Best Silas Mähner Renewables Podcasts (2025)

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857: The Unofficial Playbook to NYC Climate Week | Silas Mähner & Steven Zhang 44:00

Play Pause

1h ago44:00

44:00

Planning to attend NYC Climate Week? Already there!? When Nico realized he had to make a last-minute trip to NYC this week during climate week, he reached out to two friends who could give him a solid education on what to expect (and where to focus) for this week’s NYC Week. Whether you’re flying in from the West Coast or crossing borough lines, th…

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856: Ending Energy Poverty: Nedjip Tozun’s Vision to Reach 1 Billion Lives 53:55

18m ago53:55

53:55

Nearly 1 billion people still live without reliable electricity. Nedjip Tozun co-founded d.light to change that—starting with a $10 solar lantern and growing into one of the world’s most influential off-grid solar companies. Today, d.light has already impacted hundreds of millions of lives and aspires to reach 1 billion by 2030, bringing affordable…

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855: Jigar Shah on 25:15

3d ago25:15

25:15

The Wake-Up Call We Can’t Ignore Clean energy isn’t losing the economics game—it’s losing the political one. Jigar Shah returns to SunCast live at RE+ 2025 with an urgent message: the energy transition will stall unless we, as an industry, stop underestimating the role of political power. The economics are there. The technology is there. What’s mis…

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854: RE+ Day 3: Dean Solon, American-Made Inverters, Clean Tech for Native Americans, and More! 47:58

9d ago47:58

47:58

Straight from Day 3 at RE+ 2025, this replay of the PowerUp Live Morning Show and Daily Round Up wraps up an incredible week of insights from the clean energy leaders driving the industry forward. Nico Johnson, Lisa Ann Pinkerton, and Sylvia Leyva Martinez close out the final day with bold takeaways, surprising perspectives, and a few laughs. From …

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853: RE+ Day 2: SEIA Politics, Long-Duration Storage, Future Homes, String Inverters & More 58:15

3d ago58:15

58:15

Straight from Day 2 at RE+ 2025, this replay of the PowerUp Live Morning Show and Daily Round Up continues our mission to bring you insights from the leaders shaping the clean energy transition. Nico Johnson, Lisa Ann Pinkerton, and Sylvia Martinez welcome industry voices who share fresh perspectives on the policies, technologies, and strategies pu…

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852: RE+ Day 1: Jigar Shah, Storage Tech, New EVs, Steel Manufacturing and Much More 1:03:21

6d ago1:03:21

1:03:21

Straight from Day 1 at RE+ 2025, this replay of the PowerUp Live Morning Show and Daily Round Up brings you a fast-moving mix of leaders shaping the clean energy transition—from domestic steel to EVs, hydrogen, DG, big-grid storage, and much more. Nico Johnson, Lisa Ann Pinkerton and Sylvia Martinez welcome leaders, influencers and clean tech podca…

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851: Batteries vs. Peakers: [Revisiting] How Fluence Is Redefining the Grid 41:26

15d ago41:26

41:26

“Storage Was Never Just an Add-On” What if we’ve been thinking too small about batteries? In this rebroadcast from RE+, Kiran Kumaraswamy, former VP of Growth at Fluence, makes a bold case for reimagining energy storage—not just as a renewable add-on, but as a foundational tool for grid transformation. Kiran breaks down how the energy storage secto…

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850: RE+ 2025 Survival Guide: What You Need to Know Before You Get to Vegas (with 6 expert insiders!) 1:08:30

18d ago1:08:30

1:08:30

Heading to Las Vegas for RE+ 2025? This episode is your ultimate field guide. We’ve got the inside scoop from SunCast host Nico Johnson and some of the industry leaders shaping this year’s event—from Abby Hopper’s optimistic industry outlook to Jigar Shah’s no-nonsense advice for finding your tribe in the midst of uncertainty. You’ll also hear from…

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849: From Solar to Storage: Jigar Shah’s VPP Vision Revisited 40:58

22d ago40:58

40:58

"You're not in the solar industry anymore." That bold declaration from Jigar Shah at RE+ 2023 sparked debate, shifted mindsets—and now, two years later, is being realized. Nico Johnson recently revisited the discussion with Jigar for a current-day check-in before diving into the full, original conversation that started it all. As the then-Director …

