Ep.0 - Introducing Banking on Solar

Welcome to Banking on Solar. On Today’s episode: My chat with Iain Ward, Founder & CEO of Solar Agricultural Services, Inc. (SolAg) In addition to owning his own 1st generation cranberry and livestock farm for 15 years, Iain Ward has helped farmers with planning, conservation, and diversification across the United States and Canada with two decades of experience working with farmers as a USDA-NRCS Technical Service Provider specializing in Conservation Planning. His work has been featured in NPR, Business Wire, Washington Post, and The New York Times. As Founder and CEO of SolAg, Iain leads a dedicated team trusted by both farmers and developers to be the liaison that understands the economic, environmental, and social dynamics of family farms. Iain’s representation of farmers in solar development for the last five years combined with 4 years of management and actual hands-on farming experience on some of the nation’s first agrivoltaic projects makes his team uniquely qualified to facilitate the development and implementation of agrivoltaic projects.  You will hear Iain's belief come shining through in this episode that when family farms disappear, the direct connection to our food source goes away, and small towns lose their rural character. Iain’s mission is to implement regenerative systems that revitalize farmland, farmers, and food. If you would like to connect with today’s guest, you’ll find links to their contact info on the episodes page at https://www.bankingonsolar.media/episodes/ You can connect with me, Bart Frischknecht, on:  Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-frischknecht/ Email - [email protected] Or by leaving a voicemail - https://www.bankingonsolar.media/

Welcome to Banking on Solar. On Today’s episode: My chat with Sana Jameel, Vice President of Account Management at Ampion. Sana is the Vice President of Account Management at Ampion Renewable Energy, where she leads the account management team, the group most responsible for ensuring developers and asset owners maximize revenue for their community solar sites. In this conversation you'll hear Sana share the unique challenges of managing a community solar project so that the asset owner maximizes the revenue from the project.  Sana has nearly a decade of experience in the clean energy industry. She is consistently front and center in helping developers navigate industry challenges and helps developers successfully reach milestones throughout the lifecycle of their community solar projects. Sana takes pride in helping to drive growth in the solar industry, pushing additional clean energy to the grid, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. If you would like to connect with today’s guest, you’ll find links to their contact info on the episodes page at https://www.bankingonsolar.media/episodes/ You can connect with me, Bart Frischknecht, on:  Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-frischknecht/ Email - [email protected] Or by leaving a voicemail - https://www.bankingonsolar.media/

Welcome to Banking on Solar. On Today’s episode: I'm answering a question that I hear more and more. People are curious about what podcasts will help them stay up to date and learn more about solar, project financing, and the energy transition. You’ll hear a breakdown of my favorite podcasts in solar and around the renewable energy industry. You’ll find the full transcript and links to the video version of this podcast on the episodes page at https://www.bankingonsolar.media/episodes/ You can connect with me, Bart Frischknecht, on:  Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-frischknecht/ Email - [email protected] Or by leaving a voicemail - https://www.bankingonsolar.media/

Welcome to Banking on Solar. On Today’s episode: My chat with Beth Goldstein, Partner in Sherin and Lodgen LLP’s real estate department and chair of their Renewable Energy Practice Group. Beth has provided counsel to both lenders and developers and brings a decade of experience in the renewable space. You’ll hear wisdom from that learned experience come out in the conversation today including how incentives differ on different sides of a loan transaction, what common pitfalls developers and lenders may step into during a project, and why batteries are hot but solar isn’t dead. In 2021, Beth was named an “Energy & Environmental Trailblazer” by the National Law Journal, recognizing the top energy and environmental lawyers across the nation who have moved the needle in their field. She has been recognized by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s “Top Women of Law” and as a “Rising Star” by Massachusetts Super Lawyers. If you would like to connect with today’s guest, you’ll find links to their contact info on the episodes page at https://www.bankingonsolar.media/episodes/ You can connect with me, Bart Frischknecht, on:  Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-frischknecht/ Email - [email protected] Or by leaving a voicemail - https://www.bankingonsolar.media/

Welcome to Banking on Solar. On Today’s episode: My chat with Russell Cramer, Vice President of Solar Financing at 1st Source Bank. 1st Source is a regional bank headquartered in South Bend Indiana that has made a name for itself in the Midwest and Northeast with innovative 3-part financing for low megawatt solar projects. Russ joined 1st Source shortly after the bank made its first solar project loan. Fast forward six years to today, and you’ll hear Russ share his views on what makes a bankable project, how developers can keep transaction costs down with efficient data rooms, and how the industry is evolving from a financier’s perspective. If you would like to connect with today’s guest, you’ll find links to their contact info on the episodes page at https://www.bankingonsolar.media/episodes/ You can connect with me, Bart Frischknecht, on:  Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-frischknecht/ Email - [email protected] Or by leaving a voicemail - https://www.bankingonsolar.media/

Welcome to Banking on Solar. On Today’s episode: Solar industry vet, Adam Shor, shares how the timing of building relationships can make or break solar projects.  You’ll learn how his varied background across multiple stakeholders in the solar industry gave him is superpower as a people connector and relationship builder. Adam shares lessons learned as a consultant engineering an appropriate capital stack and helping developers, investors, and lenders build the relationships needed to get more solar projects built. If you would like to connect with today’s guest, you’ll find links to their contact info on the episodes page at https://www.bankingonsolar.media/episodes/   You can connect with me, Bart Frischknecht, on:  Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-frischknecht/ Email - [email protected] Or by leaving a voicemail - https://www.bankingonsolar.media/

Banking on Solar host, Bart Frischknecht, shares the purpose and intended audience for the podcast. Solar developers, investors, and lenders risk losing projects when they bog down during financing. Banking on Solar is the podcast community where energy transition project financing stakeholders share lessons learned so that more projects get built. Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music