Contractor's Corner Podcast by Solar Power World

Contractor’s Corner: Black & Veatch This century-old company evolved into renewable energy construction and isn’t looking back.

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 12:00:16 +0000

Black & Veatch is a legacy construction company that prides itself on embracing change and new technologies. Although it started in fossil fuel development, the company pivoted to EPC work for solar, storage and now green hydrogen in the 2010s. The company built a Florida solar project that made national headlines last year for keeping…

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This century-old company evolved into renewable energy construction and isn’t looking back. appeared first on Solar Power World.

Contractor’s Corner: Arizona Energy Pros Small Arizona installer invests time and money into global volunteer efforts.

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 13:00:27 +0000

In this episode of the Contractor’s Corner podcast, we talk to family-owned residential installation company Arizona Energy Pros about prioritizing volunteer energy work despite its small size. Rusty and Amanda Gardner took over the company in 2020 and forged a partnership with GivePower, a nonprofit with a mission to build and deploy solar-powered clean water…

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Small Arizona installer invests time and money into global volunteer efforts. appeared first on Solar Power World.

Contractor’s Corner: Solar One Nonprofit solar problem-solvers help New Yorkers bring resilience to their communities.

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 13:00:47 +0000

In this episode of the Contractor’s Corner podcast, we talk to nonprofit solar organization Solar One about its mission to bring solar + storage installations to at-risk communities in New York City. Solar One’s director of resilient solar, Angelica Ramdhari, was one of nine women recently honored by the Dept. of Energy with a C3E…

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Nonprofit solar problem-solvers help New Yorkers bring resilience to their communities. appeared first on Solar Power World.

Contractor’s Corner: Perch Energy Community solar management company helps developers acquire and manage customers.

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 13:00:14 +0000

In this episode of the Contractor’s Corner podcast, community solar customer manager Perch Energy talks about the role software plays in making this solar segment accessible to those who can’t install arrays on their rooftops. Developers in this unique space often choose to outsource customer management due to the logistical complexity of numerous offtakers on…

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Community solar management company helps developers acquire and manage customers. appeared first on Solar Power World.

Contractor’s Corner: Sumpter Solar Services A foundation of solar repair work builds a dedicated customer base for this small residential installer.

Kelsey Misbrener — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 13:01:16 +0000

Big, national solar installers often command many headlines thanks to vast marketing and public relations budgets, but when bad things happen and those companies close up shop, small local contractors are the ones that pick up the pieces. Such was the case for Detroit, Michigan-area installer Sumpter Solar Services when a national solar outfit active…

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A foundation of solar repair work builds a dedicated customer base for this small residential installer. appeared first on Solar Power World.

Contractor’s Corner: Lightsource bp A utility-scale developer works with local farmers to maintain solar grounds.

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 13:00:34 +0000

Utility-scale developer Lightsource bp prioritizes environmental stewardship in the communities it’s working in, whether that’s through planting pollinator-friendly ground cover underneath arrays or paying local farmers to maintain the land using their flocks of sheep. Oil and gas company bp invested in Lightsource in 2017 and helped the company expand its solar footprint into the…

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A utility-scale developer works with local farmers to maintain solar grounds. appeared first on Solar Power World.

Contractor’s Corner: SunCommon B Corp installer uses community engagement to grow its solar workforce.

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 12:00:31 +0000

Commercial and residential installer SunCommon has made its name by putting community first. The publicly traded company, now owned by iSun, has been a certified B Corp for a decade and operates under the tagline, “A solar company with a purpose beyond profit.” The company’s environmental and ethical mission caught the interest of new VP…

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B Corp installer uses community engagement to grow its solar workforce. appeared first on Solar Power World.

Contractor’s Corner: New Energy Equity Community solar developer expects substantial growth thanks to IRA.