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848: Can America Lead Solar Cell Manufacturing? Arndt Lutz, EliTe Solar 13:36

27d ago13:36

13:36

Is the U.S. solar manufacturing boom standing on a hollow foundation? In this live episode from PV ModuleTech USA, Nico sits down with solar industry veteran Arndt E. Lutz, a global exec who’s seen it all—from Germany’s early solar rise to hydrogen innovation and now leading EliTe Solar’s manufacturing efforts. Despite America’s massive build-out o…

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847: The Startup Disrupting HVAC Like Tesla Disrupted Cars | Stephen Lake of Jetson 1:05:51

28d ago1:05:51

1:05:51

Heat pumps are the EVs of HVAC—so why aren’t we all using them? Stephen Lake, a highly successful engineer turned climate-tech entrepreneur, is here to explain why heating and cooling is the most overlooked piece of the decarbonization puzzle. After selling his last company to Google, Stephen founded Jetson to tackle one of the biggest—and slowest-…

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#257 Betting on $2 Trillion in Climate Infrastructure & Lessons from the DOE Loan Programs Office | Brendan Bell (Aligned Climate Capital) 28:35

20d ago28:35

28:35

What does it take to scale the clean energy transition—both at the bleeding edge of new technology and in the nuts-and-bolts of infrastructure? Today’s episode dives into the nuanced world of climate finance and infrastructure with Brendan Bell, Chief Operating Officer and Partner at Aligned Climate Capital. Unlike most investors who play in either…

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846: Balancing State Energy Goals with Federal Uncertainty | Doug Scott, Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) Chair 22:08

1M ago22:08

22:08

A new wave of power demand is here. Is the grid ready? And can States keep up? Doug Scott, now in his second term as Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission, joins Nico to share how Illinois is navigating the accelerating pace of the energy transition. From integrating energy storage to regulating gigawatt-scale data centers, the ICC isn’t mov…

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845: How to Build Influence in a $1 Trillion Industry 45:33

1M ago45:33

45:33

So what’s the secret to building influence in a Trillion-dollar industry? Perhaps it’s “start when it’s only a Billion-dollar industry!” But in today’s episode a few more “secrets” are discussed. In this rare role-reversal, Nico Johnson—the voice behind SunCast—is interviewed by solar industry legend (and fellow podcaster), Barry Cinnamon. It’s a f…

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#256 Soil Health, Carbon Markets & Measuring the Hidden Climate Solution Beneath Our Feet | Chris Tolles (Yard Stick PBC) 56:25

30d ago56:25

56:25

How can we fight climate change by focusing underground? It turns out one of the biggest untapped climate solutions isn’t in the air—or in the trees, it’s in the soil beneath our feet. Today’s guest has developed a game-changing way to measure and protect soil organic carbon, helping farmers, agribusinesses, and carbon markets work together for cli…

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844: When Solar Systems Break: Who Really Pays? | Dean Chiaravallotti of Solar Insure 19:05

1M ago19:05

19:05

Most warranties aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. In a solar market defined by price pressure and disappearing installers, consumers are more skeptical than ever—and they’re asking smarter questions. Who’s responsible when something breaks? Will anyone answer the phone in 10 years? 5 years? In this live session, Nico Johnson sits down with…

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843: The Real Reason Residential Solar Is Still Too Expensive (in the US) | OpenSolar’s Andrew McGuigan 19:57

2M ago19:57

19:57

Why is residential solar still so hard in the US? Andrew McGuigan will wager an answer. After 13 years in the solar trenches—from knocking doors at Sungevity to leading OpenSolar’s global expansion—Andrew has seen every twist of the solar coaster. Now at OpenSolar, he’s got a front row seat to helping 25,000+ installers worldwide streamline their b…

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842: Out-Innovating China in Critical Minerals: ReElement’s Bold U.S. Strategy 1:29:29

1M ago1:29:29

1:29:29

Are Coal and clean energy still at odds?? It might sound like a contradiction, but today’s guest is proving that innovation often comes from the most unexpected places - in this case, Coal Mines. Listen in as Nico sits down with Mark LaVerghetta, co-founder of ReElement Technologies, a company turning the coal industry on its head by extracting cri…

