Episodes

Think it can’t happen to you? Imagine icicles forming in the shower or condensate water seeping through your ceiling—all thanks to an HVAC system that’s begging for attention. This week, the “House Whisperer” Nate Adams joins us to expose the hidden perils of skipping HVAC maintenance and how a few proactive tweaks can prevent a winter nightmare (and save your bank account from disaster). • Your Furnace: A Ticking Time Bomb? Why ignoring maintenance is like setting yourself up for a frigid break...

The first challenge with a home electrification project is determining the actual costs, savings and incentives for each step in the project. Once that’s done, the second challenge is navigating the maze of different electrification contractors (solar, batteries, EV chargers, HVAC, HPWH, insulation, etc.) Due to the magnitude of potential energy savings, solar and battery contractors are often the first in the door when homeowners consider an electrification project. Balto Energy is delivering a...

Ever wonder how early investors turned a hippy solar energy industry into a $100+ billion worldwide industry? On this week's episode we sit down with Gerard Reid, co-founder of Alexa Capital. Way back in 2005 he was researching PV technologies in Berlin - that’s when he realized that combining the right financing with rapid cost reductions in the solar industry could be the foundation for some terrific investments. And he was right. Fast forward to 2024 and we are seeing even greater worldwide p...

Will the future of energy be driven by massive utility solar farms or millions of local rooftop systems? John Farrell from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance shares his insights on how utility monopolies are strangling local solar efforts -- especially in California -- where monopoly utilities are locking customers into sky-high rates. The conversation delves into the growing trend of “grid defection” as consumers use their own solar and battery systems to reduce their dependence on utility p...

Nuclear power will make electricity too cheap to meter,” a prediction made in a 1954 statement from the head of the Atomic Energy Commission. 70 years later I’m predicting that electricity will be almost free, but powered from that fusion generator 93 million miles away. Sounds crazy, but rooftop solar is already generating power for $0.06/kwh — compared to our average rates here in California of $0.45/kwh. As rooftop solar costs continue to decline and grid electricity costs continue to increas...

In the second part of this week’s episode, we dive deeper with Vince Battaglia, CEO of Renova Energy, as he unpacks the aftermath of SunPower’s shocking collapse. First, a quick recap of Part 1: Vince shared the inspiring 18-year evolution of Renova Energy. From thriving in the heat of Coachella Valley to expanding into Arizona, he explained Renova’s smart choices in solar and battery tech and their consistent maintenance approach. Most notably, Renova’s steady, conservative business practices h...

This podcast episode, Segment 2 of our Enphase interview, delves into Module Level Power Electronics (MLPE) and the rise of advanced battery technology, with Enphase at the forefront since 2008. Segment 1, released a few weeks ago, is a good listen — especially for homeowners. Raghu Belur, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Enphase, shares insider details on their success, market position, and IRA incentives. We'll also debate open vs. closed home energy ecosystems and discuss how rapid adv...

This podcast episode, Segment 2 of our SolarEdge interview, is for my fellow solar installers who crave the inside scoop on industry TLAs such as IRA, VPP, V2G, PCS and NBT. This is the geeky deeper dive on the latest technologies and policy perspectives from SolarEdge. Segment 1, released a few weeks ago, is a great listen for more of a customer perspective. Today’s podcast, the second SolarEdge segment, is focused on interests and needs for contractors -- both residential and commercial. Issue...

What happens when your largest solar equipment supplier suddenly files for bankruptcy? And worse, they stop paying you for your ongoing projects? This is the nightmare scenario for solar installers everywhere. As the solar industry faces shifting policies, rising interest rates, and market turbulence, some companies are managing to thrive despite the challenges. One such standout is Renova Energy. In this week’s episode, Vince Battaglia, CEO of Renova Energy, shares the secrets behind the compan...

Anyone who pays an electric bill in California knows we’re in the midst of an energy crisis. The stark reality is that this crisis is enabled by politicians who lack the will to do something about it. But unlike many politicians, Sam Liccardo took action to lower electric bills when he was the Mayor of San Jose. Now, as candidate for U.S. Congress, Sam plans to tackle this these energy affordability problems on both a state level and national scale. Please join me on this week’s Energy Show as U...

FINALLY, someone who actually understands our crazy-complicated electric bills! His name is Dr. Ahmad Faruqui. I’m delighted to have Ahmad join me on this week’s Energy Show to talk about energy policy -- with a particular focus on why the heck our electric bills keep going up when it’s so inexpensive to generate power with solar and wind. It helps to have a PhD in economics, as Ahmad has from UC Davis. He started his energy policy career at the California Energy Commission, and then went over t...

Unfortunately, there are a few "quick buck" solar companies that take advantage of unsuspecting homeowners. These ten tips will help you avoid these scam artists -- and get the best solar and battery installation for your home or business. 1. Beware of the word “Free” 2. Beware of TGTBT pricing and financing 3. Don’t sign up on the spot 4. Do not trust quotes generated completely online 5. Beware of “free maintenance and cleaning” commitments 6. Beware of optimistic system savings 7. Research th...

