Podcasts about standard solar

40,000? 50,000? More? Whatever the number, there were a lot of people at this year's RE+ in Las Vegas.While the event's exhibits are a focal point of the event — especially for pros sourcing solar modules, inverters, and batteries — the real action takes place in the side rooms, restaurants, and bars.Episode 61 of the Factor This! podcast features Standard Solar president and CEO Scott Wiater, who takes us inside those critical conversations. Watch the full episode on YouTubeWiater offers a look into the headaches linked to Inflation Reduction Act implementation and financial market turmoil, as well as the unmissable sense of optimism that the industry will continue its meteoric growth. That's all next on Factor This!You've heard me talk a lot about the GridTECH Connect Forum - Northeast event being held in Newport, Rhode Island Oct. 23-25. Well, registration is now LIVE. We're excited to partner with the DOE to bring together DER developers, utilities, and regulators around the critical issue of interconnection in the Northeast. Click here to register today.

The pitfalls of the energy transition are on full display in a Southeast state. A 2021 law set North Carolina on its way to slashing carbon emissions by 70% by the end of the decade and reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. HB 951 represented an unprecedented, bipartisan effort for a state to tackle climate change and deploy clean energy.But clashes between Duke Energy, the utility governed by the law, and clean energy developers showcase that historic policy is only part of the equation. Execution is just as challenging.Episode 32 of the Factor This! podcast features Steve Levitas and Tyler Norris, who both work on clean energy policy for utility-scale solar and storage developers. They share why what's happening in North Carolina should be a warning to the rest of the country.About the sponsors:This episode of Factor This! is sponsored by Rolls Battery. Available in four popular case sizes, Rolls Battery's new R-Series 12-volt & 24-volt lithium models offer a maintenance-free, lightweight alternative to traditional deep-cycle batteries. With fast charge/discharge capability and up to 4 in-series and 4 in-parallel connectivity for 48-volt system configuration, Rolls LFP lithium are a true drop-in replacement. Lithium iron phosphate technology and built-in protections ensure safe operation and exceptional cycle life, and all models are backed by a 3-year, full-replacement manufacturer warranty. Visit RollsBattery.com to find a distributor near you.This episode of Factor This! is also sponsored by Heila Technologies, a Kohler Company.Heila is changing the way complex microgrids are managed and operated with its EDGE control and optimization platform, which makes each asset in a system smarter while making the whole microgrid more efficient and resilient.The EDGE helps EPCs and developers simplify microgrid deployment through a flexible approach that ensures systems operate reliably while unlocking new revenue streams.Heila is a proud sponsor of the 2023 GridTech Connect Forum. Register now at www.gridtechconnect.com to learn more about Heila and the EDGE platform.Factor This!  is produced by Renewable Energy World and Clarion Energy. Connect with John Engel, the host of Factor This!, on LinkedIn and Twitter.The GridTECH Connect Forum is almost here. Join us in San Diego, California on Feb. 6 as we bring together DER developers, utilities, and regulators around the critical issue of interconnection. Join Southern California Edison, PG&E, SDG&E, Nexamp, Standard Solar, DSD Renewables, and more for an event hyper-focused on the California market. Register today. Registration is now open for the GridTECH Connect Forum, a new event bringing together distributed energy developers and utilities to tackle the critical issue of interconnection. Join us in San Diego on Feb. 6, 2023 for an event focused on the California market, like interconnection collaboration, vehicle-to-grid integration, demand response, and more. Learn more at GridTECHConnect.com.