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#255 Burning Aluminum is Clean & Replaces Fossil Fuels | Peter Godart (Found Energy) 1:05:19

1M ago1:05:19

1:05:19

Ever wonder how we are going to decarbonize heavy industry? Well, you won't have to wonder much longer. Today's guest has an incredible solution that is 1) drop in, 2) cost parity (or better), 3) has an existing supply chain, 4) overcomes any scarcity concerns, and 5) prevents users from changing anything they do. Our guest is Peter Godart, the Co-…

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841: From 3 Weeks to 3 Days: Accelerating Solar with Drones | Jason Steinberg, Scanifly 21:10

2M ago21:10

21:10

What if the tools you use to sell solar are setting you up to fail? That’s the uncomfortable truth Jason Steinberg, CEO of Scanifly, is tackling head-on. In this episode recorded live at NABCEP 2025, Jason and Nico dig into the disconnect between sales and operations in solar—where remote designs sell the dream, but outdated imagery and manual meas…

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840: Rethinking Battery Storage: Domestic BMS, Cybersecurity & Geopolitics | Michael Worry of Nuvation Energy 1:04:11

2M ago1:04:11

1:04:11

In a market flooded with cheap imports and geopolitical risk, one company is standing its ground. Did you know there’s only one North American battery management system (BMS) provider at utility scale—despite growing pressure from subsidized Chinese competitors offering systems at zero cost? Michael Worry, CEO of Nuvation Energy, joins Nico to shar…

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#254 The Path to Cost Parity Between Sustainable Fuels & Fossil Fuels | Conor Madigan, Aether Fuels 56:24

1M ago56:24

56:24

CleanTech founder Conor Madigan (Aether Fuels) reveals sustainable fuel tech breakthroughs, smart hiring, & building resilient climate startups. Join us as Conor Madigan, Founder and CEO of Aether Fuels, shares how their innovative tech is set to decarbonize aviation and shipping by drastically cutting costs and boosting fuel yield from waste strea…

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839: BREAKING: Nextracker Just Bought This AI Robotics Company: OnSight Technology - (here’s why) 34:52

2M ago34:52

34:52

Nextracker just made yet another bold move… What if a robot could detect a solar failure before it happens—and build the repair plan to deploy the right resources to the precise location, in real time? That’s not science fiction. It’s what OnSight Technology is already doing on numerous utility-scale solar farms across the US. And Nextracker have o…

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838: Cutbacks, Consolidation & Energy Chaos: Will Solar and Batteries Survive 2025? With Barry Cinnamon 42:29

2M ago42:29

42:29

Is This The Reality Check We All Needed? Layoffs. Shrinking margins. Policy gut punched. If you’ve been wondering how the solar industry will make it through this, hang tight - I’ve got a 20+ yr veteran who’s seen enough dips & turns on the SolarCoaster to provide ample insight. Barry Cinnamon returns to SunCast for a brutally honest conversation w…

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837: MET Stations... the Secret Weapon For Solar Energy? Ann Will | GroundWork 1:41:05

2M ago1:41:05

1:41:05

What if the smallest line item in your solar project budget could unlock millions in financing? Solar projects don’t get financed on hope—they get financed on data. Meet Ann Will, founder of GroundWork Renewables, the company solving one of utility-scale solar’s biggest pain points: uncertainty. GroundWork has quietly enabled over 1,000 met campaig…

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#253 The Plug-and-Play Battery Solution for Modern Home Energy | Cole Ashman (Pila Energy) 54:55

2M ago54:55

54:55

Today, we're speaking with Cole Ashman, the CEO and founder of Pila Energy. Pila is democratizing access to battery backup systems through industrial-grade, consumer-priced batteries that are simply plug-and-play. No electricians, no permitting, just reliable power. Pila's innovative approach is disrupting the home energy market, from enabling dema…

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836: The Battery Paradox: Why C&I Solar Isn’t Installing Battery Storage 15:37

