870: How FEOC Rules Are Reshaping Solar Procurement in 2025 | 4 Experts Weigh-in

“Is your project really compliant?”That’s the billion-dollar question developers across the U.S. are asking as Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) rules tighten their grip on clean energy tax credits. If you are(were) banking on the ITC, PTC, or 45X, you can’t afford to miss this Tactical Tuesday deep-dive.The rules are shifting. Supply chains are murky. And guidance is still evolving. Host Nico Johnson pulls together an expert panel to decode how FEOC is reshaping the way projects are sourced, engineered, financed, and papered across the U.S. solar and storage market.You’ll hear from:Christian Roselund (Clean Energy Associates) — decoding ownership, material assistance, and effective controlRaj Pawar (EVS) — revealing how inverter-level definitions trigger real engineering redesignsAaron Gomolak (Ampt) — showing how string-level optimization keeps projects on schedule and compliantMona Dajani (Baker Botts) — outlining how to structure deals and mitigate legal risk while guidance evolvesExpect to learn: 🔹 Why Treasury’s guidance on "qualified facility" could force developers to rethink procurement 🔹 How to vet supplier self-certifications and avoid “phantom compliance” 🔹 How top counsel advise clients when regulations are still in flux 🔹 The engineering tradeoffs and cost-neutral approaches developers are taking to stay bankableThe FEOC clock is ticking — this episode gives you the clarity (and tactics) to stay compliant, on schedule, and in control.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf 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 850 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.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/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

What happens when a builder and a coder decide to fix solar’s biggest disconnect?In this episode, SunCast host Nico Johnson sits down with Maksim Markevich and Ben Callam, the co-founders of PV Farm—a platform born from frustration with designs that look perfect on screen but fall apart in the field.Maksim, a self-taught engineer from Belarus, learned to code his way out of rebar spreadsheets and into a global following on YouTube. Ben, an architect who traded drawings for job sites across Africa and the Middle East, discovered what buildability really means when you have to fabricate every part yourself.Their paths couldn’t have been more different, yet both led to the same realization: most solar design tools fail the buildability test. PV Farm grew out of that shared conviction—bridging the gap between upstream creativity and downstream execution.You’ll hear: 🔹 Why most solar software misses what EPCs actually need 🔹 How collaboration—not just automation—is key to solar scale 🔹 What “starting downstream” in software really looks like 🔹 The early sparks that shaped PV Farm’s engineering DNA 🔹 Why better feedback loops between civil and electrical teams can change everythingA story of code, construction, and the craft of making clean energy truly buildable. Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf 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 850 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.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/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Roofers are entering solar. Solar pros are adding roofing. How are these trades getting the training & resources required to level up and provide the appropriate level of service to homeowners? Is the future of residential solar trades consolidating int a new kind of contractor?In this RE+ 2025 live session, Nico sits down with James Mason, VP of Renewable Energy at ABC Supply, to explore the once-in-a-generation convergence of two massive industries—and why the right strategy (and the right partner) makes all the difference.From short-term wins to 30-year vision, James unpacks the lessons ABC Supply has learned over 40+ years of helping contractors grow and adapt. This conversation is loaded with honest advice, bold warnings, and real success stories from the field. If your business is stuck in survival mode—or if you’re planning your next big move—you’ll want to hear this.Expect to Learn:🔹 The top blind spots keeping contractors stuck in survival mode🔹 How to scale roofing + solar without falling into costly traps🔹 What the best contractors are doing to prepare for future policy shifts🔹 Why simplicity beats strategy - when done rightHit play to learn how to thrive in a volatile market—and why ABC Supply might be the partner you didn’t know you needed.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf 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 850 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.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/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Did you know that more than 185,000 solar customers in the US have been abandoned by their installers? How will we take care of these “Orphaned” solar systems? Is this a golden opportunity or fool’s gold?Nick Sherman sees opportunity where most see chaos. As CEO of Energy Aid, he’s building a national brand in solar service—scaling faster than any of his installer-focused peers. While others race for new installs, Nick is scooping up orphaned systems and building trust with a unique(to this industry at least) membership model.He’s betting the future of residential solar is about service, not installs—and it’s working, marvelously.Expect to learn:🔹 The $9/month model that could change how homeowners buy all-things-electrification🔹 How Energy Aid scaled by acquiring bankrupt installer customer data🔹 Why orphaned systems are a hidden goldmine in the solar market🔹 The HVAC-inspired model Nick is applying to clean energyThis is more than a startup story—it’s a blueprint for unlocking overlooked value in clean energy. If you’re trying to stand out in a crowded market or future-proof your solar business, Nick’s strategy will challenge how you think about growth, service, and sustainability. Don’t sleep on this one.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf 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 850 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.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/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Storage Isn’t Backup—It’s InfrastructureWildfires, heat waves, and AI-fueled data centers are pushing our grid to the edge. The question is no longer whether we need storage—it's whether we're going to unlock its full potential.In this live episode from RE+, Nico is joined by two global leaders from Wärtsilä Energy—Tamara de Gruyter, President of Energy Storage, and David Hebert, VP of Global Sales & Strategy. Together, we  unpack the evolution of batteries from “nice toys” to essential grid infrastructure.Tamara brings her international lens to the US market, highlighting both the growing sophistication of customers and the urgent need for flexible, software-driven solutions. Meanwhile, Dave draws on a decade of global storage deployments—from Australia to Saudi Arabia—to explain how the U.S. can broaden focus on revenue models, regulation, and system design.Expect to learn:🔹 Why grid operators now treat batteries like substations🔹 How data centers and AI are changing the storage equation🔹 What “virtual inertia” really means—and why it matters🔹 How US developers can learn from global storage marketsIf you want to understand how batteries are shaping the future of energy reliability, this episode delivers both vision and practical insight.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf 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 850 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.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/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Why are millions of apartment rooftops still empty while single-family homes cash in on solar savings?Turns out it’s an accounting problem – a technicality known in industry jargon as the “split-incentive” and it’s keeping renters and property owners sidelined from benefiting from distributed generation on-site.In this episode, we sit down with Dover Janis, co-founder and CEO of Ivy Energy, to explore the split incentive that’s held multifamily solar back for years. Dover and his team are building the software backbone that makes solar pencil for both property owners and renters - and their traction is accelerating.You’ll hear how Dover went from boots-on-roof solar tradesman to leading a team solving one of the most persistent challenges in the clean energy transition. If you’ve ever wondered why multifamily solar adoption has been so sluggish—or how to unlock a massive untapped market—this is your blueprint.🔹 The “last mile” problem stopping solar on apartments🔹 How Ivy’s platform makes energy equity bankable for landlords🔹 The hidden policy battles shaping the multifamily solar market🔹 What it takes to scale hundreds of megawatts with just a few customersExpect bold insights, regulatory war stories, and a rare look at how Ivy Energy could transform real estate owners into a new class of clean energy providers.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf 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 850 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.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/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