This episode of Factor This! is sponsored by Heila Technologies, a Kohler company.Episode 31 of the Factor This! podcast features Aaron Bates, the CEO and founder of Toledo Solar, a manufacturer of cadmium telluride thin-film solar modules.Bates cares deeply about who is making solar modules and, just as importantly, where. And he has strong opinions about the direction the solar industry is heading.In response to the Inflation Reduction Act, Toledo Solar is scaling its production capacity to 2.3 gigawatts by 2027. It's bringing the technology that made First Solar a household name to the commercial and residential sectors, and doing it right down the street from First Solar's factory in Ohio.Bates discusses Toledo Solar and its ties to Ohio's rich history of manufacturing, silicon vs. CadTe modules, tariffs, and what he calls the "untruths" behind Made in America solar.About the sponsor:This episode of Factor This is sponsored by Heila Technologies, a Kohler Company.Heila is changing the way complex microgrids are managed and operated with its EDGE control and optimization platform, which makes each asset in a system smarter while making the whole microgrid more efficient and resilient. The EDGE helps EPCs and developers simplify microgrid deployment through a flexible approach that ensures systems operate reliably while unlocking new revenue streams.Heila is a proud sponsor of the 2023 GridTech Connect Forum. Register now at www.gridtechconnect.com to learn more about Heila and the EDGE platform.Factor This!  is produced by Renewable Energy World and Clarion Energy. Connect with John Engel, the host of Factor This!, on LinkedIn and Twitter.The GridTECH Connect Forum is almost here. Join us in San Diego, California on Feb. 6 as we bring together DER developers, utilities, and regulators around the critical issue of interconnection. Join Southern California Edison, PG&E, SDG&E, Nexamp, Standard Solar, DSD Renewables, and more for an event hyper-focused on the California market. Register today. Registration is now open for the GridTECH Connect Forum, a new event bringing together distributed energy developers and utilities to tackle the critical issue of interconnection. Join us in San Diego on Feb. 6, 2023 for an event focused on the California market, like interconnection collaboration, vehicle-to-grid integration, demand response, and more. Learn more at GridTECHConnect.com.

This episode of Factor This! is sponsored by Heila Technologies, a Kohler company. Corporate demand for clean energy couldn't be hotter. And it's not just for far-away solar and wind farms anymore.In a year plagued by trade disputes, supply chain constraints, and missed targets, onsite commercial and industrial deployment of solar, batteries and EV charging grew in 2022 when other areas sank.Leaders in the C&I space say it's about to explode. That growth doesn't come without its own challenges for grid reliability.Episode 30 of the Factor This! podcast features Raphael Declercq, CEO of the C&I solar, storage, and EV charging developer PowerFlex.Owned by EDF Renewables, PowerFlex is a leader in the C&I space, recently raising $100 million to expand its onsite energy management hardware and software offering.Declercq weighed in on the impact of the California net metering decision, intelligent EV charging, and the outlook for an often overlooked segment of the industry.About the sponsor:This episode of Factor This is sponsored by Heila Technologies, a Kohler Company.Heila is changing the way complex microgrids are managed and operated with its EDGE control and optimization platform, which makes each asset in a system smarter while making the whole microgrid more efficient and resilient. The EDGE helps EPCs and developers simplify microgrid deployment through a flexible approach that ensures systems operate reliably while unlocking new revenue streams.Heila is a proud sponsor of the 2023 GridTech Connect Forum. Register now at www.gridtechconnect.com to learn more about Heila and the EDGE platform.Factor This!  is produced by Renewable Energy World and Clarion Energy. Connect with John Engel, the host of Factor This!, on LinkedIn and Twitter.The GridTECH Connect Forum is almost here. Join us in San Diego, California on Feb. 6 as we bring together DER developers, utilities, and regulators around the critical issue of interconnection. Join Southern California Edison, PG&E, SDG&E, Nexamp, Standard Solar, DSD Renewables, and more for an event hyper-focused on the California market. Register today. Registration is now open for the GridTECH Connect Forum, a new event bringing together distributed energy developers and utilities to tackle the critical issue of interconnection. Join us in San Diego on Feb. 6, 2023 for an event focused on the California market, like interconnection collaboration, vehicle-to-grid integration, demand response, and more. Learn more at GridTECHConnect.com.