2M ago15:37

15:37

Commercial & Industrial solar is no longer just about getting panels up on the roof (Or over the parking lot, as the case may be). I wanted to explore something that’s been bugging me…given the increase in C&I traction lately, what’s still holding the sector back from adopting batteries at scale? For the answer, I turned to Jayson Smith, Solutions …

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#252 The Big Battery Bill: What the OBBB Means for Batteries in America | Eric McShane (Electroflow Technologies) 37:03

2M ago37:03

37:03

In this episode, we talk with Eric McShane, co-founder and CEO of Electroflow Technology (backed by Breakthrough Energy Ventures). Eric is on a mission to revolutionize lithium production, a vital battery material. We discuss the "Big Beautiful Bill's" impact on the battery industry and how Electroflow Technology's innovative approach addresses the…

Silas Mähner Renewables Podcasts

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CleanTechies

Silas & Somil

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SunCast

Nico Johnson

1
857: The Unofficial Playbook to NYC Climate Week | Silas Mähner & Steven Zhang 44:00

1
856: Ending Energy Poverty: Nedjip Tozun’s Vision to Reach 1 Billion Lives 53:55

1
855: Jigar Shah on 25:15

1
854: RE+ Day 3: Dean Solon, American-Made Inverters, Clean Tech for Native Americans, and More! 47:58

1
853: RE+ Day 2: SEIA Politics, Long-Duration Storage, Future Homes, String Inverters & More 58:15

1
852: RE+ Day 1: Jigar Shah, Storage Tech, New EVs, Steel Manufacturing and Much More 1:03:21

1
851: Batteries vs. Peakers: [Revisiting] How Fluence Is Redefining the Grid 41:26

1
850: RE+ 2025 Survival Guide: What You Need to Know Before You Get to Vegas (with 6 expert insiders!) 1:08:30

1
849: From Solar to Storage: Jigar Shah’s VPP Vision Revisited 40:58

1
848: Can America Lead Solar Cell Manufacturing? Arndt Lutz, EliTe Solar 13:36

1
847: The Startup Disrupting HVAC Like Tesla Disrupted Cars | Stephen Lake of Jetson 1:05:51

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#257 Betting on $2 Trillion in Climate Infrastructure & Lessons from the DOE Loan Programs Office | Brendan Bell (Aligned Climate Capital) 28:35

1
846: Balancing State Energy Goals with Federal Uncertainty | Doug Scott, Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) Chair 22:08

1
845: How to Build Influence in a $1 Trillion Industry 45:33

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#256 Soil Health, Carbon Markets & Measuring the Hidden Climate Solution Beneath Our Feet | Chris Tolles (Yard Stick PBC) 56:25

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844: When Solar Systems Break: Who Really Pays? | Dean Chiaravallotti of Solar Insure 19:05

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843: The Real Reason Residential Solar Is Still Too Expensive (in the US) | OpenSolar’s Andrew McGuigan 19:57

1
842: Out-Innovating China in Critical Minerals: ReElement’s Bold U.S. Strategy 1:29:29

1
#255 Burning Aluminum is Clean & Replaces Fossil Fuels | Peter Godart (Found Energy) 1:05:19

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841: From 3 Weeks to 3 Days: Accelerating Solar with Drones | Jason Steinberg, Scanifly 21:10

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840: Rethinking Battery Storage: Domestic BMS, Cybersecurity & Geopolitics | Michael Worry of Nuvation Energy 1:04:11

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#254 The Path to Cost Parity Between Sustainable Fuels & Fossil Fuels | Conor Madigan, Aether Fuels 56:24

1
839: BREAKING: Nextracker Just Bought This AI Robotics Company: OnSight Technology - (here’s why) 34:52

1
838: Cutbacks, Consolidation & Energy Chaos: Will Solar and Batteries Survive 2025? With Barry Cinnamon 42:29

1
837: MET Stations... the Secret Weapon For Solar Energy? Ann Will | GroundWork 1:41:05

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#253 The Plug-and-Play Battery Solution for Modern Home Energy | Cole Ashman (Pila Energy) 54:55

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836: The Battery Paradox: Why C&I Solar Isn’t Installing Battery Storage 15:37

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#252 The Big Battery Bill: What the OBBB Means for Batteries in America | Eric McShane (Electroflow Technologies) 37:03