SunCast

Latest Episodes:

030: Financing Energy Efficiency + Renewables, Patrick Doyle of MGM Innova Capital May 05, 2017

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 30 of SunCast (woohoo, Thirty!).

Today, we will be spending time with Patrick Doyle of MGM Innova Capital. You should have a listen if you're interested in:

Structured finance for the DG Solar market in Latin America
Lessons learned financing private sector deals at the IDB
And how to compete as a developer for the limited capital available to the DG market

Patrick knows what he's talking about when it comes to financing private sector renewables, having been among the first to do so for the Latam DG sector during his tenure at the Inter-american Development Bank (IDB). Today, he continues doling out financing, but this time for more than just renewables, and on behalf of private investors.

You can get the full show notes if you head over to the blog at mysuncast.com.

And as always, you can check the blog page for resources from today's show.

If you like what you hear, please SHARE it!

Patrick will be a speaker at an upcoming event hosted by this week's SunCast partner, Solarplaza. Solarplaza organizes some of the finest conferences and trade missions on solar energy in emerging markets that I've attended. And June 15th & 16th, I'll be joining them and other key leaders in the Latin America Market at the Unlocking Solar Capital LATAM event in Miami.

SunCast listeners get a 10% discount, just use the code "SUNCAST" when you begin registration.

SunCast is also brought to you by Solrates. SolRates helps solar installers provide instant online financing quotes for commercial and industrial customers with projects $100K value and up. If you'd like an invitation code to join the platform, please reach out to me directly. Solrates is currently only offered for US-based projects.

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

029: Alejo Lopez, a field guide to career change, from Fracking to Photovoltaics Apr 28, 2017

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 29 of SunCast. Today we will be spending time with Latin America solar veteran, Alejo Lopez of Nextracker. You should keep listening if you're interested in

What's happening in the Mexico market
Where else in Latin America Alejo believes hot, or not
What it's like to convert from the Dark Side of Oil & Gas to the Renewables industry
Key lessons and takeaways from one of the regions veteran developers
And some fantastic book recommendations!

Alejo has been a leader in the Mexico solar industry for nearly 6 years now, and has been involved in some of the most important deals in that country. We turn over a lot of stones in this conversation. Thanks again for taking the time to be here. Enjoy this week’s episode of SunCast, with Alejo Lopez.

And as always, you can check the blog page for resources from today's show.

If you like what you hear, please SHARE it!

This episode is brought to you by Solrates. SolRates helps solar installers provide instant online financing quotes for commercial and industrial customers with projects $100K value and up. If you'd like an invitation code to join the platform, please email me directly. Solrates is currently only offered for US-based projects.

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

028: Stephen Lacey, Editor-in-Chief at GTM and creator of The Energy Gang podcast Apr 20, 2017

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 28 of SunCast. Today's episode in many ways has been 18 months in the making. I met today's guest way back when I was just recording the first episodes of SunCast, and have looked to him as a mentor and spiritual podcast guide longer still.

Today on SunCast, you'll meet Stephen Lacey. Stephen is the Editor-in-Chief of Greentech Media and host of the extremely popular GTM podcasts The Energy Gang and The Interchange. Like many of you, GTM is one of my go-to-resources for up-to-date info on the bleeding edge of cleantech, so I'm truly excited to have Stephen on the show today.There's a Ton here to ponder today, but among the topics discussed, we discover:

There's a Ton here to ponder today, but among the topics discussed, we discover:

The origins of the Energy Gang podcast
A modified version of Hot/Not where Stephen opines on topics from Distributed storage to SAAS startups in cleantech
The likelihood of a carbon tax
Stephen's view on the impact of the Trump Administration
And some of his biggest takeaways from over a decade of clean energy reporting.

Thanks again for taking the time to be here. Enjoy this week’s episode of SunCast, with none other than, Stephen Lacey.

And as always, you can check the blog page for resources from today's show.

If you like what you hear, please SHARE it!

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

027: Latam Founder Juan Carlos Navarro, pivoting from public servant to solar warrior Apr 14, 2017

Show notes

Today’s episode, back by popular request - is in English. ;-)

This is Episode 27 of SunCast, and Episode 7 in the Latam Founders Series. It’s the final installment of this series, brought to you in collaboration with Enphase Energy. I’ve really enjoyed this series, as it's given us a real chance to dig deep into some of the up-and-coming solar companies in the Latin America region. If you've enjoyed this series-style focus, would you shoot me a message? What else should we do a series on? You can find me on Linkedin, or just drop by www.mysuncast.com and leave me a voicemail.

