Sean White‘s Solar and Energy Storage Podcast

derek the solarboi, the TikTok and YouTube Sensation!!

I came across a really cool YouTube video, rivaling Mr. Beast, but for solar, which was a purple bearded solarboi going off on Rapid Shutdown UL 3741 PV arrays, I immediately contacted him and a week later, here we are recording this podcast. This guy is entertaining and we are lucky to have him in the industry. This industry needs to be fun!!

 

derek the solarboi has 3 NABCEP Certifications

 

PVIP (PV Installation Professional)
PVCMS (PV Commissioning and Maintenance Specialist)
PVSI (PV System Inspector)

Altogether that looks like:

 

derek the solarboi, NABCEP PVIP, PVCMS & PVSI

 

That is a total of 18 letters after his name, making him super special!

 

We talk about some controversial subjects, including Rapid Shutdown and I always try to be bifacial and take both sides for educational purposes, but encourage my guests to have strong opinions. If you have a strong opinion, let’s get you on the show!

 

Here are some of the topics we covered:

Other rad solar creators, like Solar Goat (https://linktr.ee/solargoat) and The Solar Slayer (https://thesolarslayer.com/)
Rapid shutdown methods
UL 3741 PVHCS (PV Hazard Control Systems)
Array level rapid shutdown
2019 NEC (serious joke)
NABCEP Certifications
Social media
Water flow in conduit 
DC arc faults and ground faults
Ironridge (press release and installation addendum can be found here: (https://www.ironridge.com/2024/02/27/flush-mount-systems-listed-to-ul-3741/)
Sollega
SMA
Residential UL 3741 (solarboi’s video
Peter Greenberg the String Inverter Activist
RE+
Purple

 

solarboi has decided to remain anonymous for this podcast. This is really cool, my first anonymous guest!

 

You can see all of solarboi’s links at www.solarboi.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@derekthesolarboi
Mastodon: https://mastodon.energy/@solarboi
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@thesolarboi
Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesolarboi

 

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

Tyler Hortin of Lion Energy-A Lithium-Ion Energy Storage Company

Great conversation with Tyler Hortin! His company does everything from Wh to GWh and focuses on prismatic cells that are almost 1kWh! This makes for less cells and less connections that can go wrong. The technology here is Lithium-Iron Phosphate (LFP) and we will talk about the supply chain and implications of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). They are affiliated with American Battery Factory, so we talk a little bit about manufacturing in the USA towards the end.

 

Key Words:

Lithium Iron Phosphate
Prismatic Battery Cell
Battery Manufacturing in the USA
How he get the Iron
LPF
Lithium (L)
Iron (FE)
Phosphorus (P)
Great Salt Lake
Battery management system (BMS)
Marine Battery
NMC
Alternator
DC to DC Charger
Shore Power
Energy Storage System
UL 9540 & 9540A
DC Interconnected System
Cabinet size
American Battery Factory
How long does it take to build a battery factory?

 

Check out Tyler on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-hortin-90469945/

 

Check out his website:
https://lionenergy.com

 

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

Tor "Solar Fred" Valenza of Probably True Solar Stories Podcast

Tor "Solar Fred" Valenza is a regular in the solar industry. Tor has a podcast called Probably True Solar Stories, which takes his expertise as a former Hollywood writer and merges that with the solar industry. Some of his Hollywood work was on popular shows, such as Stargate SG-1, Dharma & Greg, and The Dead Zone. Tor's current day job is he is a chief solar public relations geek at UnThink Solar, a solar PR and communications firm.

 

In this podcast we talk about how Tor Valenza became Solar Fred and how he made stories about solar.

 

Topics covered:

The history of branding about Solar Fred
How his fascination in solar energy began as a kid in NYC Central Park

Solar on the White House

Sungevity

Danny Kennedy

Solar Head of State

Great way to promote solar
Probably True Solar Stories Podcast
Murder by Solar Drone
President of the US as a solar installer
The 6000 Year Story of Solar Energy book by John Perlin
Clean nuclear power being used as a disguise for a nuclear weapons program
Solar installation war (Green War).
Nuclear bros
Energy deep state
Sean almost killed by carbon monoxide as a kid
Solar makes you the most money<

Steam turbines for solar PV energy storage with hot rocks

www.powermag.com/volcanic-rock-offers-new-take-on-energy-storage
Agrivoltaics
CSP = Concentrated Solar Power
Cadmium Telluride
Recycle, Reuse and Reduce
Solar feasibility on the north side of the roof
Solar wedding at a Tweet Up at SPI

Check out Tor on Linkedin:

linkedin.com/in/tor-solar-fred-valenza-3150015

Check out his website:

www.unthinksolar.com

Here is where to find Tor's Podcast:

www.probablytruesolar.com/

 

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

Solar Energy and Policy Entrepreneurship: a Discussion with Erica Goldman, Alice Wu, and Zoë Brouns of the Federation of American Scientists

In this episode we are triple fortunate to have three of the smartest individuals in a discussion on science and policy from the Federation of American Scientists (fas.org), a nonpartisan think tank connecting scientific research with policy making to address today’s most urgent needs. Transition to renewable energy is urgent! We talk about how we can transition to solar fast, and how science and policy need to work together to get the job done, and how individuals can get involved.

 

Guests:

Erica Goldman, on systems thinking and solar
Alice Wu, on tipping points
Zoë Brouns, on the workforce needed to meet the moment

 

Topics discussed:

• American Climate Corps, which is an IRA program intended to mobilize the green workforce on par with the FDR programs (see Civilian Conservation Corps), modeled similarly to the successful AmeriCorps.
• DOE (US Department of Energy)
  

  • Virtual Power Plant Commercial Liftoff Report
  • DOE Commercial Liftoff homepage
  • Clean Energy Talent Workforce report
• FAS History
• Manhattan Project Los Alamos
• Clean Energy and Climate Policy
• Science, Policy and Policy Entrepreneurship
  

  • SUBMIT YOUR IDEAS!
• Congress
• White House
  

  • Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) 2022
  • Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) 2021
• Follow FAS’s work via their newsletter

I am honored to have hosted the podcast with the most intelligent people ever on any podcast in history. Erika, Alice and Zoë's backgrounds are very impressive! Be sure to click on their names above, or find them on LinkedIn to see what I mean. We are talking Einstein-level conversation at times, especially when Alice told us about triplet excitons. This is an exciting conversation!

 

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

Solar Project Development Software with Matias Sigal, Founder REplace

In this show we talk about the different stages of development of solar projects, which are projects that are from 1MW in size to GW sized projects.

 

Matias Sigal is an entrepreneur and has worked with many startups and incubators in different countries. He started off by being born in Argentina, and is currently a resident of Israel (which we discuss at the end of the podcast).

 

Matias has a company that developed software, which works sort of like Zillow for multimillion dollar solar projects. 80% of potential projects do not get developed, because they are missing some of the criteria. REplace can analyze thousands of potential sites at once, so that early stage developers do not have to spend 30 minutes per site analyzing things independently. His software can do over 100 years of hard work with the click of a button.

 

Some of the topics we cover:

 

8 stages of project development

Community Solar (contrasting with and not Community Choice Aggregation)

Agrivoltaics

GIS

Israel, Argentina and Europe

CapEx & OpEx

 

Matias Sigal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matiassigal/

REplace website: www.renewableenergy.place

 

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

Jon Williams CEO Viridi

In this podcast we talk about safe portable Energy Storage Systems (ESSs). Jon and Viridi are located in Buffalo NY.

 

Topics covered:

 

Portable ESS

Building and Fire Codes including the International Residential Code (IRC) and the International Fire Code (IFC).

Occupied Spaces

Habitable Spaces

UL 9540

UL 9540A

UL

CSA

Thermal Runaway

How Viridi is safer

Cathodes and Anodes

NMC = Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide

LFP = Lithium Iron Phosphate

NCA = Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide

Specific Energy vs. Energy Density

How Viridi Portable ESSs saved Burning Man

How Ford won Pike's Peak race in Colorado using Viridi to charge EV race

Sunbelt Rentals using Viridi portable ESS

How using a portable ESS with a diesel generator is much cleaner and less expensive and uses less diesel for the same amount of energy, than a diesel generator alone.

 

Here is where to find Viridi:

www.viridiparente.com

 

Here is where to find Jon Williams CEO and Founder:

www.viridiparente.com/about/<

 

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

Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and the NEC with Bill Brooks and Sean White Part 4

In this podcast we have Bill Brooks and Sean talking energy storage system (ESS) Codes, with emphasis on interconnections, including supply-side and load side connections.

Be sure to get Sean and Bill’s latest book, which is the 3rd edition of PV and the NEC, based on the 2023 NEC.

To find where to get different versions of the NEC including the 2023 NEC for free check out the NEC tab at solarSEAN.com. 

Disclaimer: This podcast was recorded in 2021.

