new Field Guide to North American Flycatchers: Empidonax and Pewees, out just in time for spring migration. They join host Nate Swick to talk about what birders need to know about this group of birds. Also, join us for an ABA Community Weekend! Our first one is in Toronto, Ontario later this month! Subscribe to the podcast at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts, and please leave a rating or a review if you are so inclined! We appreciate it!    

This episode we talk about the very fast Anrich Nortje. And for that, we get on a man who has been researching his origin story, C.S. Chiwanza. We talk about high school, Andrew Birch, fitness, upskilling, his batting and the term 'proper dutchmen'. - To support the podcast please go to our Patreon page. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32090121. If you like this podcast, you may enjoy other things I create, check them all out at https://linktr.ee/jarrodkimber. Read C.S.'s work here: https://chadwickdrive.substack.com/ Follow C.S. on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/CSChiwanza This podcast audio is edited, mixed and produced by Nick McCorriston, he's at https://www.nickamc.com and https://www.twitter.com/soundboy_audio FortyTwo make our video productions, and Mukunda Bandreddi is in charge of our video side. Aurojyoti Senapati turns the files into video podcasts and Subhankar Bhattacharya makes our graphics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time to rally together once again, #SolarWarrior! As you'll hear in today's #TacticalTuesday (TT), Carter Lavin and the folks at the California Solar & Storage Association need our help not just to get the word out, but to GET out and be present at this Thursday's upcoming rallies in California. Carter is one of the folks I find most knowledgeable and compelling in his ability to explain what's at stake for the industry. So, in today's TT, we go into what is the premise of Net Energy Metering (NEM), why it's so important, and how, exactly, it's under fire in the CA market.  In January, we put out the call-to-arms for our solar community to get to the rallies in LA and SF, and thousands of you show up. We hope that you'll rally once more, as the fate of the CA solar industry still hangs very much in the balance. January's solar rally was the largest solar rally in history, and it led to Commissioners getting fired & updates to the commission's directive. But the legislative win that followed was only the beginning.  This week, the CA Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) meets again, and we intend to make a public display that the Solar industry is united and strong. What are these rallies? Why are they important or happening at all, and when/where are they? That's covered in today's discussion w/Carter. As Carter says, “These discussions at the PUC are deciding the fate of the solar industry…If we want to win, we have to fight.”  “Show up, rally, donate, be loud”, as Carter says. You see, Solar Warrior, you can be right all day long and still be made illegal or impotent by those who wish to see the Solar industry choked out.  For over a decade, Carter Lavin has helped renewable energy nonprofits and companies develop, design and execute marketing plans and sales drives, plan networking and educational events, track policy, and connect with media, government officials and community members. Listen in today as he brings the heat on why we need to stand together against this CPUC movement. If you're totally unfamiliar with Net Energy Metering, , we've covered the California policy market and in particular what's at stake in this NEM battle extensively in these previous episodes (in particular in the final 3): https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/149 (149: Bernadette Del Chiaro) https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/205 (205: Adam Browning) https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/263 (263: Adam Browning) https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/265 (265: Glen Brand (it's not just CA)) https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/377 (377: Dave Rosenfeld) https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/437 (437: Andrew Birch ) If you want to connect with today's guest, you'll find links to their contact info (linked, twitter, etc) in the https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/ (show notes) over on the blog. SunCast is presented by https://www.mysuncast.com/sungrow (Sungrow), the world's most bankable inverter brand. You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you, here: https://www.mysuncast.com/sponsors (www.mysuncast.com/sponsors) Remember you can always find the resources and learn more about today's guest, recommendations, book links, and more than 475 other founder stories and startup advice athttps://www.mysuncast.com/ ( www.mysuncast.com). You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo (Twitter), https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus/ (LinkedIn) or email.