Bringing new distributed energy resources to the grid often comes with delays and costly upgrades. Interconnection woes create a contentious relationship between utilities and developers.That's why Clarion Energy is launching the GridTECH Connect Forum— a regional event designed to break down industry silos by bringing together DER developers and utilities to find common ground to improve the interconnection process. Registration is now open for the inaugural GridTECH Connect Forum in San Diego, California on Feb. 6, 2023. To learn more, be sure to download Episode 23 of Factor This! featuring GridTECH Connect Forum advisory board members Laurence Abcede, manager of distributed energy resources at San Diego Gas & Electric, and CJ Colavito, the vice president of engineering at Standard Solar. Show notes: -Learn more about GridTECH Connect Forum -Follow the GridTECH Connect Forum on Twitter and LinkedInFactor This!  is produced by Renewable Energy World and Clarion Energy. Connect with John Engel, the host of Factor This!, on LinkedIn and Twitter.Registration is now open for the GridTECH Connect Forum, a new event bringing together distributed energy developers and utilities to tackle the critical issue of interconnection. Join us in San Diego on Feb. 6, 2023 for an event focused on the California market, like interconnection collaboration, vehicle-to-grid integration, demand response, and more. Learn more at GridTECHConnect.com.

In this episode, NPM's Andrew Burnes is joined by Standard Solar CEO Scott WiaterStandard Solar is one of the leading community solar developers in the US and active in many of the largest community solar states in the country including New York, Massachusetts, Maryland and Maine. Following the IRA, the sector is poised to benefit from a number of different tax credit adders and benefits, including those for projects of less than 5 MW, using American manufacturing, and benefiting low- and moderate-income subscribers. Scott walks us through his interpretation of these issues and how they will impact Standard Solar. He also provides updates on legacy issues like interconnection costs, congestion, and the Auxin solar tariff investigation while giving us a snapshot of what to expect from Standard Solar over the next 18 months.New Project Media (NPM) is a leading data, intelligence and events company providing origination led coverage of the renewable energy market for the development, finance, advisory & corporate community.

Of all the stages of a solar project, the operations and management stage is arguably the most crucial. When you're thinking about project efficiency and financial returns in solar, you need to have a concise plan for the O&M stage.Greg Shambo is Vice President of Business Development at Borrego Energy. He says that ‘when you get into the operations stage, this is where you make the money. If you can't operate profitably from day one, you end up losing money. We call these walking dead sites, because they were doomed to start with.' For the last forty years, Borrego have established themselves as one of the nation's most reliable names in the Solar and Energy Storage industry. From their early days as solar pioneers, to today - as leaders on the national energy storage stage – Borrego have delivered timely and secure management to solar projects. In 2014, Borrego launched a stand-alone O&M business for both EPC and non-EPC customers to help optimise and maintain system performance and help their clients achieve their financial goals.Jay Smith also joins us, he's the Director of Asset Management at Standard Solar, a client of Borrego.On the show, Greg and Jay take us through the management of large-scale solar projects, and how clients can ensure they pick the best O&M provider for the job. This episode was produced in collaboration with Borrego, a leading developer, EPC and O&M provider for large-scale renewable energy projects throughout the United States. With over 1.4 GW and more than 1,000 sites under its management nationwide, Borrego O&M is comprised of technical experts that have been helping customers maximise their asset performance and value for the last decade.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Top Solar Contractors list this year, Solar Power World was joined by representatives at Standard Solar, Nexamp and Pivot Energy to discuss the community solar market. One of the fastest growing solar segments involves the community solar model. Instead of one end-user, many customers are involved with the unique solar projects on landfills, townhomes and community fields. C&I contractors involved with community solar will discuss the design, installation and post-project considerations necessary for this quickly emerging market in the United States. Register for future roundtables: www.solarpowerworldonline.com/tsc-roundtables/ Watch the roundtable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mp49LQZG_9s

