SunCast artwork

Natural Sciences · Nico Johnson

SunCast

by Nico Johnson

Nico Johnson takes you into conversations with those at the forefront of Renewable Energy. SunCast gives an inside look into what is happening in renewable energy. From conversations with the biggest Solar Panel manufacturers in the world to the small startups creating the future of renewable energy, such as carbon capture and battery technology breakthroughs. SunCast is dedicated to providing the knowledge, research, tools and expert guidance you need to understand, grow and be ahead of the curve in the fastest-growing markets in the world. Featuring over 800 conversations, Nico has interviewed people from Tesla, SolarCity, Trina Solar, Meyer Burger, Conergy, SunEdison, Energy Vault and even the US Government... to name a few. Covering topics such as Solar Power, Wind Energy, Batteries, Electric Vehicles, Carbon Capture, Finance, Hydrogen, and more. You can watch SunCast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SunCastMedia ...or view the full archive of SunCast episodes here: https://www.suncast.media/media/podcast

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

972: How Smart Solar Developers Treat Land as Growth Capital | Laura Pagliarulo

Could the land beneath your solar project help finance the next one, without giving up equity in your company? Laura Pagliarulo, CEO and co-founder of SolaREIT™, returns

Oct 1
59 min

971: The Hidden Bottleneck Slowing Solar Automation | Nick de Vries, Matt Campbell & Frédéric Laure

If robotic automation is becoming inevitable in utility-scale solar, where does that thesis run into the realities of actually building a power plant? That's the questio

Sep 29
43 min

970: 11 Years, 3 Pivots, and a Successful Exit | Jason Kaminsky

What does it actually take to build a company someone else eventually wants to buy? For Jason Kaminsky and kWh Analytics, the answer was 11 years, three major pivots, a

Sep 24
1 h 09 min

969: Could Data Centers Pay for Your Rooftop Solar? | Barry Cinnamon

Data centers need enormous amounts of power, and apparently they need it fast. What if some of the outrageous sums of money they’re willing to spend to get that power wen

Sep 22
16 min

968: How to Make Better Building Technology Investable | Dermot & Aiden Sweeny

Buildings consume an enormous amount of energy. We have plenty of technologies that could make them perform better. So why is the real estate industry often so slow to ad

Sep 17
1 h 08 min

967: Why U.S. Solar Costs 2–3x More Than Australia | Barry Cinnamon

In Australia, residential solar and storage can be installed for about $2 a watt. In the U.S., a comparable system can cost more than twice that. Why? Barry Cinnamon wa

Sep 15
15 min

966: When Solar Works But the Savings Don’t | Charlotte Meerstadt

When Charlotte Meerstadt put solar on her Amsterdam home, the numbers made sense. Then Charlotte moved to the U.S. and rented out the apartment. The solar panels kept do

Sep 10
1 h 18 min

965: 3 Lessons From Germany’s Plug-In Solar Boom | Stephan Scherer

Germany has turned plug-in solar from a fringe idea into a mainstream energy product found in millions of homes. And the biggest lessons for the U.S. aren't really about

Sep 8
13 min

964: Why the Best Energy Technology Doesn't Always Win | Sass Peress

The best technology does not always win. Sass Peress has spent nearly four decades learning why. Since entering solar in 1988, he has built companies, introduced new tec

Sep 3
1 h 13 min

963: How Exact Solar Keeps Growing in a Shrinking Market | Aaron Nichols

While many solar companies are fighting to stay afloat, Exact Solar is flying. After growing 23% and then 50% in the previous two years, the Pennsylvania installer says

Sep 1
54 min

962: What If We Paid Households to Power the Grid? | Ari Matusiak

America needs more power. Data centers are accelerating demand, utilities are planning billions of dollars in new infrastructure, and households will ultimately help pay

Aug 27
1 h 22 min

961: Latinoamérica 2026: Dónde Poner Tiempo, Capital y Capacidad de Ejecución (Español)

En Latinoamérica, la oportunidad no siempre está donde se anuncia más capacidad, sino donde existe una combinación real de demanda, capital comprometido y capacidad de ej

Aug 25
58 min

960: Why Good Companies Still Struggle to Get Noticed | Melissa Baldwin

Good companies don't automatically get noticed. And doing good work isn't enough to ensure that customers, investors, journalists, communities, or increasingly AI systems

Aug 21
55 min

959: The Argument for Automation: Making Solar Construction More Predictable | Cody Houser, FTC Solar

Solar construction has always depended on experienced crews adapting to whatever the jobsite throws at them. But what happens when the industry needs to build more projec

Aug 18
19 min

958: Australia’s Second Act: Building the Solar Service Economy | Daniel Lazarus, Industrias

Australia has spent years ahead of many markets on the distributed solar adoption curve. Now it is giving the rest of us an early look at what happens when millions of th

Aug 13
1 h 08 min

957: How Do You Plan a Grid You Can’t Predict? | Xcel, ComEd & Ameren

Utilities used to plan around relatively predictable demand. That assumption is disappearing. In this opening keynote from Intersolar & Energy Storage North America Midw

Aug 11
45 min

956: How Do You Prepare a Family Business for Its Next 100 Years? | Jake Pepper

Pepper Construction has survived the Great Depression, World War II, multiple recessions, and a global pandemic. As the family business approaches its 100th anniversary,

Aug 6
1 h 19 min

955: Why Some Companies Last and Others Don't | Marc Lopata

After building and selling multiple companies, Marc Lopata has learned that the decisions that shape a business are rarely the ones people celebrate. They're the small de

Aug 4
25 min

954: Can Clean Energy Build Mythic Power? | Tom Matzzie

We know how to build power. Every day, the clean energy industry builds more of it. But there's another kind of power that's far more difficult to generate—and arguably

Jul 30
54 min

953: The Hardest Part of Solar Isn't What Most People Think | Jeff Spies

Few people have had a front-row seat to the evolution of the modern solar industry quite like Jeff Spies. Over four decades, Jeff has helped shape the industry as an eng

Jul 28
27 min

Chart trend

Position in the Natural Sciences chart (US), last 90 days.

#29
all-time peak
84
days in the top 50 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where SunCast ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 4, 2026).

#147 ▼ 42 Natural Sciences US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

I’ve known Nico since before the podcast was created. His authentic dedication to the renewables industry, its impact, and its people are embodied beautifully in the show. Nico’s approach humanizes the business and policy context through engaging connections with remarkable guests. SunCast gives me insight that is not available elsewhere.

cpmerrigan · Jan 2026

I have been listening to Nico and Suncast for 4 years. I wait for each episode to drop. Always a great listen. Just the right amount of time and depth. Relevant. Nico with his deep experience in the space teases out nuggets and information that I will use almost immediately. Nico’s curated selection of guests never disappoint. Please keep doing what you do! Thank you Nico for your contributions to the sector.

Podcastadvocate · Aug 2025

Listening to Suncast , I feel like I’m riding shotgun on a road trip through the solar industry, and SO much more. Nico always shows up with deep, insightful questions to ask his incredible variety of guests, and he assembles such a rich diversity of experts from across the industry. I’ve learned so much about the state of the grid, emergent technologies and products across the clean energy sector, financing of solar projects, the nuts and bolts of the IRA and other legislation that’s been passed over the years. Nico’s interviews always leave me feeling more informed, inspired, and engaged. Highly recommended!!

Zachelrath · Jun 2025

Nico does an amazing job connecting with interesting, influential and inspiring members of the solar and storage community. As a 16-year industry vet myself I can say this podcast provides a deep well of content and perspective that keeps me coming back.

DVCIII · Oct 2024

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.

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About SunCast on Reason.fm

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