It's time to rally together once again, #SolarWarrior! As you'll hear in today's #TacticalTuesday (TT), Carter Lavin and the folks at the California Solar & Storage Association need our help not just to get the word out, but to GET out and be present at this Thursday's upcoming rallies in California. Carter is one of the folks I find most knowledgeable and compelling in his ability to explain what's at stake for the industry. So, in today's TT, we go into what is the premise of Net Energy Metering (NEM), why it's so important, and how, exactly, it's under fire in the CA market.  In January, we put out the call-to-arms for our solar community to get to the rallies in LA and SF, and thousands of you show up. We hope that you'll rally once more, as the fate of the CA solar industry still hangs very much in the balance. January's solar rally was the largest solar rally in history, and it led to Commissioners getting fired & updates to the commission's directive. But the legislative win that followed was only the beginning.  This week, the CA Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) meets again, and we intend to make a public display that the Solar industry is united and strong. What are these rallies? Why are they important or happening at all, and when/where are they? That's covered in today's discussion w/Carter. As Carter says, “These discussions at the PUC are deciding the fate of the solar industry…If we want to win, we have to fight.”  “Show up, rally, donate, be loud”, as Carter says. You see, Solar Warrior, you can be right all day long and still be made illegal or impotent by those who wish to see the Solar industry choked out.  For over a decade, Carter Lavin has helped renewable energy nonprofits and companies develop, design and execute marketing plans and sales drives, plan networking and educational events, track policy, and connect with media, government officials and community members. Listen in today as he brings the heat on why we need to stand together against this CPUC movement. If you're totally unfamiliar with Net Energy Metering, , we've covered the California policy market and in particular what's at stake in this NEM battle extensively in these previous episodes (in particular in the final 3): https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/149 (149: Bernadette Del Chiaro) https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/205 (205: Adam Browning) https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/263 (263: Adam Browning) https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/265 (265: Glen Brand (it's not just CA)) https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/377 (377: Dave Rosenfeld) https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/437 (437: Andrew Birch ) If you want to connect with today's guest, you'll find links to their contact info (linked, twitter, etc) in the https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/ (show notes) over on the blog. SunCast is presented by https://www.mysuncast.com/sungrow (Sungrow), the world's most bankable inverter brand. You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you, here: https://www.mysuncast.com/sponsors (www.mysuncast.com/sponsors) Remember you can always find the resources and learn more about today's guest, recommendations, book links, and more than 475 other founder stories and startup advice athttps://www.mysuncast.com/ ( www.mysuncast.com). You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo (Twitter), https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus/ (LinkedIn) or email.

Andrew Birch, affectionately referred to by many as simply “Birchy”, joins Nico in this live interview [rebroadcast] from the Intersolar N. America expo hall floor from Thursday January 13, 2022. Birchy is the Godfather of online solar sales (you may remember him as the co-founder and CEO of Sungevity), and always has keen insight into what's trending and what to consider within the fast-growing distributed solar arena. Birchy had just come from the CALSSA “Save our Solar Jobs Rally” in LA, and gives an update on the state of the industry in light of the recent negative press on CA's NEM3.0 ruling.  From the CALSSA website: “The CPUC'shttps://calssa.org/blog/2021/12/13/nem-3-proposed-decision ( proposed decision on NEM-3) would destroy net metering, ending our state's clean energy leadership and decimating our industry, and our jobs, in the process. This is our SOS, our chance to make our voices heard and insist that the PUC change course. Now is the time to go big. Our industry is on the line. Our jobs and livelihood are at stake. This is it.” And thousands did - they shut down their offices all over the state, took the day off, and came down from the roof for one morning to be there! If you couldn't make it, you're in luck because Nico asks Birchy for an update from the front lines. He then goes into what he sees as trends for the coming year as well as what he's changed his mind about (and it might surprise you, it did Nico!) Special thanks to Drone Base for supporting this live interview. Learn more about https://www.mysuncast.com/dronebase (Drone Base) and their worldclass aerial thermal imaging. Remember you can always find the resources and learn more about today's guest, recommendations, book links, and more than 400 other founder stories and startup advice at https://mysuncast.com/ (www.mysuncast.com). You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo (Twitter), https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus/ (LinkedIn) or email