    Episode Summary In this episode of the Solar Maverick, Benoy asks Daryl Pilon and Bob Burwasser about why roofing and solar are important and how roof restoration with solar allow more rooftop solar projects to be constructed.  This discussion is an in-depth look at what roof restoration entails, what makes a good solar platform, and how the cost-saving benefits will last well into the future.     Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.   Daryl Pilon  Daryl Pilon is the Director of Business Development for Standard Solar, a vertically integrated commercial and industrial EPC company, providing superior solar energy solutions since 2004.  Their goal is to invest their capital in new projects and drive the solar industry forward. Daryl comes from a background in engineering and worked on roofing systems before joining Standard Solar three years ago.   Bob Burwasser Bob Burwasser has been in the commercial roofing business for 29 years and Regional Technical Manager for Everest Systems Co. Everest Systems Co. boasts over 30 years experience in the roof coatings industry. Insights from this episode: Strategies for evaluating what projects make good candidates for rooftop solar installations. – Daryl   Details on rooftop restoration versus roof replacement, what restoration entails, and how restoration helps to enable the solar industry. – Bob How Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) help non-profit organizations attain solar solutions. Benefits of restoration and incorporating roof restoration and solar installation simultaneously. How to match the solar array to the roof and ensure the installation does not void the roof warranty.   Quotes from the show: On SMP 11:  The Marriage of Roofing and Solar: Innovative and Economic Solutions: “It was a very popular podcast. We actually got a lot of great feedback about the integration of roofing and solar.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #69 “What we try to avoid is roof replacement which gets extremely costly.” – Bob Burwasser, Episode #69 On the liquid material employed in roof restoration: “It was initiated as a material in the New York World’s Fair in 1964, GE Silicones - the inventor of silicone - showcased the product in Flushing, New York, it’s been used ever since and seems to be exploding recently in the roofing marketplace.” – Bob Burwasser, Episode #69 “We can do it very cost-effectively and quickly by incorporating [roofing and solar] simultaneously.” – Daryl Pilon, Episode #69 “I think there are many, many companies and many, many roofs out there that are great possibilities for roof restoration and solar.” – Daryl Pilon, Episode #69 On restoration and installation benefits: “It’s the two coming together in one solution in the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that I think it’s a beautiful option for many clients.” – Daryl Pilon, Episode #69 On preparing roofs for solar: “I think a soft benchmark is 5 to 7 years old as a minimum, anything older than that and we would want to restore that roof and get them to a brand new 25-year warranty.” – Bob Burwasser, Episode #69 On roof replacement: “It’s a costly, time-consuming, disruptive procedure that has killed a lot of solar deals and that is something that, of course, we want to avoid, we want to enable more solar deals.” – Bob Burwasser, Episode #69 On roof restoration warranties: “You’re getting a superior warranty, you’re getting a superior product at a much lesser cost and when we incorporate that into Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) it helps everybody.” – Daryl Pilon, Episode #69 “It really is the marriage of roofing and solar, the next level.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #69 Resources Mentioned: SMP 11:  The Marriage of Roofing and Solar: Innovative and Economic Solutions with Benoy Thanjan, Daryl Pilon and Bob Burwasser   Stay Connected:   Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: @bthanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com    Daryl Pilon Cell Phone:  347-633-2502 Email: daryl.pilon@standardsolar.com Website: www.standarsolar.com LinkedIn: Daryl Pilon   Bob Burwasser Office Phone:  212-689-4440 Cell Phone: 917-287-4370 Email: bburwasser@everestsco.com Website:  https://www.everestsystemsco.com LinkedIn: Bob Burwasser   Sponsor: We would like to thank Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast. Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, and owner representation in all areas of solar photovoltaics (PV) for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets.At Schwerd Consulting they like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets them apart is their 100% focus on solar and understanding the business of their clients. In its 5 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 450 MW of PV across over 330 sites and 15 states plus the Caribbean. That total includes 300MW of completed designs and engineering, and 150MW of consulting and owner rep services.Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar.If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email at admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.com.   Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, and youtube. This episode was produced and managed by  Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)

