Sean White‘s Solar and Energy Storage Podcast

Powering Success: The Energy Consulting Edge with Jessica Harris

Join Sean White on this episode of the Solar and Energy Storage Podcast as he sits down with Jessica Harris, President of Harris Energy Solutions. They explore Jessica’s role in shaping her company’s focus on energy consulting versus engineering, and what sets them apart. Discover her approach to establishing a successful consulting firm, and the role of energy modeling in her work. Tune in for a deep dive into the world of energy consulting and the future of sustainable practices.

Topics Covered:

Harris Energy Solutions: www.hesconnect.com
PE = Professional Engineer
Difference between Energy Engineering and Consulting
Title 24 laws in California
C&I = Commercial and Industrial
NABCEP PVDS
Energy Modelling in Equest – Jessica Harris’ Heatspring class www.heatspring.com/courses/energy-modeling-in-equest
VRF = Variable Refrigerant Flow
HERS Rater = Home Energy Rating System Rater
Energy Audit
Solar Incentives
Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency:  www.dsireusa.org
NYSERDA = New York State Energy Research and Development Authority: www.nyserda.ny.gov
CPS Energy
Strategies in building and expanding a successful Company
Decarbonization
Heat Pumps
HeatSpring
Different types of companies

Reach Jessica Harris here:

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-harris

Harris Energy Solutions: www.hesconnect.com

Heatspring: www.heatspring.com/courses/energy-modeling-in-equest

Learn more at www.solarSEAN.com and be sure to get NABCEP certified by taking Sean’s classes at www.heatspring.com/sean

Unlocking the Secrets of Illumine-I's Success

Illumine – I is a pioneering solar engineering firm driving innovation and efficiency in renewable energy solutions. CEO and illumine – I’s co-founder, Nithish Sairam discusses his journey, the challenges of the renewable energy sector, and the innovative approaches Illumine-I is bringing to the table.

 

Here are some of the topics discussed:

 

Arizona

Entrepreneurship vs working in Corporate Industry

Stanford Seed Program

Illumine – I

Tesla

NextEra

Surfing

British Wiring Standards

Illumine-I’s Services and Market Focus

Introducing IVE

Formula Race Cars

Analyzing the Wind flow over meteor crater

Strategies in handling small and large scale projects

 

Reach Nithish Sairam here:

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/nithish-sairam-26358156

Illumine-i.: www.illuminei.com

 

Learn more at www.solarSEAN.com and be sure to get NABCEP certified by taking Sean’s classes at www.heatspring.com/sean

Selling a Solar Company, with Herve Billiet

In this engaging episode, Sean White welcomes back Herve Billiet, who shares insights from his recent experience selling his company Ipsun Solar. They discuss the intricacies of selling a business, the evolution of the solar industry, and delve into Herve's current venture, Sunvoy. The conversation also touches on the importance of efficient business management, leveraging AI for business operations, and the importance of thorough preparations when selling a company.

 

Topics covered:

Selling your company
Sunvoy www.sunvoy.com
Ipsun www.ipsunsolar.com
B corp
C corp
S corp
NABCEP www.nabcep.org
Zepp Solar
Solar City/Tesla
Joe Marhamati
Broker
Stock deal no asset deal
Non-compete regulation
AI = Artificial Intelligence
EPC = Engineering Procurement Construction
EBITDA = Earnings Before Interest Taxes Depreciation and Amortization
White House Energy Incorporated
SaaS = Software as a Service
Sunvoy API = Application Programming Interface
Q&A for Sean White
Matt Pace
Arco Solar Modules
Jeff Spies
Solar Roots Movie
Ezra Auerbach www.linkedin.com/in/ezra-a
Ward Bowers
1954 Bell Labs Solar
Bill Brooks www.linkedin.com/in/bill-brooks
NEC = National Electrical Code
Article 690 Solar Photovoltaic (PV)
705.13 Energy Management System

Check Herve out at:
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/hervebilliet
Sunvoy: www.sunvoy.com

Learn more at www.solarSEAN.com and be sure to get NABCEP certified by taking Sean ’ s classes at www.heatspring.com/sean

Perch's CEO Bruce Stewart

Perch Energy is a leading community solar service provider dedicated to making renewable energy accessible and equitable. We support solar project owners and subscribers by offering services that maximize ROI, including subscriber acquisition, lifecycle management, and expert guidance on local regulations. Our mission is to connect everyone—renters, homeowners, businesses, and municipalities—to community solar projects, ensuring that all can benefit from clean energy.

 

Bruce Stewart is a strategic leader with over 20 years of experience driving business growth and transformation across various industries. Formerly President of Direct Energy Home, he played a key role in its successful sale to NRG for $3.6 billion and achieved significant operational improvements. Bruce’s expertise spans telecommunications, technology, and energy sectors, where he emphasizes data-driven decision-making and customer experience.