Andrew Birch, affectionately referred to by many as simply “Birchy”, joins Nico in this live interview [rebroadcast] from the Intersolar N. America expo hall floor from Thursday January 13, 2022. Birchy is the Godfather of online solar sales (you may remember him as the co-founder and CEO of Sungevity), and always has keen insight into what's trending and what to consider within the fast-growing distributed solar arena. Birchy had just come from the CALSSA “Save our Solar Jobs Rally” in LA, and gives an update on the state of the industry in light of the recent negative press on CA's NEM3.0 ruling.  From the CALSSA website: “The CPUC'shttps://calssa.org/blog/2021/12/13/nem-3-proposed-decision ( proposed decision on NEM-3) would destroy net metering, ending our state's clean energy leadership and decimating our industry, and our jobs, in the process. This is our SOS, our chance to make our voices heard and insist that the PUC change course. Now is the time to go big. Our industry is on the line. Our jobs and livelihood are at stake. This is it.” And thousands did - they shut down their offices all over the state, took the day off, and came down from the roof for one morning to be there! If you couldn't make it, you're in luck because Nico asks Birchy for an update from the front lines. He then goes into what he sees as trends for the coming year as well as what he's changed his mind about (and it might surprise you, it did Nico!) Special thanks to Drone Base for supporting this live interview. Learn more about http://www.mysuncast.com/dronebase (Drone Base) and their worldclass aerial thermal imaging. Remember you can always find the resources and learn more about today's guest, recommendations, book links, and more than 400 other founder stories and startup advice at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/401 (www.mysuncast.com). You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on http://www.twitter.com/nicomeo (Twitter), http://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus (LinkedIn) or email

In this episode: Emily's conversation with Andrew Birch, the co-founder of Sungevity.Sungevity was an early success story in residential solar. But after 10 years in business, it went bankrupt in 2017. In this interview, recorded five months after the company's collapse, Birchy joined us on stage to talk about what happened. His story tells us a lot about the turbulence that defines the solar industry. This conversation was recorded in 2017 in front of a live audience at Powerhouse's headquarters in Oakland, CA. Powerhouse partners with leading corporations and investors to help them lead the next century of clean technology innovation. Our fund, Powerhouse Ventures, invests in founding teams building innovative software to rapidly transform our global energy and mobility systems. You can learn more about Powerhouse at https://www.powerhouse.fund/

Joining me today is Andrew Birch a former professional cricketer who played most of his career for the Warriors franchise in the first class competitions of South Africa. A fast bowler who also represented South Africa A and South Africa U19, along with his 330 first class wickets at an average of 25, he also took 157 wickets in list A cricket and 98 in T20's. During this conversation we convo through how an early injury created the way he played his cricket and we delve into the intricacies of fast bowling.   Connect with Andrew Instagram: @andrewbirch9 Twitter: @andrewbirch9 Email: abirch23@gmail.com   Connect with Jody Instagram: @jodyperformancemind Website: www.jodymartins.co Email: jody@jodymartins.co

Solar panels by themselves are just 10% of the cost of a residential solar system, yet US buyers are paying significantly more than homeowners in other parts of the world.  Why is this? The answer is “soft costs” -- the design, permitting, and sales costs associated with system installation in the US.  And, if this leading architect of the modern clean energy era has his way, we will see big cost savings in the near future.  Listen in as Andrew “Birchy” Birch, co-founder and CEO of Open Solar, unfolds his solution to reducing some of the most unnecessary costs of going solar.

How did one of the solar industry’s true pioneers take everything he’s learned about solar in the last 20 years and make it Free and open-sourced to the world? Andrew Birch (Birchy), Co-Founder of the first company to pioneer delivering online solar designs(Sungevity), tells us what his research suggests is the answer to scaling solar by 30% per year through 2050 to address climate change. The 1st barrier - permitting. The 2nd barrier - adding 10M people to the industry in the next 10 years.  The question is - How could you possibly scale with these structural barriers? The solution is a complete end-to-end software solution that wraps CRM, proposals and financing together, but it’s not just software. Birchy's software is bringing in service providers to exhibit products and essentially pulls everything into a single place. They make that bundle white-labeled to installers as well as accessible and online and completely free. That’s Open Solar, but there’s so much more to Birchy’s story. So queue it up! Remember you can always find the resources and learn more about today’s guest, recommendations, book links and more than 280 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here including links to connect w/Birchy and learn more about his product and roadmap. You can connect with the me, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

How did one of the solar industry’s true pioneers take everything he’s learned about solar in the last 20 years and make it Free and open-sourced to the world? Andrew Birch (Birchy), Co-Founder of the first company to pioneer delivering online solar designs(Sungevity), tells us what his research suggests is the answer to scaling solar by 30% per year through 2050 to address climate change. The 1st barrier - permitting. The 2nd barrier - adding 10M people to the industry in the next 10 years.  The question is - How could you possibly scale with these structural barriers? The solution is a complete end-to-end software solution that wraps CRM, proposals and financing together, but it’s not just software. Birchy's software is bringing in service providers to exhibit products and essentially pulls everything into a single place. They make that bundle white-labeled to installers as well as accessible and online and completely free. That’s Open Solar, but there’s so much more to Birchy’s story. So queue it up! Remember you can always find the resources and learn more about today’s guest, recommendations, book links and more than 280 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here including links to connect w/Birchy and learn more about his product and roadmap. You can connect with the me, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

