Sean White‘s Solar and Energy Storage Podcast

Greg Smith the Snarky Solar Guy and Best-Selling Author

Join Sean White and Greg Smith, the Snarky Solar Guy, as they talk about the ups and downs of solar energy and battery storage. They cover everything from dealing with unexpected weather to the latest updates in the solar world. This episode has honest conversations, useful tips, and a look at what Greg’s working on next. Tune in for a fun mix of jokes, know-how, and real stories from two solar pros.

 

Topics covered:

NABCEP = North American Board of Certified Energy

Tax Credits

Greg Smith’s YouTube Channel www.youtube.com

The Big Beautiful Bill www.youtube.com

Solar Bros

ITC = Investment Tax Credits

Door-to-Door Salespeople

Tariff

Oil and Gas

Incentives

SMA

Sonnen Energy

TIGO Energy

Hofbräuhaus

Greg Smith’s Books

O&M = Operations and Management

Curriculum

Codes

Rapid Shutdown

IRC = International Residential Code

IFC = International Fire Code

NEC = National Electrical Code

Inverter

Short Circuit

MPPT = Maximum Power Point Tracking

AC Coupling and DC Coupling

VPP Virtual Power Plant

Lumen Panels

Home Automation

Connected Home

AI = Artificial Intelligence

Defecting from the Grid

Off Grid Solar

Balcony Solar

Mini Splits

 

Reach out to Greg Smith Here:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregsmith007/ 

Tigo Energy: www.tigoenergy.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 2025 Podcast: From Shanghai to Panama with Two Juan Carloses of NSolar

In this episode of the Sean White Solar and Energy Storage Podcast, Sean White is joined by two of his good friends, both named Juan Carlos, in Shanghai. The discussion revolves around their experiences in the solar industry, particularly in Panama, where they have implemented solar and storage systems. They share their journey of achieving NABCEP certification, their choice of microinverters for Panama’s conditions, and the benefits of net metering. The conversation also touches upon attending various conferences and a factory visit in Shanghai, and their plans for solar technology in Panama. Sean highlights the importance of ethical practices in the solar industry and emphasizes gradual policy changes.

 

Topics Discussed:

Solar and Storage

NABCEP Certification

Las Vegas

Computer-based exam

Juan Carlos

Microinverters

Solar Bros

Ethical Sales

Casco Viejo

San Jose Island

Hacienda Delmar

C250 Enphase

Yingli Solar Modules

PV Technical Sales

Net Metering

Policy Change

Shanghai Maglev train = Magnetic Levitation Train

Microinverter

Glasses with thin film

BIPV

Racks

Panama Canal

 

Solar in Panama with Juan Andrés Navarro of NSolar Podcast Link:

www.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solar-in-panama-with-juan-andre-s-navarro-of-nsolar/id1441958371?i=1000685533681

 

 

Reach out Juan Carlos Navarro Barb & Juan Carlos Arango de Dianous here:

Juan Carlos Navarro Barb LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/juan-carlos-navarro-barb

Juan Carlos Arango de Dianous LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/juan-carlos-arango-de-dianous

NSolar Website: www.nsolar.net

 

 

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

Solar Marketing without Door Knockers with JP DZahr The World of Code

Sean interviews JP DZahr, an expert in digital marketing with experience at Microsoft, Boeing, and the banking industry. JP shares his journey from corporate marketing to creating niche market platforms for the solar industry. They go through topics like pay-per-click advertising, geotargeting, and generating leads through content-rich platforms. JP explains how solar companies can minimize costs and maximize revenue by leveraging Google's AdSense program and organic traffic. Whether you're a solar installer or a marketer, this episode is packed with valuable insights on optimizing solar marketing strategies.

 

Topics covered:

JP Dzhar background

Pre-press

Lawinfo www.lawinfo.com

PPC = Pay-per-click

Geotargeting

Information platform

AdSense

Permutations and Combinations

AI-generated articles for ad pages

Solar Bros

Door Knockers

Tax Credits

Lead generator

Looky-loo

Researcher

Buyer

Generating income using Google Ads

Trolling the Spammers

 

Find out more on:

The World of Codes Website: www.theworldofcode.com

 

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

The Big Bad Bill

Sean talks to himself like a crazy person about the Big Bad Bill and why we should stay optimistic and kick fossil fuels ass!

 

One way of compensating for anything that the government throws at you is to work hard and make yourself irreplaceable. One way of doing this is proving yourself invaluable with a NABCEP certification.

 

With or without tax credits, solar, storage and wind will kick fossil fuels behind.