California’s clean energy future is on a collision course with profit-oriented monopoly utilities. From the Governor’s office to the California Public Utilities Commission to the Legislature, policies are being implemented that are leading to skyrocketing electric rates and record utility profits — while at the same time crushing California's rooftop solar and storage industry and knocking the state off track in meeting its own clean energy goals. It’s a classic David vs. Goliath story. Only, in...

I bet you didn’t know that the “WH” in FranklinWH stands for "Whole Home." The Jersey Boys from Franklin designed their battery system from the ground up to help people back up their whole home without adding extra batteries or expensive load shedding subpanels. This capability has made Franklin one of the best selling battery systems on the market. Founder Gary Lam and Product Manager Doug Amarhanow — both Rutgers graduates — are my guests on this week’s Energy Show. In addition to integrated l...

“SunPower” and “bankruptcy” are two words I never thought I’d see in the same sentence. But we should temper our schadenfreude. The solar industry owes SunPower and their employees tremendous gratitude. Without a doubt, our industry would be much smaller without SunPower’s early and determined leadership. So rather than dance on their potential grave, this week’s Energy Show will focus on SunPower’s accomplishments that I’ve witnessed first-hand over the past 20 years. Think about back contact c...

Who would have thunk that you could put a 240 volt split phase inverter on the back of every solar panel? The gurus at Enphase and Akeena did, and I've been a fan ever since their first prototypes in 2008. In fact, I still have Enphase M-190 microinverters on my San Francisco home. Time for an upgrade? Probably! Our special guest is Raghu Belur, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Enphase. We've discussed microinverters for 16 years, witnessing Enphase's rise in the solar industry. Raghu sha...

You don’t have to be a Boomer to remember the days of simple DC wire connections to string inverters. For the most part, these times are long gone. Since 2010, module-level power electronics (MLPE) have taken over — and now, with batteries and advanced load control, solar systems have evolved into the energy focal point for homes. This Energy Show podcast highlights new capabilities from SolarEdge, broken up into two segments. Today’s podcast, the first SolarEdge segment, is focused on interests...

Yes, definitely. Heat pumps are literally and figuratively cool. And without a doubt, the best time to consider installing a heat pump is when your AC (or furnace) dies. Heat pumps do double duty, providing both heating and cooling. They offer significant savings and improved comfort -- which I confirmed first hand after my old outdoor air conditioner compressor died. Replacing both my old AC and gas furnace with a heat pump was one of the best home improvements I’ve ever made. The system operat...

Consider the poor photons! If your panels are dirty you are causing trillions of premature photonic deaths when they collide with dirt molecules. Please give those photons the chance to knock an electron loose from an eager semi-conductor. Instead of being converted to heat and banished to quantum hell. Save The Photons. Clean Your Solar Panels After just a week, your panels might look slightly dusty. But a light coating of dust doesn’t significantly block sunlight. However, severe grime, especi...

Are you sick of all the heat pump hype? Skeptical about why you should buy one right away? Don’t mind paying huge bills to your utility for methane (natural gas)? Even heat pump enthusiasts like us agree with you — they are definitely NOT for everyone. Here are five reasons why heat pumps may not be the right thing for your house: 1. You don’t believe in global warming and prefer to burn fossil fuels 2. Heat pumps are too expensive 3. It's too complicated to install a HPWH or HP HVAC 4. You rent...

This week's Energy Show dives into the tumultuous landscape of the clean energy industry, painting a picture of contrasting fortunes akin to the classic “Tale of Two Cities.” On one hand, we witness a surge in demand for clean energy, driven by improving economics, lower equipment costs, and rising electric rates, alongside enticing incentives. Yet, on the flip side, California experiences its first-ever decline in rooftop solar installations, coupled with a slowdown in electric vehicle growth a...

I read an avalanche of media criticism when Elon Musk fired his entire SuperCharger team a few weeks ago. In spite of all the whining, it was a good business decision for Tesla. Here’s why: expanding and running a fast charging network is a lousy business. Installation costs are high, permitting and construction delays are extensive, and revenues from charging cannot overcome the high electricity costs charged by utilities. According to a McKinsey and Company study in October of 2023, most EV fa...

10 years in the solar and storage industry qualifies most industry veterans as a solar old timer. But there is one person who stands out as a beacon of leadership, longevity and success. Ed Murray has been heating water molecules (solar thermal), converting photons to electrons (solar PV) and saving customers money since 1978. That’s 322 dog years! Ed Murray, CEO of Aztec Solar in Sacramento, knows solar thermal, PV and storage technology like the back of his hand. He’s managed to run his succes...

It’s not a flippant comment or a classic jazz solo — but an existential question about the devastating trend our civilization is on due to climate change. The history of Earth Day shows how the worldwide environmental movement has evolved from concerns about in-your-face air and water pollution … to a focus on the invisible hazard of rising CO2 emissions. To a large degree we’ve cleaned up the worst of the visible air pollution, contaminated water, and toxic wastes hiding under a few feet of top...