SMP 44: Community Solar 201   Episode Summary   In this episode, Benoy and Suzanne talk about community solar and how it’s one of the fastest-growing areas of solar. They discuss the benefits and trends of community solar, and they go into the four different business models through which community solar projects get done. They also discuss legislation to keep the Investment Tax Credit at 30%.   Benoy Thanjan   Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.    Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.   Suzanne Waters   Suzanne Waters is the Vice President of Business Development at Reneu Energy. She is an experienced solar professional with a broad knowledge of the industry, including project development administration, marketing best practices, financial strategy, and team leadership. Before joining Reneu Energy, Suzanne worked as the Business Development Manager and Proposal Team Leader at Vanguard Energy Partners, a national solar developer, and their affiliate firm, Vanguard Energy Capital. She oversaw proposal development and contract execution. Additionally, she collaborated on structured finance for large scale, multimillion-dollar projects.   Insight from this episode:   Strategies to understanding community solar trends Secrets to community solar business models How to make community solar accessible to LMI customers Strategies on federal incentives for solar Strategies to keeping the Investment Tax Credit at 30 percent   Quotes from the show:   “Obviously the question you’re all asking, if you’re listening to this episode is ‘what is community solar?’... According to SEIA community solar is a situation where a center solar array is built either by utility, municipality, or some other third party owner.” – Suzanne Waters, Episode #44   “Today many American households and businesses don’t have access to solar because they rent, live in multi-tenant buildings, have roofs that are unable to host a solar system, or experience some other type of mitigating factor.” – Suzanne Waters, quoting from SEIA Episode #44   “Community solar expands access to solar for all, including, in particular, low to moderate-income customers most impacted by a lack of access, all while building a stronger distributed and more resilient electric grid.” – Suzanne Waters, quoting from SEIA Episode #44   “So what we’re finding is that financing communities are slowly getting more comfortable in having customers that are 100% residential. Where there’s no long-term contract. Where there’s no penalty if the customer opts out.” - Benoy Thanjan Episode #44   “So right now, what the investment tax credit is, it’s a credit on your taxes for 30% of the cost of the [solar] system. There’s actually a step down over the next couple of years, so till the end of 2019 it’s 30%, come 2020 it will be 26%, in 2021 it’s a 22% credit, and then in 2022 it’s 10%. – Suzanne Waters Episode #44   “If you want to take advantage of the 30% tax credit you have to have 5% of the [community solar] project procured by the end of 2019. And the biggest thing we see is that people will buy and secure the panels for their project.” – Suzanne Waters Episode #44   “The most common [business model for community projects] is a Special Purpose Entity, which is the SPE model… In this approach individuals or companies join in a business enterprise to develop a community solar project… Organizations may take advantage of incentives and tax credits that are available, that are unavailable to utilities.” - Benoy Thanjan Episode #44   Resources Mentioned:   For more information on community solar:   Listen to Episode #23: Community Solar 101 Listen to Episode #19: Customer Acquisition and Billing in Community Solar Listen to Episode #42: How Solar Technology Is Changing the World!   Benoy referred to the eBook titled “Community Solar: What You Need To Know” created by Standard Solar.  The link to the eBook is below.   https://www.standardsolar.com/standard-solar-releases-ebook-offering-critical-insight-executing-successful-community-solar    Stay Connected:   Benoy Thanjan info@reneuenergy.com LinkedIn.com/bthanjan www.reneuenergy.com     Suzanne Waters suzanne@reneuenergy.com www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-waters-01bb6077/ www.reneuenergy.com   Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes and Podbean  