 

Topics Covered:

Solar Industry’s Resilience

Soft Costs and Complexity

Job Security and Layoffs

Solar Coaster

Fossil Fuel Phase-Out

Net Meetering in California

Call to Action

 

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

Renewable Energy and AI with Navdeep Martin CEO of Flypower at Clean Power 25 ACP

Sean talks with Navdeep Martin, CEO and co-founder of Flypower, at the American Clean Power (ACP) Clean Power 25 conference in Pheonix. Flypower is leveraging AI to enhance renewable energy projects. Navdeep, a former speaker at the big NorCal Solar event recently in Oakland, discusses Fly Power's mission to streamline the process of securing permits and overcoming community resistance by analyzing public data. They dive into how AI can optimize renewable energy site selection and community engagement, the hurdles faced by solar and wind energy developers, and how AI innovations enhance decision-making. They also touch on the social dynamics and opposition from various groups towards renewable projects, how developers can navigate these challenges, and the broader significance of renewable energy adoption.

 

Topics discussed:

NorCal Solar 50^th Anniversary

Flypower

AI

Clean Power  Conference = Clean Power 25

Wind Industry

CIA

Community Resistance

Data Centers

Trevor Noah at ACP

Analyzing Commissioners

Public available data

Census AI based

Perplexity

Gemini

Cloud

ChatGPT

Deepseek

Allies

Cancel culture

Teddy Kennedy

 

Reach out Navdeep Martin here:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/navdeepmartin/

Website: www.flypower.io

 

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

Hans-Josef Fell Started the Feed-In-Tariff: (The Most Important Person Alive)

Solar energy was the most expensive energy in the world 25 years ago and now it is the least expensive energy in the world. This is because Hans-Josef Fell invented a policy called the Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) that made it a good financial decision to invest in solar back when solar was very expensive. This caused mass production of solar technologies and the price of solar systems went down orders of magnitude. The first FIT program was in Hans-Josef’s hometown in Bavaria Germany and was capped at 15kW for the entire program (now that is how much solar that is over my head). The FIT price was 2 Marks (pre-Euro money) per kWh, which was about $1 US. With the FIT, there was a law requiring the utility to pay the solar system owner a price for the electricity for usually 20 years, so that people will have the incentive to purchase grid-tied solar. 1000 years from now, Hans-Josef will be recognized as saving the planet and as the most important person of our era.

 

Topics Covered:

Hans-Josef Fell’s Credentials:

Started the world’s first Feed-In-Tariff

Co-author of the German Renewable Energy Sources Act 2000 with Hermann Scheer

Member of the German Parliament representing the 15 years (Green Party)

President of Energy Watch Group

Author of Global Cooling

Past Vice President of Eurosolar

City Counselor

School Teacher

 

Awards:

Global Leadership Award in Advancing Solar Energy Policy – In Honor of Hermann Scheer, January 2019

LUI Che Woo Prize – Prize for World Civilization, Recognizing lifetime achievements for sustainable global development, January 2018

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, January 2015

Bavarian Order of Merit, January 2012

Bonda Award – European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA), January 2006

Nuclear-Free Future Award, January 2001

Energy Globe Award, January 2000

Solar Award – European Solar Energy Association (EUROSOLAR), January 1994

 

I met Hans-Josef Fell at the Intersolar Germany conference in May (also known as The Smarter E) thanks to Tomasz Slusarz, who invited me to a Cleantech Business Club dinner near the Hofbräuhaus München, (where I drank beer as a teenager). I was fortunate to sit next to Hans-Josef and have non-alcoholic beer with him! #TogetherWeAreStronger

 

Contact info:

Website: www.hans-josef-fell.de

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hansjoseffell

 

Global Cooling book: https://a.co/d/6JlAOw5

 

Giant Transformers and Huge 2.8-year Lead Times! With Sachin Gupta of Pennsylvania Transformer Technology

In this episode of Sean White's Solar and Energy Storage Podcast, Sean interviews Sachin Gupta at the American Clean Power conference in Arizona. They discuss the lengthy lead times for huge transformers, the challenges of supply chains, and the capabilities of Pennsylvania Transformer Technology. Gupta explains the details of manufacturing and delivering massive transformers, some of which take up to three years to produce. They cover the significance of Made in America products, the impact of tariffs, and the growing demands in the solar and energy storage sectors. Additionally, they talk about the future of transformer technology, including potential developments in high voltage direct current (HVDC) applications.