We are pleased to release the first part of the Opening Session of our SunCast Clean Energy Summit, which started on April 22nd as a way to grow our community and skills, as well as celebrate #EarthDayTogether. Andrew Birch is the Co-Founder of OpenSolar, a company that provides the world’s leading software platform for solar professionals: a complete digital tool kit to scale solar sales. Birchy had a meaningful impact on our industry, pioneering in remote sales before we had the technology we enjoy today. We talked about how the next 10 years will define the Transition from fossil fuels to renewables. Where have we come from, where are we going, and what are the practical steps to take us into the Future of Clean Energy? Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect with the host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

We are pleased to release the first part of the Opening Session of our SunCast Clean Energy Summit, which started on April 22nd as a way to grow our community and skills, as well as celebrate #EarthDayTogether. Andrew Birch is the Co-Founder of OpenSolar, a company that provides the world’s leading software platform for solar professionals: a complete digital tool kit to scale solar sales. Birchy had a meaningful impact on our industry, pioneering in remote sales before we had the technology we enjoy today. We talked about how the next 10 years will define the Transition from fossil fuels to renewables. Where have we come from, where are we going, and what are the practical steps to take us into the Future of Clean Energy? Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect with the host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

MICROMINE moved quickly in responding to the Coronavirus to ensure the well-being of our valued customers, business partners and employees.  As we continue to monitor the situation, we want you to know we have promptly adapted our processes and services so that our operations continue in a virtual environment. In this episode Melissa interviews MICROMINE’s Chief Commercial Officer, Ambroise Nanquette, Chief Operation Officer, Michael Layng and Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Birch for a deep dive discussion on the impact of the Coronavirus on the mining software industry and what positives can be taken away from it all.  

In mid-March this year, just days before lockdown in Australia,  I had the pleasure of sitting down with Birchy, as he's known, to talk about what he's been building at OpenSolar and SolarApp.  In our conversation Birchy shares his views on the mega trends in energy and the work he’s doing on the big levers with the objective to bring about big change in the energy transition. Birchy and his team have bold ambitions for OpenSolar, the online solar design tool they are developing for the global market, and in order to scale quickly it's FREE.

With know growing downside risks what lies ahead for Turkey? Our analysts, Andrew Birch and Alyssa Grzelak talk about the risks that are hiding in plain sight for the region including the banking sector, political instabilities, and repeat shocks. What will change investor sentiment? Speakers: Andrew Birch and Alyssa Grzelak https://ihsmarkit.com/experts/birch-andrew.html Released: 13 January 2020

This may be the most important topic to be organized in solar since the start of net metering. The permitting process in the US adds almost $1/watt to the cost of the installations and increases the cancellation rate for customers looking to go solar. In this episode of SolarWakeup Live! I speak with Andrew Birch who was a co-founder of Sungevity. Andrew tackles this issue by spearheading a two-day meeting which happened last week along with his co-chairs Billy Parish of Mosaic and Lynn Jurich of Sunrun. SEIA and The Solar Foundation will be intimately involved in the process. The idea is to get solar to be a retroactive permit, registered with the AHJ after having been installed. Sell on one day and install the next. If you agree that this ultimate goal is ideal for your business, listen to this conversation and get involved.

He was a dynamic entertainer and a prolific business man, but P.T. Barnum was also responsible for shaping how we view celebrity and fake news. We look at how Barnum’s impact lives on. Then, we have a lot of faith that self-driving cars - and a bunch of other technologies - will be a part of our life very soon. But, according to roboticist Rodney Brooks, we should take that enthusiasm down a notch. Finally, Americans pay more for solar panels than people in other countries. Andrew Birch, former CEO of the solar installer Sungevity, says permits and regulations are to blame.

Let’s say you want to install some solar panels on your home. For the average homeowner, that will set you back around $16,000, according to Andrew Birch, former CEO of the solar installation company Sungevity. In Australia, you would pay about $7,000. And it’s not just Australia where it’s cheaper. Birch says that the US is an outlier when it comes to how much solar installation costs the regular consumer. Why? Birch explains.