 

Topics covered in this podcast include:

• The current landscape of community solar in the U.S.
• Benefits and challenges of community solar versus traditional utilities.
• State-specific community solar programs and the potential for legislative change.
• Accessibility of solar energy for low-income individuals and renters.
• The interplay between community solar, rooftop solar, and energy storage solutions.

Core Values:

p

purposeful

We're passionate about making clean energy access easier and more rewarding

e

entrepreneurial

We're visionary disruptors, challenging the status quo, unafraid to fail forward

r

respectful

We treat our planet, our customers and each other with humility and respect

c

collaborative

We value each other's contributions and work inclusively to make things better

h

honest

We communicate openly, act transparently and promote environmental justice

 

Reach Bruce Stewart here:

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/brucestewart

Perch energy Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/perchenergy

Perch energy website: www.perchenergy.com

 

Learn more at www.solarSEAN.com and be sure to get NABCEP certified by taking

Sean’s classes at www.heatspring.com/sean

 

SNEC ES+ with Madame Mi and Jenny Tong (ES=Energy Storage)

SNEC is by far the largest Renewable Energy conference in the world with a half-million people attending, and SNEC has also branched out with a conference that is just for Energy Storage and will happen soon in Shanghai

 

SNEC ES: Energy Storage Conference and Exhibition:

September 24-27 2024

https://es.snec.org.cn

 

Also go to the other SNEC conference and exhibition:

June 10-13 2025

https://pv.snec.org.cn/?locale=en-US

 

We talk about coming to SNEC ES+ and learning how the ES industry works and what it takes to make a factory in the US, and how you can learn to build and efficient factory in the US and create American jobs! Praise the Inflation Reduction Act!

 

I have known Madame Mi for 19 years and she is a good friend. I have seen her go from someone leading a small conference to a conference that is bigger than many cities. Jenny Tong is Madame Mi's daughter and has helped translate some of the conversation. Both are good friends.

 

In this podcast we also talk about the history of SNEC to where it is now.

 

This big SNEC show floor is 380,000 square meters = 4.3 million square feet = 71 football fields = 54 acres and then there is a lot more space than the exhibition!

 

Jenny is now taking Sean's Energy Storage Boot Camp class on Heatspring and you should too! 

www.heatspring.com

To learn more and become super successful like Madame Mi, go to www.solarSEAN.com

 

RE+ Power Up Live Stage With Bill Brooks and Johan Alfsen

This is a bootleg copy of a live podcast that RE+ and Nico Johnson of Suncast were nice enough to let us perform.

 

The published title is: 

Soothsaying / Keeping Solar Jobs Fun and Cool

Predict the future of the industry with AI, VPPs V2X and our future Codes and Standards wish list with Sean White and Bill Brooks of Brooks Engineering. Afterwards, Sean and Johan Alfsen of K2 Systems will discuss making solar education and the industry fun and cool.

 

This podcast is a blast!

 

Power Up Live:

www.re-plus.com/poweruplive

 

Suncast YouTube Channel where it was posted live:
www.youtube.com/suncastmedia

 

Youtube Video Podcast: https://youtu.be/skc7_FUSwyA

 

Get your fun and future looking solar knowledge at www.solarSEAN.com

                                                                                                                       

Mark Berger: CP Product and Program Management at Fluence

Fluence is one of the big names in Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and Mark Berger explains what Fluence is, the relationship between Fluence, Siemens and AES.

 

Topics covered:

 

Siemens/AES

AES = Applied Energy Services

TX grid-what makes it unique?

ERCOT = Electric Reliability Council of Texas www.ercot.com

AC vs DC coupled (interconnected)

LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate)

EV battery vs ESS battery

UL 9540 and A

Thermal runaway-propagation

Sizes of different products

Beyond fire test

AI Bidding Software-Mosaic

Working with Oi l and Gas industry in TX

Duck curve

Fluence Ultrastack

Grid forming inverters

2.2GWh of batteries

BMS = Battery Management Systems

IRA manufacturing

Cube vs. Cuboid (rectangular cube/container)

AI and VPPs

Is Fluence hardware and software

Product and Program Management in Fluence

 

Fluence Dictionary Definitions:

 

flu·ence¹

/ˈflo͞oəns/

1. mysterious, magical, or hypnotic "you've put the fluence onme, haven't you?"
2. The number of radiant-energy particles emitted from or incident on a surface in a     given period of time, divided by the area of the surface.
3. The best ESS company!
4. The energy of a laser pulse per unit area
5. The energydensity from an optical source impingent on a sample
6. The Latijn word fluere, meaning"to flow"

Reach Mark Berger here:

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/markberger-hou

Suncast: www.fluenceenergy.com

 

Learn more at www.solarSEAN.com and be sure to get NABCEP certified by taking Sean’s classes at www.heatspring.com/sean