About our Guests:   Daryl Pilon is the director of business development for Standard Solar, a vertically integrated commercial and industrial EPC company, providing superior solar energy solutions since 2004. Their goal is to invest their capital in new projects and drive the solar industry forward. Daryl comes from a background in engineering and worked on roofing systems before joining Standard Solar three years ago.   Bob Burwasser is the Northeast regional manager for Carlisle Construction Materials, a diversified manufacturer and supplier for building products and related materials for commercial construction markets. They prioritize energy efficiency and sustainability, working to lower a building’s carbon footprint and lower its energy consumption and associated costs.   Episode summary: On the heels of a historic partnership between the solar company, Standard Solar, and the roofing and construction company, Carlisle Construction Materials, a representative from each company sat down with Benoy to talk about how their innovate solutions are changing the viability and longevity of rooftop solar arrays. Bob and Daryl each talk about their side of these innovations and their hopes for the partnership moving forward.   Insights from this episode: How Carlisle goes about evaluating a roof How Standard Solar and Carlisle Construction Materials have solved solar’s past roofing problems How they’re able to offer solar projects and solid roofs at a lower cost Strategies for getting your rooftop solar array off the ground   Quotes from the show: “For the first time since man has walked upright, we now have a roofing membrane that can parallel the longevity of solar.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11 “When we’re done, that building has increased in value.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11 “For owners that were interested in solar and just couldn’t pursue it because of the roof cost, we’re going back to them now and it’s becoming a very viable opportunity.” - Bob Burwasser, Episode #11 On the partnership: “There’s a great match of people and there’s a great match of capability and competency.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11 More on the partnership: “We can take opportunities that exist out there and be able to very quickly bring them to a conclusion.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11 “We have two great companies that are very like minded in our goals and are very customer focused and I think with those elements, success is just around the corner.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11 On their roofing solutions: “I think it’s viable everywhere. I really do believe that.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11 “We’re all about mutually beneficial relationships.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11 “I think it’s nice that now we can lead the way. We can spearhead this thing and obviously we’re sharing it with the world, so we hope the world can be apart of it, but we’re going to lead the parade and I think it’s going be a great existence.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11   Stay connected:   Benoy Thanjan LinkedIn.com/bthanjan Facebook: Reneu Energy www.reneuenergy.com info@renewenergy.com   Daryl Pilon: daryl.pilon@standardsolar.com   Bob Burwasser: bburwasser@carlislerfc.com

Live from the International Trade Commission with Tony Clifford of Standard Solar. We speak at the end of the solar industry's response to the 201 petitions while Commissioners continue to ask questions about market elasticity and impact on solar jobs.

Welcome to Episode 44 of SunCast, Solar Warrior! I'm so glad you are with me again this week! We're back with another edition of the Solar Pioneers Series, and today's guest hails from the East Coast of the US. I know what you are thinking - "Wait a minute, Nico, aren't all the solar pioneers from California?" Not all of them!  Back in the 70s and 80s, there were a number of companies in and around the DC area that were quite innovative. Among them, Solarex. Today's guest was one of the early employees at Solerex. When I met Tony back in 2010, he was the CEO of Standard Solar, a company he continues to lead today.  I have had the pleasure of watching Standard Solar become one of the fastest growing and important solar companies, not just in the North East region, but now with an established presence across the US. In today's episode, Tony and I discuss: What it was like to work for Solarex in the 70s. What Tony believes are the fundamentals or bellwether signs of a maturing industry (and where solar is along that curve). What key employee characteristics he looks for when hiring into such a fast-growing company. Tony's thoughts on the next 5 years ahead for the solar industry. A fun Hot or Not segment, including Tony's thoughts on topics from Distributed Storage to the Section 201 Trade Case with Suniva. ...and of course, some key lessons and advice gleaned from his 30+ years, not just in solar, but in scaling startups! You can read more on the blog and see the show notes for this episode. If you or someone you know is selling commercial solar, you should check out Solrates.com, the fast and Free online platform for providing your commercial customers with a credible lease financing proposal. If you have projects over $100K value, and you'd like to see how Solrates can help you quickly and easily deliver a financing proposal to your customers, please reach out to me directly for an invitation code to join the platform.