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 12:00:12 +0000

Maryland-based community solar developer New Energy Equity prides itself on early entry into up-and-coming regional markets. After the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and the inclusion of incentives that apply to community solar installations, some markets that were questionable are now looking much more feasible. In this episode, CFO Ahmar Zaman talks about the…

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Community solar developer expects substantial growth thanks to IRA. appeared first on Solar Power World.

Contractor’s Corner: Carolina Solar Energy Utility-scale solar developer uses empathy and education to secure community buy-in.

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 12:00:56 +0000

Carolina Solar Energy is a utility-scale solar pioneer in its home state of North Carolina. The company was founded in 2004 by Richard Harkrader, who worked to bring the first Renewable Portfolio Standard legislation to the state in 2007. After more than a decade leading the business, his daughter Carson Harkrader joined the company and…

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Utility-scale solar developer uses empathy and education to secure community buy-in. appeared first on Solar Power World.

Contractor’s Corner: Built Well Solar Long Island contractor celebrates 21 years of hyper-local focus

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 12:00:43 +0000

Built Well Solar’s founder Dan Sabia was a veteran and first responder at Ground Zero on 9/11. He saw firsthand the destruction and conflict triggered by America’s reliance on oil. He started thinking about the tiny, solar-powered calculator he used when he was deployed and wondered why the country wasn’t using this technology to become…

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Long Island contractor celebrates 21 years of hyper-local focus appeared first on Solar Power World.

Contractor’s Corner: Got Electric Quality and reputation help Maryland installer grow during downturn

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 12:00:02 +0000

Grant Gotlinger was looking for a change of pace after working for 19 years as an electrician in the Maryland area. When his company was approached to assist with the electrical portion of a solar project being installed on top of a Kohl’s department store, he accepted. That project launched a new beginning for Got…

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Quality and reputation help Maryland installer grow during downturn appeared first on Solar Power World.

Contractor’s Corner: Solar apprenticeships are key to meeting renewable energy goals IREC is working to build solar apprenticeships in the U.S.

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 23 May 2022 12:00:37 +0000

Apprenticeships are one of the best ways to train and retain talent in a given industry. Apprentices are taught the job and paid for their work simultaneously, opening the career to those who couldn’t afford to take classes without an income stream. Industries like plumbing, electrical and many others have well-established apprenticeship programs, but the…

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IREC is working to build solar apprenticeships in the U.S. appeared first on Solar Power World.

Contractor’s Corner: Knobelsdorff Enterprises Minnesota utility-scale EPC introduces solar careers to local students

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 12:00:54 +0000

Knobelsdorff Enterprises pronounces the “K” in the family name, but that’s not the most interesting part of this contractor’s legacy in Minnesota. In high school, CEO and president Karl von Knobelsdorff was criticized for planning to work in the trades after graduation instead of going to college. But since joining the family business in 2005,…

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Minnesota utility-scale EPC introduces solar careers to local students appeared first on Solar Power World.

Contractor’s Corner: Green Lantern Solar Commercial developer embraces pioneering spirit with dual-use and brownfield projects.

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 12:00:46 +0000

Green Lantern Solar’s new president Scott Buckley came to his current position at Vermont-based Green Lantern Solar thanks to a background in energy and finance. When Buckley’s father closed his West Virginia coal mine years ago, he wasn’t sure what to do with it. Buckley did some research and found solar power would be a…

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Commercial developer embraces pioneering spirit with dual-use and brownfield projects. appeared first on Solar Power World.

Contractor’s Corner: SunLight Solar Orlando contractor hits stride while navigating supply chain, interconnection roadblocks

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 13:00:41 +0000

SunLight Solar started in 2003 as a residential installer, but has now expanded to also serve commercial clients from its headquarters in Orlando, Florida. Although the company is growing and now installing solar from the Florida Panhandle to Key West, supply chain constraints and interconnection headaches are holding up faster progress. In this episode of…

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Orlando contractor hits stride while navigating supply chain, interconnection roadblocks appeared first on Solar Power World.