SunCast

890: NVIDIA and the Grid: How AI Is Shaping Clean Energy | Marc Spieler

The power grid isn’t just growing (at unprecedented rates!)It’s becoming more complex, more distributed, and harder to manage.In this episode, Marc Spieler, who leads NVIDIA’s global Energy business, explains how AI and accelerated computing already support grid operations, solar and storage forecasting, and infrastructure planning across the energy sector.Nico and Marc explore why electrification and data center growth are reshaping demand patterns, how software-defined infrastructure helps utilities avoid costly missteps, and where AI delivers practical value today. This conversation focuses on real workflows, real constraints, and what energy leaders need to understand as the grid evolves.If you work in solar, storage, utilities, or grid infrastructure, this episode will sharpen how you think about the role of software in clean energy. And regardless what sector, you’ll certainly learn more about how one of the most exciting companies on the planet is enabling a cleaner and more efficient energy future! (P.S. we discuss some FREE tools you probably didn’t know exist…)🎧 Listen now and rethink how we can us ai to shape up our aging infrastructure.Expect to LearnHow NVIDIA supports grid operations beyond hardwareWhere AI already improves solar, storage, and forecastingWhy grid challenges increasingly involve coordination, not capacityWhat software-defined infrastructure means for utilitiesHow energy companies work with NVIDIA todayYou don’t have to be a technologist to benefit from this conversation. Marc makes it clear that AI is not replacing humans in energy, it’s supercharging what’s possible. This one is for the builders who want to stay ahead of the curve.Happy Building, #solarwarriors!Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

889: Why Co-ops and Public Utilities Are Winning the Load Growth Race

The energy grid is facing a challenge unlike anything we’ve seen before.Think about this: one Virginia co-op has over 20 GW of demand in its queue. That’s more than the energy demand of New York City. As electrification and data center expansion accelerate, public power and electric co-ops are on the front lines of solving this surge.Electric cooperatives and public utilities are facing a wave of electrification, data center load, and manufacturing demand that rivals the size of major cities. That’s what major power providers are up against — but they’re not backing down.This Tactical Tuesday episode is your front-row seat to a high-stakes, high-impact conversation hosted by Sheri Givens, CEO of SEPA. She’s joined by two utility leaders tackling today’s fastest-growing energy challenges while maintaining reliability, affordability, and equity.They deliver on active solutions - from smart customer programs to creative tariff structures and innovative infrastructure partnerships.Expect to learn:🔹 How utilities are planning for multi-gigawatt load growth🔹 What it takes to avoid blackouts during grid stress events🔹 How equity-driven programs are supporting underserved communities🔹 Why customer relationships are the new frontier in grid reliabilityIf you’re in clean energy, this is the episode that explains how the game is changing - and how leaders are rising to meet the moment.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

888: 2025 Highlights w/Alex Honnold, Jigar Shah, & Dean Solon

2025 was a year of hardship for many, yet it was also a crucible for entrepreneurs, developing grit, resilience and perspective. We were able to capture some phenomenal conversations on the SunCast Podcast, and wanted to highlight a few that stand out for their vision and which also got among the most downloads of the year. In 2025, the clean energy industry was finally thinking like Amazon, building like Ford, and investing like it’s personal. Today’s episode highlights some of the key moments in the SunCast Podcast that illustrated these points through conversations with a powerhouse lineup of leaders who have been influential in bringing attention to the sector in a year where “good news” was hard to come by.In a classic tell-all live interview, Dean Solon breaks down his revolutionary solar logistics model—equal parts fast food and supply chain genius. Jigar Shah returns with an urgent message: the energy transition will stall unless we, as an industry, stop underestimating the role of political power. And Alex Honnold (Oscar-winning extreme rock climber) offers a rare perspective on how personal ambition can align with global progress, and why he believes solar power is a great social justice tool.Expect to learn:🔹 How the Honnold Foundation fuels energy access in the Amazon🔹 The case for solar distribution hubs that run like McDonald’s kitchens🔹 Why scaling solar requires more than just tech—it takes soul🔹 Jigar Shah on what CEOs still get wrong about growth and supportFrom the factory floor to the forest canopy, you’ll hear how big bets, personal values, and systems thinking are driving the next wave of impact.Here’s to a more prosperous year ahead, hopefully with fewer hurdles & headwinds!Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

887: The Four Rules of Storytelling | with Aaron Nichols

What do a struggling mom in Georgia and a solar installer named Jim have in common? Their stories can change elections and shape public perception of clean energy.In this final episode of 2025, Aaron Nichols returns to SunCast with a mission: rescue storytelling from corporate cliché and remind us why one emotional story is worth a thousand graphs. His viral LinkedIn article Four Rules for Storytelling Corporate America Desperately Needs takes aim at how we confuse content creation with actual narrative power.Aaron and Nico dissect why storytelling in our industry so often falls flat and how to fix it.You’ll walk away with a practical, human-centered playbook for narrative that converts.Expect to learn:🔹 Why “make me care before you make your case” is rule #1 in marketing🔹 Why facts follow emotion, not the other way around🔹 How to build a story stack that scales with your business🔹 Why AI-generated content will never replace a real narrative🔹 The 4 essential story types every clean energy leader should masterThis episode will change how you think about marketing, leadership, and your next LinkedIn post.Get The Story Stack PDFHappy New Year!Let’s get it started right.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

886: A Very SunCast Christmas: Our Top Moments, Trends & Hopes for 2026

🎄 Pull up a chair and pour some eggnog. It’s time for the first-ever SunCast Christmas episode.This special holiday edition brings together the full SunCast leadership crew—Nico Johnson, Jeremy Pingul, and (drumroll, please) new team member Josh Beck—for a reflective and lively roundtable you won’t want to miss.What made 2025 so memorable? From Alex Honnold’s surprising passion for solar, to technical deep-dives and industry revelations, this episode is packed with powerful moments and bold predictions. The crew also shares what inspired them most—from tribal nations to Texas renewables.Catch the behind-the-scenes moments, including:🔹 Which episode took 50+ hours to produce—and why it was worth every second🔹 Why rooftop solar is finally getting its moment🔹 How AI and batteries are reshaping base load conversations🔹 The backstory of a single Zoom call that could shift the industryThis isn’t just a recap. It’s a celebration of how far we’ve come—and a toast to the future. Whether you’re a longtime listener or new to the show, this episode offers a heartfelt, hopeful, and honest look at what was a trying but ultimately tremendously fruitful year.We wish you all a Very Merry Christmas, and thank you for tuning in!Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus