SunCast Nico Johnson

On Today's Episode:

As clean energy continues to dominate global conversations, understanding the intricacies of this high-growth sector are more critical than ever. Supply chain disruptions, surging financing costs, and complex regulatory landscapes continue to slow progress, especially in the areas of battery storage and M&A. 
We recently had the opportunity to speak with the folks responsible for navigating these waters at one of the most respected banking & advisory practices in the game: Keybanc Capital Markets(KBCM). In today’s discussion, we are joined by Aaron Klein, Julian Bailliet, Ari Citrin, Timothy Beach, Everett Currier, and Ryan Pirnat, all Managing Directors from KBCM. This group of experienced industry experts have not only managed through regulatory challenges and financing obstacles, but they have been involved in deploying nearly $10Billion in capital to build our clean energy infrastructure. Renowned for their strategic agility and market acumen, our interviewees have championed pioneering projects and broken through barriers to secure early-stage capital and ensure clients projects got across the finish line, time and time again.
What can one glean from this engaging dialogue? From the nitty-gritty of supply chain management to the nuance of tax equity financing, the conversation is packed with valuable insights. It's an opportunity to dig deeper into the details of the renewable energy market from the capital perspective. You won’t be disappointed.

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.
SunCast is presented by Sungrow, the world’s most bankable inverter brand.
You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.
Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 634 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.
You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:
Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

On Today's Episode:

I finally got around to a complete recap and takeaways from this year’s RE+ main event, a milestone in the clean energy industry that saw an astounding attendance of over 40,000 people. Joining me is industry expert Nate Jovanelly, who for the past 2 years has hosted the Industry Pulse segment at our PowerUp Live Podcast Stage, and hosts his own podcast called Limitless (you really should already be subscribed to this one!). Nate is also co-founder of Sunraise Capital and one of my go-to resources for all things related to residential solar & financing. But today’s convo is not about either of those, directly.  Rather, Nate & I give our take on this year’s RE+, takeaways, thoughts, superlatives, and more. 
This year’s RE+ in Las Vegas truly highlighted the outstanding growth in the industry, and we kick things off with a recurring theme in many conversations on the show floor: workforce development.  We also talk about how the industry is “crossing the chasm”, highlighting how prosumers are playing a crucial role in shifting market dynamics.  And we dig into the growing trend of strategic partnerships among pioneering companies (manufacturers chiefly) that is shaping a new era of collaboration and innovation.  
But, this year’s RE+ event was not without challenges, so we provide our take on what could be improved, along with what turned out to be a quite popular segment of our daily show, the SWAG Roundup!  Regardless if you were at RE+ this year or not, its sheer size likely guarantees that there was plenty you missed, so tune into this recap episode, and if you find yourself wanting to hear more of what took place, make sure to visit suncast.live to watch all the shows from our PowerUp Live Podcast Stage at RE+, or queue up the replays we published here on the pod of the daily morning shows and roundups!

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.
SunCast is presented by Sungrow, the world’s most bankable inverter brand.
You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.
Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 634 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.
You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:
Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

On Today's Episode:

While businesses grapple with skyrocketing energy costs, increasingly frequent power outages, and mounting pressure to reduce carbon emissions, clean energy & energy efficiency providers struggle with how to find & convert them as customers. The complexity of on-stie energy challenges often leaves businesses feeling overwhelmed with options for transitioning to cleaner, more resilient, on-site energy solutions, also known as distributed energy resources. Adding to this complexity are the 'soft costs' associated with developing these solutions, which include consulting, engineering, sales, and procurement, which can account for a staggering 50% of project costs. The energy market also suffers from a pervasive information asymmetry. Buyers often find themselves at a loss for who to trust, and suppliers struggle for project traction due to customer indecision.
Gareth Evans, the CEO and founder of VECKTA, designed a company specifically to tackle these challenges head-on. Their unique platform helps businesses navigate the energy transition by developing tailored strategies, prioritizing projects, designing optimal solutions, and providing access to vetted suppliers via a streamlined marketplace. In our conversation, Evans offers an in-depth look into how VECKTA managed to overcome the hurdles of achieving product-market fit, which included building their platform in isolation during a global pandemic. Evans also shares insights about managing the growing pains of a start-up: from recruiting and maintaining an effective team, to raising capital, to managing the transition from intrapreneur to CEO.
Evans offers a unique perspective on the transformation that businesses must undergo to meet increasing environmental pressures and transition to more resilient energy solutions. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone interested in how businesses can navigate the complexities of the energy transition and provides valuable insights into the challenges and triumphs of leading a startup in a rapidly evolving industry. VECKTA may have just unlocked the doorway to scaling the C&I sector for what Evans prefers to call “On-site Energy”, which we have commonly referred to as Distributed Energy, Solar, Energy Effiiency, etc.  Give it a listen and let us know what you think with a note on Linkedin or X!