Well Today on SunCast, you'll meet Juan Carlos Navarro, founder and CEO of N-Solar in Panama. If you've never had the pleasure of meeting Juan Carlos, he's not only a luminary in Panamanian society (he was mayor of Panama City for a Decade!), but is also an entirely passionate fanatic of solar power and climate conservation. We go into his background in non-profit management and his 10+ yrs as a public dignitary, and I'm sure you'll find some interesting takeaways on the how and why he decided to start a solar company.

Among the many topics today, we cover:

The value of technological innovation as a differentiator in the sales & marketing of a solar firm
The three areas Juan Carlos has learned the most in founding a solar company
Common challenges facing all latam solar startups
The logic behind building a 2.4MW utility project with microinverters
Juan Carlos's extensive reading list,
And much, much more

We hope you get a ton of value from today’s episode, but if you’re interested in learning more about Juan Carlos and his team, I encourage you to visit their website or their Facebook Page.

And as always, you can check the blog page for resources from today's show.

If you like what you hear, please SHARE it!

And be sure to check out all the rest of the episodes in this Latam Founder series!

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

026: [ES] Latam Founders Hector and Gabriel of Ecopartners, technical gurus for emerging markets Apr 07, 2017

Show notes

This is Episode 26 of SunCast, and Episode 6 in the Latam Founders Series, which is being brought to you through a collaboration with Enphase Energy. This is our final episode in Spanish, but do check out the intro if you would like access to a head-to-head inverter and MLPE document the Ecopartners guys have provided.

Well Today on SunCast, you'll meet Hector Pomales and Gabriel Perez, founders of a leading Caribbean solar development firm, Ecopartners, based out of the Isla del Encanto, Puerto Rico.

I'd like to state for the record that, though this series is brought in partnership with Enphase, at no point were the guests asked to provide any form of endorsement of Enphase product. That said, today's guests do spend a decent portion of the show expounding on why and how they have evaluated the exclusive use of module-level power electronics in their portfolio, providing an example project along with specific numbers around the lifetime cost-benefit evaluation. And, even for those of you who don't stick around for the episode, you may opt to go over to www.mysuncast.com/enphase where you can download a pdf of the head-to-head comparision of Enphase vs. string inverters that Hector walks through on the show.

I tell you, these guys know their stuff, so stick around, and enjoy this Spanish episode of Suncast.

De nuevo, mil gracias por estar con nosotros hoy. Espero que disfrutes este episodio de SunCast con Ecopartners.

And as always, you can check the blog page for a longer writeup & resources from today's show.

If you like what you hear, please SHARE it!

And be sure to check out all the rest of the episodes in this Latam Founder series - stay tuned!!!

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

025: Jason Zook sold his future to make YOUR goals a reality Apr 01, 2017

Show notes

This is Episode 25 of SunCast. And, today you get to meet one of the guys who’s most influenced my life in the last 5 years. He’s not in the solar industry. He’s not even in the Energy industry. But he could teach a lot of us in the solar industry about two things that matter most when going from Idea to Income - creativity and hustle.

Today on SunCast, you'll meet my friend and mentor, Jason Zook.

Jason might be the best marketer, heck, best sales guy I’ve ever met.

He made over $1Million wearing t-shirts for others.

He sold his last name...3 times!

He even got his first book sponsored by more than a dozen companies before he ever wrote the first word...or even knew what the book would be about. No kidding.

In the next hour, you’ll hear all about:

The best investment I have made in the last 3 years
Jason’s advice for someone starting out on their entrepreneurial journey
Creating products that solve your own problems, and turning them into profit
And what crazy thing he’s up to next.

If this stuff resonates with you, You can also buy Jason’s future HERE.

Disclaimer - This is an affiliate link, and SunCast will directly benefit financially from your investment in your own future. Thank you.

If you like what you hear on today's show or think someone else needs to check it out, please SHARE it!

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

024: [ES] Latam Founder Arturo Duhart on scaling up a Mexico solar distributor Mar 26, 2017

Show notes

This is Episode 24 of SunCast, and Episode 5 in the Latam Founders Series, which is being brought to you through a special collaboration with Enphase Energy. This episode is entirely in Spanish (well, except for the introduction).

Today on SunCast, you'll meet Arturo Duhart, founder of one of Mexico’s largest solar companies, and possibly the largest solar distributor - Exel Solar. Today's episode was recorded live in Las Vegas back in September during the annual Solar Power Int'l conference.

Arturo and I spent some time talking about:

The early days of Exel
Their growth trajectory
Expansion plans outside of Mexico
And, of course, what he sees happening in the market

And as always, you can check the blog page for a longer writeup & resources from today's show.