 

Topics discussed:

American Clean Power (ACP)

Affordable Wire Management

144 to 146 weeks lead time

Supply chain

50 to 500 MVa transformer

MVA (VA=volts x amps)

Tariffs

765,000 volts transformer

Single Phase Transformer

Bushing

American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)

Utility Scale

Rooftop solar

Small pad transformers

Collector transformer = Large power   transformer

Pad mounted transformer

Civil pad

FAT = Factory Acceptance Test

Minimum 25 years life span up to 40 to 50 years

HVDC = High Voltage Direct Current

 

Reach out to Sachin Gupta here:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sachin-gupta-b1997b1a

Pennsylvania Transformer Technology LLC: www.patransformer.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 journey and Industry Insights with Matt Hirsch

Matt Hirsch is a writer and has been writing about the solar industry before there was a modern solar industry in California. Sean and Matt shoot the breeze and find out they crossed paths a few different times in the industry, when Matt was writing about the birth of solar CCAs in California in the 1990s and writing about Sean’s friend Paul Fenn, who got Sean into solar. Matt and Sean were both affiliated with Photon Magazine and now they are both hanging out in Berkeley and hanging out at NorCal Solar events.

 

Matt Hirsch is the Chief Marketing Officer of TerraCurrent

 

Topics covered:

Terra Current www.terracurrent.com

Photon Magazine www.photon.info

Grounding and electrical current flow

Single Wire Earth Return

Sean White’s creative songs to promote NABCEP certification

NorCal Solar = Northern California Solae www.norcalsolar.org

CALSSA  = California Solar and Storage Association www.calssa.org

ASES = American Solar Energy Society www.ases.org

Solar Coaster

Challenges in solar policy and public perception

Bundesnetzagentur

Net metering

Starlink

FIT = Feed in Tariff

Grid defection

Paul Fenn

CCA = Community Choice Aggregation

Ava Community Energy www.avaenergy.org

Sean’s Journey in the Solar Industry

Life and Politics in Berkeley, California

SEIA = Solar Energy Industry Association www.seia.org

IREC = Interstate Renewable Energy Counsil www.irecusa.org

SEAC = Sustainable Energy Action Committee www.sustainableenergyaction.org

Planet Plan Sets www.planetplansets.com

Solar Roots Party [Register now]

 

Reach out to Matt Hirsch on:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/matthewbhirsch

Terra Current Website: www.terracurrent.com

 

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

Wilson Betances: Apprenticeship Program with HeatSpring

Sean met Wilson at the RE+ Texas Conference and they hit it off. Wilson also does training and just started an apprenticeship program on HeatSpring.

 

Check it out!

https://www.heatspring.com/electrical

 

Topics covered:

NCCER = National Center for Construction Education and Research www.nccer.org

Energizeus www.energizeus-edu.today        www.energizeus.today

RE+ Vegas

Blue Collar & White Collar

Training Roof

SunPower www.sunpower.com

Mark Mrohs

Infinite Solar

Feed in Tariff

Solar Coaster

San Francisco Comedy College

Ontario Solar Academy

Texas Trade Technical

Skill Trades

Apprenticeship

License & Certification

NEC = National Electrical Code

JTA = Job Task Analysis

IRA = Inflation Reduction Act

IBEW = International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

ABC = Associated Builders and Contractors

NorCal Solar = The Northern California Solar Energy Association www.norcalsolar.org

Journeyman Card

Contractor’s License

FAA = Federal Aviation Administration www.faa.gov

Drone Certificate

SEIA = Solar Energy Industry Association www.seia.org

Curriculum
Interstellar

LMS = Learning Management System

Reach out to Wilson Batances Here:

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/energizeus

Enrgizeus Instagram: www.instagram.com/energize_us_edu

Energizeus Websites: www.energizeus-edu.today                 www.energizeus.today

 

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

The Merging of Central and String Inverters

Join us for an exciting episode as we talk with Madeline Acri from SunGrow at the RE+ Texas conference. Learn about the latest in central and string inverters, cool energy storage ideas, and creative ways to help the planet. From the fun side of solar tech to the future of clean energy, this episode is full of insights and a touch of humor. Tune in for a great look into the world of renewables!

 

Topics covered:

Sungrow

Central Inverter

String Inverter

MPP = Maximum Power Point

MPPT = Maximum Power Point Tracking

DC to DC Converter

Fuse Grounded Inverter

Non-Isolated Inverter

Grounded and Ungrounded

NEC = National Electrical Code

Bipolar Solar Circuit

Floating Array

PID = Potential Induced Degradation

Solar Power at Nighttime

Nicola Tesla and Thomas Edison

SNEC

Distribution System

Geomagnetic Reversal

Solar Roadways

BIPV = Building Integrated Photovoltaics

Solar Window

Balcony Solar

Solar Recycling

Hydrogen Electrolyzer

Wind Energy

Oil and Gas

ESS = Energy Storage System

EV = Electric Vehicle

EV Charging

Vehicle to Grid Adaption

Feed in Tariff

Dual Glass Modules

Tesla

Elon Musk

Electric Bobcat

Ideas to Save the Planet

The Boy who Harnessed the Wind

Space Junk

Dyson Sphere

Reach out to Madeline Acri Here:

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/madeline-acri

Sungrow Website: www.sungrowpower.com

 

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