Dave Maher: Digital Security, CTO Intertrust

David Maher has over 30 years of experience in secure computing and is responsible for Research and Development at Intertrust. In addition, he is currently President of Seacert Corporation, a certificate authority for the Internet of Things, President of WhiteCryption Corporation, a developer of application security software, and Co-chairman of the Marlin Trust Management Organization which oversees the world’s only independent digital rights management ecosystem. Before joining Intertrust in 1999, Maher was chief scientist for AT&T Secure Communications Systems, Head of the Secure Systems Research Department, and security architect for AT&T’s Internet services platform. After joining Bell Labs in 1981, he developed secure communications, information vending, and e-commerce systems. He was Chief Architect for AT&T’s STU-III secure voice, data, and video products used by the White House and Department of Defense for top-secret communications. In 1992, Maher became a Bell Labs Fellow in recognition of his accomplishments in communications security. Maher holds dozens of patents in secure computing; has published papers in the fields of mathematics and computer science; and has consulted with the National Science Foundation, National Security Agency, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment. Maher holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from Lehigh University. He has taught electrical engineering, mathematics, and computer science at several institutions.

 

 

CTO of Intertrust Dave Maher, was recently selected to join the nation’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) stakeholders to participate in a Department of Commerce initiative established by NIST. Dave can discuss the electric demands of AI and what innovative energy resource will save the electric grid.

 

 

Topics:

VPP = Virtual Power Plants

AI Safety Institute Consortium

Using AI to optimize energy systems

Hash Functionality

Blockchain

Bitcoin

Satoshi Nakamoto

Hal Finney

Stuart Haber

Diffie–Hellman

Soviet Union

Transatlantic cable

US-UK wartime communications

Secure Systems Design

Cyber attack prevention

Data Communication

Digital Communication

Zero Trust Architectures

Quantum Computing

Operational Technology Systems

SCADA = Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition

TEIA = Trusted Energy Interoperability Alliance

GCHQ = Government Communications Headquarters

NSA = National Security Agency

Asset Protection

Dual Use Technologies

 

 

Check him out here:

Dave’s email address: dpm@intertrust.com

Read the rest of this entry »

TR Ludwig Brooklyn Solar Canopies

In an urban environment, it can be difficult to find roof space for installing solar. One method is to jack up your solar system, so that it is above all the “junk” on the roof, such as air conditioners and heat pumps.

 

TR Ludwig had a solar installation company, Brooklyn Solar Works, which developed a solution. He has also adopted this solar canopy technology to work on the ground, which is a great place where you can park your car and mount your EV charger.

 

TR is also on the board of NYSEIA and is currently treasurer.

 

In this podcast we also talked about:

 

Electric Boats

Brooklyn Solar Works

Brooklyn Solar Canopy Company

Canopy Design/Structure

Height requirement for pathways under solar canopies

Canopy Installation (Attachments)

Rooftop Canopy and Carport Canopy

Tilt Rack

UL (Underwriters Laboratories)

NYSEIA: New York Solar Energy Industry Association www.nyseia.org 

NYSERDA: New York State Energy Research and Development Authority www.nyserda.ny.gov 

NYC and the 2008 NEC

Net Metering 3

NABCEP

Amicus Solar Cooperative www.amicussolar.com

What happens to the solar industry if Trump gets elected?

New York City Solar Canopies

 

Reach TR Ludwig here:

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/trludwig

Brooklyn Solar Canopy Co.: www.brooklynsolarcanopy.com

Brooklyn Solar Works: www.brooklynsolarworks.com

EMO Electric: www.emoelectric.co

 

Learn more at www.solarSEAN.com and be sure to get NABCEP certified by taking Sean’s classes at www.heatspring.com/sean

Michael Bahtiarian: Diving deep into Solar Sounds

In this episode of the Sean White's Solar and Energy Storage Podcast, Sean White sits down with Michael Bahtiarian, an expert in acoustics and noise control engineering. They delve into the intricacies of sound in various environments, from solar and battery energy storage sites to wind turbines and submarines. They explore the science behind sound measurement, noise regulation, and innovative solutions for noise reduction. They also share personal anecdotes and discuss the broader implications of noise on human health and environmental impact. Whether you're a sound enthusiast or a professional in the energy sector, this episode offers valuable insights into the world of acoustics.

Topics covered:
Solar and powerplant sounds
Inverters
Noise Ordinances
Decibels
Earplugs
Mike’s profession
Sound Barriers
Decibel levels
The Big Dig
TTS = Temporary Threshold Shift
Salesforce
Wind Shear
Nikola Tesla
SBSP = Space based solar power
Pile drivers
Construction noises
Infrasonic sound
Renewable Energy - Wind
Transmitting energy with sound
SBSP = Space Based Solar Power
O&M = Operation and Maintenance
Noise Cancellation
Noise underwater (Submarine)
How noise and sound acoustics affects every field
Acentech www.acentech.com
Institute of Noise Control Engineering
BBN = Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc.
INCE Institute of Noise Control Engineering www.inceusa.org/

Reach Michael Bahtiarian here:
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbahtiarian
Acentech linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/acentech/

Learn more at www.solarSEAN.com and be sure to get NABCEP certified by taking Sean’s classes at www.heatspring.com/sean