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.
SunCast is presented by Sungrow, the world’s most bankable inverter brand.
You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.
Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 634 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.
You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:
Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

On Today's Episode:

The solar energy sector is witnessing momentous identify shifts. I’d call it an identity crisis, but we’re not that far yet. Jigar Shah, however, might be so bold. As homeowners transition from merely generating energy to storing and redistributing it to the grid, there's a growing sense that our traditional understanding of "solar" as the industry in which we participate might be too narrow. But what does this mean for installers, utilities, and everyday consumers?
Jigar Shah, the director of the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office, offers an exciting (if provocative) glimpse into the future we shall inherit. With his hand in funneling billions to pioneering energy projects that transcend the boundaries of solar, encompassing batteries, electric vehicles, and more, Shah has taken on the mantle of Chief Story Architect, so to speak, in conveying the captivating concept of the “virtual power plant”. Shah elaborates on how this next evolution of the grid will place homeowners at the heart of vital grid services. Yet, as we explore these innovations, Shah also casts a spotlight on a pressing concern: how do we ensure equitable access to these advancements, particularly for marginalized communities facing steep energy expenses? 
Join us for a riveting discussion, recorded live from the RE+ 2023 Tradeshow floor, that promises to expand horizons, challenge preconceptions, and reveal the latent potential within our homes and communities. Shah challenges us to embark on a journey into a more holistic, equitable, and resilient energy future, where every individual has a role to play, and no company may any longer call itself a “solar” company…we’re in the Virtual Power Plant business now, y’all!
This and many other iconic conversations were captured LIVE at the PowerUp Live Podcast Stage in Las Vegas the week of Sept 11-14, 2023. You can watch them all at www.suncast.live !

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.
SunCast is presented by Sungrow, the world’s most bankable inverter brand.
You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.
Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 634 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.
You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:
Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

On Today's Episode:

The next best thing to being at RE+ Vegas, is catching the PowerUp Live Show.  Get the lowdown from Nico for the PowerUp Morning Show, LIVE with Nico Johnson & Lauren Glickman, presented by Meyer Burger, and RE+ Daily Round Up with Nico Johnson & Josh Porter, 
presented by Modern Energy to share their experiences of Day 3 at RE+ Vegas.  
If you want to catch the whole PowerUp Live show, make sure to visit suncast.live to hear from some of the top voices speaking on the state of the industry today.
If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.
SunCast is presented by Sungrow, the world’s most bankable inverter brand.
You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.
Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 634 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.
You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:
Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
Mentioned in this episode:
Midroll For Week Of RE+ 2023

On Today's Episode:

The next best thing to being at RE+ Vegas, is catching the PowerUp Live Show.  Get the lowdown from Nico and Lisa Ann Pinkerton for the PowerUp Morning Show, LIVE with Nico Johnson & Lisa Ann, presented by Meyer Burger, and  RE+ Daily Round Up with Nico Johnson & Josh Porter, 
presented by Modern Energy to share their experiences of Day 2 at RE+ Vegas.  
If you want to catch the whole PowerUp Live show, make sure to visit suncast.live to hear from some of the top voices speaking on the state of the industry today.
If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.
SunCast is presented by Sungrow, the world’s most bankable inverter brand.
You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.
Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 634 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.
You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:
Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
Mentioned in this episode:
Midroll For Week Of RE+ 2023