Welcome to Episode 44 of SunCast, Solar Warrior! I'm so glad you are with me again this week! We're back with another edition of the Solar Pioneers Series, and today's guest hails from the East Coast of the US. I know what you are thinking - "Wait a minute, Nico, aren't all the solar pioneers from California?" Not all of them!  Back in the 70s and 80s, there were a number of companies in and around the DC area that were quite innovative. Among them, Solarex. Today's guest was one of the early employees at Solerex. When I met Tony back in 2010, he was the CEO of Standard Solar, a company he continues to lead today.  I have had the pleasure of watching Standard Solar become one of the fastest growing and important solar companies, not just in the North East region, but now with an established presence across the US. In today's episode, Tony and I discuss: What it was like to work for Solarex in the 70s. What Tony believes are the fundamentals or bellwether signs of a maturing industry (and where solar is along that curve). What key employee characteristics he looks for when hiring into such a fast-growing company. Tony's thoughts on the next 5 years ahead for the solar industry. A fun Hot or Not segment, including Tony's thoughts on topics from Distributed Storage to the Section 201 Trade Case with Suniva. ...and of course, some key lessons and advice gleaned from his 30+ years, not just in solar, but in scaling startups! You can read more on the blog and see the show notes for this episode. If you or someone you know is selling commercial solar, you should check out Solrates.com, the fast and Free online platform for providing your commercial customers with a credible lease financing proposal. If you have projects over $100K value, and you'd like to see how Solrates can help you quickly and easily deliver a financing proposal to your customers, please reach out to me directly for an invitation code to join the platform.

Tony Clifford has been with Standard Solar for over a decade, spending much of his time as the CEO until stepping aside late in 2016. This wasn’t his first time in solar, having worked for Solarex and BP Solar in the Carter/Reagan years. What are the parallels between the Carter/Reagan transition to those between Obama/Trump when it comes to solar? Standard Solar was recently acquired by Gaz Metro, a diversified energy company based in Montreal, which also owns Green Mountain Power. Tony and I discuss how the process played out and how Standard Solar was able to stand out amongst the many solar companies that went to market last year. Our discussion also goes into Tony’s work in policy. Since stepping down as CEO, he has been devoting much of his time on policy and business development. As an longtime elected member of the SEIA board, Tony was part of the search committee for the CEO job at SEIA that went to Abby Hopper. The next steps for Standard Solar look bright. With access to capital, including tax equity, Standard will be looking to acquire development projects throughout the Country. If you enjoyed this episode as much as I did, make sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform including iTunes, Soundcloud or Stitcher Radio.

Today, solar’s dominance feels inevitable. But in 1979, when Neville Williams started promoting the industry at the Department of Energy, it felt like a far-off dream. That didn’t stop the early pioneers from thinking big and pushing the government to invest in the early technology – helping solar module costs fall from $55 per watt in the 1970s to 50 cents per watt today. In this podcast, we’ll talk with Neville Williams about his new book, “Sun Power,” that features stories from the last four decades in the solar industry. Williams was the founder of off-grid solar companies SELF and SELCO, and also founded the Maryland solar company Standard Solar. In the second half of the show, we’ll talk about big news in Georgia, Tennessee and Connecticut. We’ll also discuss an example of shareholder activism that turned SunEdison around. This podcast is sponsored by eGauge Systems, a manufacturer of next-generation energy meters for solar generation and building demand, submetering, performance contracts, LEED projects and net zero buildings. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.

In this episode, we are speaking with Scott Wiater, President of Standard Solar, which is headquartered in Rockville, Md.

Transcript: Knowing the size, composition, and energy source of the Sun, astronomers can calculate the physical conditions at any point within its volume. This is called the standard solar model. Fusion occurs within the core, the inner quarter of the Sun’s radius. The temperature at the very center is fifteen million Kelvin. One quarter of the radius out has dropped to ten million, the edge of the fusion zone, and at half the radius is down to about five million Kelvin. The density at the core is ten to the fifth kilograms per cubic meter. This drops by a factor of two out to the edge of the fusion core and then down to about ten to the three kilograms per cubic meter halfway out the Sun. The fusion core, one quarter of the radius, one sixty-fourth of the volume, contains half the Sun’s mass and generates ninety-nine percent of its energy. Remember that these statements are based on a model of the Sun’s behavior. We cannot see directly into the Sun’s core.