This week: a conversation with Andrew Birch, the co-founder and CEO of Sungevity.For those who’ve been following the wild ride in solar, you’re going to want to listen to this conversation.Sungevity was once one of the biggest residential solar installers in the U.S. – until it filed for bankruptcy protection at the beginning of the year. In this interview, Andrew Birch talks candidly about how Sungevity was founded, what killed an acquisition deal to save the installer, how market forces and the political landscape hurt the business, and where he thinks global solar trends are headed.This interview was conducted on-stage at Powerhouse, an incubator based in San Francisco. It’s part of the “Watt It Takes” series on how top cleantech entrepreneurs built their companies. The series is produced by Powerhouse, in partnership with Greentech Media.This podcast is brought to you by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. To find out more about Mission’s high-power, American quality modules visit missionsolar.com.

This week: a conversation with Andrew Birch, the co-founder and CEO of Sungevity.For those who've been following the wild ride in solar, you're going to want to listen to this conversation.Sungevity was once one of the biggest residential solar installers in the U.S. – until it filed for bankruptcy protection at the beginning of the year. In this interview, Andrew Birch talks candidly about how Sungevity was founded, what killed an acquisition deal to save the installer, how market forces and the political landscape hurt the business, and where he thinks global solar trends are headed.This interview was conducted on-stage at Powerhouse, an incubator based in San Francisco. It's part of the “Watt It Takes” series on how top cleantech entrepreneurs built their companies. The series is produced by Powerhouse, in partnership with Greentech Media.This podcast is sponsored by the New York Times ClimateTech conference, held in San Francisco on November 29 and 30. Engage with influential leaders from key industries and explore how innovation of all stripes can help solve one of the most pressing issues of our time. To apply and receive a 20% discount, visit www.nytclimatetech.com and use code GTM20.

In last week’s Vantage Performance podcast, Susan Morgan spoke about the importance of finding a mentor to act as a sounding board for your ideas. This week Phil Dobbie talks to Andrew Birch, Director of Vantage Performance, who suggests you take it a step further by appointing a board to add some external influence on your business. Andrew says the impact a board has is almost immediate, adding expertise and a fresh perspective on the business. It’s not unusual, he says, for a question to be asked, only to have the incumbent team respond, “yes, why do we do that?” Andrew also talks about an appropriate mix of board members, where to find them and what their role is within the organisation. If you thought boards with non-executive members were really just a necessarily evil for listed companies who needed to pacify their shareholders, it’s worth hearing what Andrew has to say.

Your business can be profitable but still hit the wall. Why? Because you run out of cash. That’s why you need to ensure you have a handle on your working capital. Andrew Birch, a director at Vantage Performance, says working capital management can provide the cheapest and easiest form of finance available to your business, but if you ignore it the consequences can be dire. In this week’s Vantage Performance podcast Andrew talks to Phil Dobbie about businesses that have products which appear profitable, but the up-front cash requirements present an enormous amount of risk. That’s why it’s vital that every business understands the importance of working capital management. Profitability is vital too, of course, but you’ll never grow effectively without an understanding of how and when your money is being used.

In this week’s Vantage Performance podcast Andrew Birch, a director at Vantage Performance talks to Phil Dobbie about some of the easy ways you can bring cash forward. It’s all to do with how you structure your invoicing, accept payments and follow-up. As you’ll hear, a few simple changes to the way you operate can have an immense impact on the cash flow of your business. You’ll also hear about the great European knitwear mountain. Sounds intriguing? Listen in.

It’s common for businesses to get so excited about landing a big deal that they gloss over the detail involved in delivering the work. They just look at the revenue, consider their margins and rejoice at the extra money they’ll be making. Then they sign the contract. A big customer will present you with a lengthy contract that has been developed over the years by top class lawyers. The early euphoria can be short-lived when, a short way down the track, you realise you have committed to a job that could send you broke. In this week’s podcast Andrew Birch, a director of Vantage Performance based in Perth, explains that you really need to spend a lot of time consuming the detail of that contract. And, he says, you should be prepared to go back to the customer and negotiate aspects of the schedule if they make the job unworkable or overly risky. Engaging lawyers on your side can push up costs at the onset, but the reward will be worth it. Especially if it saves your business.