If you like what you hear, please SHARE it!

And be sure to check out all the rest of the episodes in this Latam Founder series - stay tuned!!!

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

023: Jon Bonanno, a new energy paradigm and being a good Gridizen Mar 10, 2017

Show notes

This is Episode 23 of SunCast. Today we take a break from the Latam Founders Series, but not from meeting yet another solid founder in the solar industry.

Today on SunCast, you'll meet Jon Bonanno, CCO of Empower Micro Systems.

Jon is a friend and mentor, and knows a Ton about technology, launching and growing new companies, and is well-versed in the challenges of the Solar Industry.

In the next 30 minutes, we discuss:

Jon's penchant for Making up new words
Why he believes Module level power electronics (MLPE) is the most appropriate technology for rooftop projects
Survival when you're founding companies that are way ahead of their time or the market
And of course, much more

We hope you get a ton of value from today’s episode, and if you’re interested in learning more about Jon or Empower, I encourage you to visit their website or ping Jon on LinkedIn. Both are in the show notes; check the blog page for resources from today's show.

If you like what you hear, please SHARE it!

And be sure to check out all the rest of the episodes in this Latam Founder series - stay tuned!!!

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

022: [ES] Latam Founders Series: Maximo Solar takes over Isla Del Encanto Mar 03, 2017

Show notes

This is Episode 22 of SunCast, and Episode 4 in the Latam Founders Series, which is being brought to you through a special collaboration with Enphase Energy.

Today on SunCast, you'll meet Maximo Torres, founder of Maximo Solar in Puerto Rico, along with his GM, Jonattan Martir. Today's episode was actually recorded live in Las Vegas during the annual Solar Power Int'l conference.

I call Maximo the Solar philosopher, and it's true. He has an infectious passion for solar, and it's no surprise that his company is one of the strongest in the Puerto Rico market. There are some real goodies in here, so take some time to listen intently, as we discuss:

Choosing between the large utility-scale markets, C&I or Residential
The importance of having a growth mindset, and the resulting view on competition
The value of being extremely customer-centric
One internal tool they've used multiple times to expand beyond their current product offering into profitable new segments
The two most important people in a solar company, and aligning corporate values around them
And so, so much more

We hope you get a ton of value from today’s episode, but if are interested in learning more about Maximo and his team, I encourage you to visit their website or their Facebook Page.

And as always, you can check the blog page for resources from today's show.

If you like what you hear, please SHARE it!

And be sure to check out all the rest of the episodes in this Latam Founder series - stay tuned!!!

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

021: Jake Hoppe on the secret sauce that landed some of Enphase Energy’s early Latam customers Feb 24, 2017

Show notes

Bienvenidos and Welcome to Episode 21 of SunCast, and Episode 3 in the Latam Founders Series, which is being brought to you through a special collaboration with Enphase Energy. Today we have a slight departure from the usual format. No, it's not in Spanish like last week's episode, but it also doesn't follow the typical question flow I've used in the first 20 episodes. In prep for the interviews in this series, I asked my friend Luis over at Enphase if there was anyone on his team who was able to articulate well the challenges they come across in the field, especially from the perspective of financing for C&I customers. He pointed me to Jake Hoppe. And after you hear today's conversation, you'll understand why. I was originally going to use my call with Jake just to backfill with some soundbites on the episodes (like Episode 17 with Jose Zambrano) as a way to provide a third voice explaining some of the intricacies of financing C&I deals. But after I heard the interview again, I knew it was plenty good enough to stand on its own merits.

Today on SunCast, you'll meet Jake Hoppe, who is currently working in Business Development for Spruce Finance, but Jake got his start in the solar industry at Enphase.

And from what I can tell, he was instrumental in helping get some of their pivotal early deals across the finish line in Latin America. He's also been very hands-on with areas of the business like working with underwriters (think Moody's) on evaluating the underlying risks of assets Enphase had deployed for large IPPs looking to go public. I've said it before, but you'll want to take notes on this one. If you're anything like me, you'll have to go back and listen to it again as Jake dispels wisdom at almost every turn in the conversation.

Jake and I discuss:

Some of the difficult problems his team was able to help customers solve in the field.
Where you can look to better understand what he calls the Gold Standard in conservative best practices in valuing solar systems
The fundamental elements of project underwriting for financing C&I deals
The one question that could radically change a company’s ability to scale - or put a different way, the wrong versus the right way to think about how you value the inputs to your IRR and margin calculations

I am supremely positive you’re going to get a ton of value from today’s episode.

If you like what you hear, please SHARE it!

And be sure to check out all the rest of the episodes in this Latam Founder series - stay tuned!!!

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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