Supply-side connections (source connections to a service), 705.13 Power Control Systems (Energy Management Systems), ampacity of service conductors are allowed to have ampacity less than the main breaker in chapter III of the NEC, 200A PV system on 100A service with power control system, conductor sizing for supply-side connection,

Article 230 Services, houses not smaller than 100A or old services less than 100A, supply-side overcurrent protection locations, cable limiter distances, cable currents just handle fault currents (not overloads), 250.25, 250.24, bonding supply-side connection like a service required, two single points of system grounding, load-side connections, dedicated overcurrent protection device and disconnect, backfeeding a Tesla at 70W, busbars, 120% rule, suitable for backfeed, feeders, Hawaiian tie-in, tap rules, 10-foot tap rule, 25-foot tap rule, synchronous generators, busbars, 705.12(B)(3)(1) 100% rule, 705.12(B)(3)(2) 120% rule, 705.12(B)(3)(3) sum rule or sum of the branch circuit breakers, two single pole breakers with sum rule, 705.12(B)(3)(4) center fed 120% rule, 705.12(B)(3)(5) engineering supervision/multiampacity busbars and the 200% rule, 705.12(B)(3)(6) feed-through connectors, switchgear, 705.13 Power Control Systems with CTs, power control system certifications, allows more power than 120% rule (705.13 was re-named in 2023 NEC as Energy Management Systems), Article 625 sequencer for EVs, no-export is a power control system, export set at certain kW, physical protection of a Powerwall, residential code vehicle impact protection for ESS in garage, wheel stops, bollards, preventing overloading panel, smart panels, smart load centers.

Note: for visuals, download the NEC presentation at www.solarSEAN.com and look for the pdf downloads.

Links:

Bill Brooks, P.E.: www.brooksolar.com

www.solarSEAN.com

www.HeatSpring.com/SEAN 

2020 NEC radio 690

2020 NEC radio 690 was originally published on Dec 30, 2019, but it did not post to other platforms, so we are reposting it.

Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and the NEC with Bill Brooks and Sean White Part 3

In this podcast we have Bill Brooks talking energy storage system (ESS) Codes, with emphasis on the National Electrical Code (NEC) and stand-alone/islanding systems.

Be sure to get Sean and Bill’s latest book, which is the 3rd edition of PV and the NEC, based on the 2023 NEC.

To find where to get different versions of the NEC including the 2023 NEC for free check out the NEC tab at solarSEAN.com. 

Disclaimer: This podcast was recorded in 2021.

Flow batteries, fuel cells, Article 692 Fuel Cell Systems, electrolyte, zinc, fuel cell maintenance, Article 710 Stand-Alone Systems, plaque or directory, manual load control, stand-alone mode, automatic controller, multiwire branch circuits, 690.10, 120/240V theory, direct PV systems, dc micrograms, functionally grounded, grounded, ungrounded, reference grounded, resistor grounded systems, positively grounded systems, nighttime depolarizer, impedance ground for ac (resistance ground for dc), electric vehicle power transfer system vs. electric vehicle charging system, sequencer, LG Chem vs. LG home battery prices, Fukushima, Nissan Leaf in Japan bidirectional charging, zero net export, overcurrent protection devices, fault currents, ampere interrupting capacity, kA, excel spreadsheet fault current calculator, microgrid interconnect device (MID), Article 702, automatic transfer equipment, load management, lighting controllers, backup power system, optional standby systems, generator systems, automatic transfer switch, manual transfer switch.

Links:

Bill Brooks, P.E.: www.brooksolar.com

www.solarSEAN.com

www.HeatSpring.com/SEAN 

Celebrating the Release of the HeatSpring 2023 NEC class with NEC Article 690 Part VI Source Connections

We have just released the long awaited 2023 NEC class on HeatSpring. We spent more time making this class than any other class, so I am sure you will love it. We have Sean White and Bill Brooks going over many of the fun details and Code changes in this course. You can learn more here and some of the lessons are free samples.

https://www.heatspring.com/courses/30-hour-2023-nec-pv-energy-storage-building-and-fire-codes/?aff_id=t3nlgw

 

690 Part VI is a shorter Part of Article 690 and the end of 690 was dramatically reduced and rearranged in the 2023 version of the NEC.

 

Here are some of the topics covered:

 

690.56 Identification of Power Sources

690.59 Connection to Other Sources

690.72 Self-Regulated PV Charge Control (neat silicon science here)

 

This podcast is mostly a reading from the 3rd Edition of PV and the NEC by Sean White and Bill Brooks. You can get this book here:

 

www.amazon.com/PV-NEC-Sean-White-dp-1032019182/dp/1032019182/ref=dp_ob_image_bk

 

Also in this chapter we have consolidated all of the renewable energy labeling requirements. We have a page with all of the images of all of the relevant articles, so you should check it out.

 

Thanks for listening!

 

You can find out more at www.solarSEAN.com