From firehouses to jails to major manufacturing hubs, Cherry Street Energy is redefining what it means to build a distributed power plant—and they’re just getting started.CEO Michael Chanin returns to SunCast to unpack Cherry Street’s explosive growth across the Southeast, including why customers trust them more than their actual local utilities, how hybrid systems are becoming the norm, and what it takes to build a 100-year business in solar.With deep roots in culture and customer service, Cherry Street is proving that the future of power isn’t just clean—it’s branded, local, and built to last. If you’re wondering what leadership looks like in this phase of the energy transition, you can look no further than Michael and the enduring business he and his team are building.You’ll discover:🔹 The mindset that sets Cherry Street apart from the competition🔹 How they’re expanding from schools to Fortune 500 clients🔹 Why culture is the most important differentiator in business🔹 What it takes to be the trusted power provider—even without solar on-siteYour forever customers are waiting. Build something they can’t ignore.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf 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 850 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.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/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Landfill explosions, lithium-ion firestorms, and CIA briefings—today’s guest has seen it all - or so she thought!Kathleen McCaffery’s illustrious firefighting career includes crawling through rubble in Haiti, leading battalions as one of the first female fire chiefs in North America, and even rewriting Tesla’s global fire safety strategy. This episode takes us into uncharted territory as Tesla recruits a retired firefighter to address global concerns over battery [fire] safety.Most solar companies are woefully underprepared to interact with firefighting agencies, and that’s increasingly going to create friction and unnecessary limitations.  Kathleen spent her entire career breaking down barriers (when she wasn’t breaking down doors!) and has even been in the situation room of more than a few CIA operation briefs! To say she is battle-tested is putting it mildly. She answered the call to serve the country (CIA) and those in need (disaster relief), but could not have been prepared for the call she received post-retirement that pulled her back into active duty, this time taking her halfway ‘round the world to help solve battery fires in Australia! This is one of the most fun and wild conversations we’ve published all year.Expect to learn:🔹 The hidden dangers of damaged lithium-ion batteries (and why we don’t just bury them)🔹 Why the age-old truism “big fire, big water” doesn’t work for Batteries🔹 How Tesla created a new role just to fix their fire communication gap🔹 Why every developer needs to build relationships with local fire operators, not just permit officesFrom Pentagon rescue missions on 9/11 to training Tesla teams, Kathleen’s insights are not only fun and eye-opening—they’re critical for every solar professional adding batteries to their portfolio.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf 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 850 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.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/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

More batter density = more value, right? Not so fast.In this episode, we challenge the hype around energy storage density—and reveal what really drives value for battery storage assets.At RE+ 2025, Nico Johnson got to connect with two powerhouse product leaders from Wärtsilä Energy Storage: Neha Sinha, Head of Hardware Portfolio, and Ruchira Shah, Lead for Software Product Management. Together, they’re crystal clear about how hardware and software integration impacts performance, revenue, and long-term viability in energy storage projects. And how that translates to strategic value for battery operators.If you think “more megawatt-hours per box” is the endgame, you might be oversizing your system—and leaving cash on the table. Neha and Ruchira explain why “usable energy,” not just nameplate capacity, is the real metric investors should care about. And why that’s not solely defined by  the MWH you can stuff inside a container.Expect to learn:🔹 Why density ≠ value (and when high-density enclosures actually hurt your ROI)🔹 How software helps unlock stranded energy and accurate bidding🔹 The surprising role of chillers in degradation—and how to optimize them🔹 How to navigate site constraints, noise ordinances, and permitting barriersIf you're bidding into markets or scaling storage assets, this episode is your wake-up call: performance, not just packaging, determines profits.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf 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 850 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.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/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

1 in 5 solar panels are failing—and it’s not because of hail. A quiet reliability crisis is cracking open across the industry, and it starts with glass.In this eye-opening conversation, Nico Johnson sits down with Tristan Erion-Lorico (Kiwa PVEL) and Dr. Teresa Barnes (NREL) to uncover why glass breakage has become the #1 cause of solar module failure. Backed by PVEL’s latest reliability data, they expose how design shortcuts, material stress, and quality-control lapses are pushing failure rates to an alarming 20%.You’ll learn: 🔹 Why “tempered” glass isn’t always truly tempered 🔹 How glass is allergic to metal, actually 🔹 Why thinner, lighter glass can mean bigger, costlier failures 🔹 What manufacturers, EPCs, and buyers must do now to prevent lossesIf you build, buy, or bank on solar panels, this episode could save your next project from shattering—literally.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf 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 850 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.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/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus